Sunday Recap

Bishop Fife gave a great 5th Sunday combined lesson today. Here's what we could summarize from him below:

Generally TRIALS are disliked, and CHANGE is resisted.  This is a general principle for all humans!

HOWEVER trials and change are not to be avoided, but to be used as tools that will help us become better.  Some trials and change that help prove this are marriage and having children!

We spend a lot of time trying NOT to change - the problem with that is that we need to be prepared enough for change that when it happens, we know it will be okay and we can continue forth.  We call that TESTIMONY. 

It is an effort to daily be more like Christ, in our marriages and in our lives. 

Therefore, Bishop would like to propose that we work on both "personal" and "cultural" (as a ward) change.  Here are some TOOLS THAT WILL HELP US ALONG THE WAY:

1. Accept ourselves - be honest with ourselves and within our marriages: if we have problems, that is okay! That is what the Atonement is for, and the Lord accepts us!

2. Let things go - forgive, be kind, be as the Savior would be to others if He were here

3. The little stuff DOES make a difference

Bishop Fife's father had polio which left him unable to lift his arm above shoulder height his entire life.  One day, after his father was 75 years old, he walked in and his father said "Watch this!" and lifted his hand straight up in the air above his head, without assistance!  What made the difference??? For years, his father had been exercising each day on an exercise bike that worked both his arms and legs. While he had faithfully done this everyday for years to prevent muscular degeneration, he failed to realize that he was building tiny muscles and neurons that would eventually allow him to lift his arm above his head! Little by little, over the years, his once weak and useless muscles had developed and become strong!

The same principle applies to the small Gospel things in our lives: prayer, scripture study, FHE - they're all sooo important in building us up over the years and making us strong!

4. So what do we do!? "Wake up and do something more"! - Do good. Do right.