I'm excited to share my thoughts on this weeks General Conference Study Schedule: Confide in God Unwaveringly. Oh how we need a plan to keep us grounded when we are faced with trials and challenges. Oh how we need our faith to not waver because then we can get through anything.
Elder Ulisses Soares starts out with this quote (be sure to find the FREE Printables in this weeks study session HERE)...
Soares Testimony: I know that President Thomas S. Monson is the prophet of God in our day. His counselors in the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles are also, in fact, prophets, seers, and revelators. They represent the Lord Jesus Christ and have the right to declare His mind and will as it is revealed to them. I testify that there is safety in following their counsel. The Lord is inspiring them to emphasize strengthening our faith in Heavenly Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in His Atonement so that we will not waver as we face the challenges of our day.
Question: What challenges are you facing today and tomorrow?
Question: What do you need to do to get through your challenges?
Scripture: Mosiah 7:19, 33
“Therefore, lift up your heads, and rejoice, and put your trust in God. …
“… If ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, … and serve him with all diligence of mind, … he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage.”
We need to serve Him and if we do, he has made a promise to deliver us out of bondage according to his will and pleasure. How wonderful and awesome is that?
We need a plan when faced with difficulties...a plan of escape just like the faith of King Limhi's people who made a covenant to serve and keep His commandments.
Question: What is your escape plan? Print the following FREE printable and give to your RS sisters/VT sisters, etc.
This life is a period of testing AND it requires the following:
1-We need to have unwavering faith in Christ even in times of great difficulty.
2-We need to press forward with steadfast faith in Christ.
3-We need to trust that God will provide for our needs.
Question: What has Jesus Christ done?
1-He lived a sinless life
2-He overcame all the temptations, pains, challenges, and afflictions of the world.
3-He shed drops of blood in Gethsemane.
4-He suffered terrible pain beyond any power of description.
5-He took upon Himself all our pains and sicknesses.
6-Through his life he suffered, he experienced death and was resurrected.
7-He removed every impediment to our rejoicing and finding peace on this earth.
As we exercise faith in Jesus Christ, we will be strengthened and our burdens will be eased and we will overcome the world.
It does require work on our part but the blessings of overcoming the world is far better than anything in this life.
Story:
Years ago while serving as a mission president, I received a phone call from the parents of one of our beloved missionaries informing me about the death of his sister. I remember, in the tenderness of that moment, that missionary and I discussed God’s marvelous plan of salvation for His children and how this knowledge would comfort him.
Although he was stunned and saddened by that adversity, this missionary—through his tears and with faith in God—rejoiced in his sister’s life. He expressed unwavering confidence in the tender mercies of the Lord. Resolutely, he told me that he would continue to serve his mission with all faith and diligence in order to be worthy of the promises that God had for him and his family. In this time of need, that faithful missionary turned his heart to God, placed all of his trust in Him, and renewed his commitment to serve the Lord with faith and with all diligence.
Personally, a similar experience happened to me while I served in the Detroit Michigan mission years ago. One of my sisters was going through a divorce and my family didn't want to tell me because they thought it would bring me down. But, they realized that missionary prayers have a great impact so they ended up telling me. I was devastated, however, I knew I must push forward and pray as hard as I could for my sister to get through her challenges. It was hard but she pushed through and was able to "confide in God unwaveringly." She is a great example to me and I love her for pushing through the hardest part of her life.
Elder Ulisses Soares continues to give us more promises if we are steadfast and do not waver in our faith.
Promise: We will be enabled to subdue negative impulses. We will develop the capacity to overcome even what appear to be overwhelming obstacles.
Invitation:
1-Place all of your trust in God and in the teachings of His prophets.
2-Renew your covenants with God.
3-Serve Him with all of your heart.
Soares Testimiony:
I testify that by the power of your unwavering faith in Christ, you will become free of the captivity of sin, of doubt, of unbelief, of unhappiness, of suffering; and you will receive all of the promised blessings from our loving Heavenly Father.
I testify that God is real. He lives. He loves us. He listens to our prayers in our moments of happiness and in our moments of doubt, sadness, and desperation. I testify that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. He is the Redeemer.
Next week: Brighter and Brighter until the Perfect Day by Elder Mark A. Bragg
***The purpose of the 25 weeks of General Conference talks came from our ebook called, Growing up with Conference. In our book, we share an FHE lesson titled: Favorite talk. The purpose is to teach your family to use the general conference talks as part of their personal scripture study. This FHE lesson is found in our "Live it" section of our ebook. You can find our ebook HERE. ***
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