Since arriving in Russia, I have been doing an at home study course with a Seminary class called, "The Gospel and The Productive Life."
This study has been a miracle to me. Everytime I decide I need to work on something, the very next lesson talks about just that.. If I ponder and pray about a question pertaining my future..whats in the next lesson? The answer. its been nothing short of amazing.
Today, just in case you can't tell, I decided I need to be a little bit better in everything. But mostly in hard work. I opened up the assignment for this week, and it read, "Becoming Self-Reliant in the Lords Way."
..right on :)
So I just wanted to share a few points the lesson made, that I really liked.
"With Heavenly Father's help, we can face the challenges of our mortal lives with confidence and peace of mind and become self-reliant in the Lord's way. This includes recognizing that we need the Lord's help in all things."
"In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct they paths." Proverbs 3:5-6
"..but with it all, man of himself is not wholly self-sufficient. He is not to trust solely in his own strength, nor in teh arm of flesh. The Lord is his Councelor and Deliverer, upon whome he must rely for guidance, direction, and inspiration. If the great Creator had not stepped froward to redeem the creatures of his creating, the whole plan of salvation would be void and the most perfect manifestations of self-reliance would have no worth" Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. 1966
"Ask your Heavenly Father to bless you with strength and courage, and He will help you endure any challenges you may face. He will help you overcome loneliness, feelings of desperation and hopelessness, setbacks of a personal, emotional, financial, and even spiritual nature; or will strengthen you when you are simply feeling overwhelmed. He will give you the ability to serve faithfully in every assignment you receive from you church leaders. Your faith and knowledge of the restoration of the gospel will give you the strengths and talents gladly to build up the Kingdom of God here on the Eearth! Brothers and Sisters, your testimony of Jesus Christ is teh most important anchor that you can have to help hold you, steadfast and immovable, to principles of righteousness, regardless of the challenges and temptations that may come in the future." -M. Russel Ballard
"Do all you can do, and then leave the rest of it to the Lord." Joseph B. Wirthlin
"If our lives and our faith are centered on Jesus Christ and his restored gospel, nothing can ever go permanently wrong. On the other hand, if our lives are not centered on the Saviour and His teachings, no other success can ever be permanently right" - Howard W. Hunter
"Work brings happiness, self-esteem, and prosperity. It is the means of all accomplishments; it is the opposite of idleness. We are commanded to work. (see Gen. 3: 19). Attempts to obtain our temporal, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being by means of a dole, violate the divine mandate that we should work for what we receive.Work should be the ruling principle in .. [our lives]. " - President Spencer W. Kimball
"Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; "for the power is in them, wherein they aer agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward" D&C 58: 27-28
"We consider that God has created man with a mind capable of instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect; and that the nearer man approaches perfection, the clearer are his views, and the greater his enjoyments, till he has overcome the evils of his life and lsot every desire of sin; and like the ancients, arrives at that point of faith where he is wrapped in the power and glory of his Maker, and is caught up to dwell with HIm. But we consider that this is a station to which no man ever arrived in one moment."- Prophet Joseph Smith
{ i love the idea in that one: being wrapped in the glory of your Maker...}
"[even] Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and Man." Luke 2:52
Like I said, I have LOVE studying these lessons. :)
..but don't worry, I have been doing SOME work. Like.. my laundry.
all hand washed an hung out to dry.
;)
