10/12/14 Review

Important Dates

• Wed Oct 15: Walton Feed Group orders due to Marilou Woolstenhume
• Please contact Sis. Woolstenhume or a member of the RS Presidency for additional information
• Sat. Oct 25: Ward Trunk-or-Treat, 10am at the Thomasville Rd Building!
• Wear costumes (no masks) and get ready for a fun time! Cake walk, games and trunk-or-treating for the kids! 
• Nov 1: Adult Temple Trip--seats still available for bus, see Bro or Sis Kent for details

Oct 2014 Lesson Schedule

• Oct 5: General Conference
• Oct 12: Chapter 19: In the World by Not of the World
• Oct 19: Chapter 20: Love and Concern for All Our Father's Children
• Oct 26: Conference Talk: TBA

Lesson Review

Teachings of the Presidents of the Church, Joseph Fielding Smith

Chapter 19 – In the World but Not of the World

Consider what it means to be “in the world.”  What are some of the forces in the world that do not influence us in a positive way?  Some answers might include: materialism, media, selfishness, being busy, expectations, lack of direction, instant gratification, faulty logic, secularism, pride, judgment, comparisons, etc.

President Joseph Fielding Smith said:

“If we are living the religion which the Lord has revealed and which we have received, we do not belong to the world. We should have no part in all its foolishness.  We should not partake of its sins and its errors – errors of philosophy and errors of doctrine, errors in regard to government, or whatever those errors may be – we have no part in it.

“The only part we have is keeping of the commandments of God.  That is all, being true to every covenant and every obligation that we have entered into and taken upon ourselves.

Consider what it means to be “not of the world.”

President Smith said:

“Do not get the impression from what I have said that I feel that we should keep aloof from everybody outside of the Church and not associate with them.  I have not said that, but I do want us to be consistent Latter-day Saints, and if the people of the world walk in darkness and sin and contrary to the will of the Lord, there is the place for us to draw the line.”

President Smith focuses on four worldly areas of which we are to take no part:  keeping the Sabbath day holy; obeying the Word of Wisdom; respecting the name of Deity; and dressing modestly and keeping the law of chastity.  Question to ponder: these are commandments from the Lord.  Why would President Smith have focused on these four particular commandments?

The blessings promised to the faithful are far greater than the temporary pleasures of the world.  President Smith said:

“You know, we have a great many members of the Church that ponder that over in their hearts and wonder why.  Why this man seems to be blessed with all the good things of the earth – incidentally, many of the bad things that he things are good – and yet so many members of the Church are struggling, laboring diligently to try to make their way through the world….The day will come when we will not have this world. It will be changed we will get a better world.  We will get one that is righteous, because when Christ comes, he will cleanse the earth.”

As we put God’s kingdom first in our lives, we act as lights to the world and set an example for others to follow.  President Smith said:

“The Latter-day Saints are as a city set on a hill that cannot be hid, and like the candle that gives light to all who are in the house.  It is our duty to let our light shine as an example in righteousness, not only to the people among whom we live, but to the peoples of the whole earth.” [See Matthew 5:14-16]

Questions to ponder:  How can our examples help others forsake the ways of the world?  When have you seen the power of righteous example?  Think about what you can do to set a righteous example for your family and others.