Inviting others to Christ and Helping friends return to Church

This worksheet and handout were created for the December “Come follow me” lesson : How can I help my less active friends return to church? But it can also go with the lesson How can I invite to come unto Christ or any other topic that helps bring others come to the light of the Gospel.

This worksheet goes with Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Come, Join with Us,” Talk.

come join with us-worksheet-03

Download “Come Join with us worksheet” come-join-with-us-worksheet.pdf – Downloaded 1352 times – 112 KB

I focused on these particular sections and divided them up among the class to fill out the worksheet:

unanswered questions, Mistakes of imperfect people, What about my doubts, I just don’t fit in with you people in the Church, I don’t think I could live up to your standards, I know a member of your Church who is a hypocrite. I could never join a church that had someone like him as a member.

Here is a handout that students can handout to friends or use as reminder of what the purpose of church is and invite others who are seeking truth, meaning, faith in action, and a place of belonging.

Download “Come join with us 4 on a page handout” come-join-with-us-4onpg-handout.pdf – Downloaded 1156 times – 97 KB

Of course we want to invite other to drink in the goodness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ but above all, I love what President Utchtdorf states: “It may break our hearts when their journey takes them away from the Church we love and the truth we have found, but we honor their right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own conscience, just as we claim that privilege for ourselves.^5“

With that said, my focus on what it personally means to do missionary work has shifted. Continue reading “Inviting others to Christ and Helping friends return to Church”

Self Reliance

I love the topic of self reliance. When we use the inspiration and resources Heavenly Father grants us to get our own act together, we can live in more harmony and more easily and willingly bless the lives of those around us.

Really, a ‘drowning’ person can do little to save another ‘drowning person’ When we learn to ‘swim’ and thrive in an area, we can also be there to bless to others. We are also in a place to share, show and teach another to gain self reliance. Together we can thrive together! It is a beautiful thing. This worksheet outlines the areas of self reliance described in section 6.1.1 of the Handbook 2.

Here is the download for the worksheet above in PDF form.

Download “Self Reliance Worksheet” self-reliance-worksheet.pdf – Downloaded 1360 times – 281 KB

You can have students fill out the different areas with information they find in scriptures, talks, their own thoughts. Including what they can personally do in each area to help them become more self-sufficient is also a great idea.

Other Come Follow Me lesson in NOVEMBER..

Why is it important for me to gain an education and develop skills?P

This is material created for the Come follow me Young Women’s Lesson: Why is it important for me to gain an education and develop skills? Though it can be used for any lesson regarding the importance of seeking learning and education.

Click on download below for above handout (6 on a page).

Download “Seek learning by study and faith handout” seek-learning-by-study-faith-handout.pdf – Downloaded 1530 times – 108 KB

This is how I presented this lesson using the worksheet below. Please remember that these are just suggestions and ideas. The inspiration you personally receive for your students as you prepare is far more valuable than a fixed lesson plan created by someone else.

• Ask girls why it is important to gain and education and develop skills. (Encourage an open discussion or go around and have each girl say something.}

• Pass out worksheet and have them fill out the first section with ideas they have already mentioned or heard talk about.

• Divide scriptures (found on side box of worksheet) among the girls and have them quietly read and write more insight based on their scripture and then share what they read, wrote or learned with the class.

HAPPY NOTE: the top half of this worksheet completes knowledge value experience 1!

Download “The lord is my light program blank” lighthouse-the-lord-in-my-light-program-blank.pdf – Downloaded 1627 times – 2 MB

This bottom half is about applying the lesson. I encouraged my students to cut off the bottom half and hang it somewhere where they could see it everyday. I believe that If you are reminded daily of what you value and want most, guess what??? You increase the chances of actually carrying it through! Getting started is the hardest part, creating an actionable step (and making it totally attainable) in the bottom box helps initiate the momentum to successfully accomplishing what you want.

GOOD NEWS, if they do it, it can help pass of the Individual Worth Project 5! Woot.

Other “Come Follow Me” lessons in NOVEMBER.

Power of words handout

Here is a handout for the come follow me lesson, “How do the things I say affect me and those around me?” But it can be used for any lesson for home, church or faith group regarding the careful use of our words.

Here is the pdf download

Download “Words” words.pdf – Downloaded 2043 times – 132 KB

As Elder Holland says, our words really our SACRED! They have great power and effect on us and those around us. It is up to us to use them with great care and respect! They can destroy, corrupt and control or they can uplift, liberate and empower others and ourselves. Most importantly they can keep us connected to the Spirit or can separate us from our own light, and the Spirit.

How to create an Eternal Marriage. Worksheet and treat object lesson

This handout was specially created for the Come follow Me lesson titled, “Why is temple marriage important” but it can be used to fit any lesson for church or home regarding the importance and sacred nature of marriage. In this lesson I focused on the relationship aspect of temple marriage and how to help make that sacred bond between a lady and a gentleman, truly eternal.

I created this worksheet to help myself and others define that they truly seek in their current or future marriage. A fun option is to put the folded up note in an envelope to read with future spouse-to-be or as a reminder to help create the kind or marriage you really want.

Click on button below for free PDF download :

Download “Marriage I want” Marriage-I-want.pdf – Downloaded 3675 times – 151 KB

oreo-cookie-eternal-marriage-sealing-object-lesson

Here is a fun object lesson/treat to sum it up and help your class remember this lesson on marriage and sealing.
Take an Oreo© cookie (or any sandwich cookies) and explain that it can be compared to marriage because it is two cookies becoming one cookie (and because it is deeeeeelicious, like marriage.) For both of the cookies to be together or be seal to one another, there has to be a very special element in between them that can help both pieces be one whole, it is the frosting. The frosting can be compared to the Spirit. When we truly LOVE, give LOVE and receive LOVE, we invite the Spirit. It is the Spirit that truly unites us into one. The frosting is the best part after alll! Love is what makes everything possible and worth it.

Real. Delicious. Love. From our Heavenly Father.
My thoughts on sacred nature of Eternal Marriage:

In my religion we believe in being married in the holy temple of our Lord for time and all eternity. The ordinance performed is sacred and holy because of the promises made to God and to each other. However, I believe our marriage is sanctified and we become more holy, pure and endowed with more spiritual power, not because we went through that motion in the temple alone, but because we continually uphold and keep those promises made. (D&C 132:18)

Each day we choose to remain sealed to our eternal companion by the thoughts, intents and actions we personally take to keep that Holy Spirit of promise in our lives. Our very intents, actions and very lives are purified because of the presences of the Spirit and that gives us greater capacity to treat each other with genuine love and thereby sanctify and seal the marriage forever. (video about Holy Ghost helps purify us.)

We ensure our marriage will be eternal by continually choosing thoughts and actions that will sustain our marriage forever!

There is enormous power and wisdom found in commitment. When we understand what it means to be sealed, we become aware that we are indeed creating an eternal commitment and bond. Though it might be frightening for our pride and skiddish ‘natural man’, our spirits long for commitment and partnership because in that mutual trust, our love deepens and we become more willing to give ALL of ourselves and we can both experience even deeper joy and take greater leaps into our own eternal progression. Continue reading “How to create an Eternal Marriage. Worksheet and treat object lesson”

How do I strengthen my Testimony?

I’m really excited about this new site!! Here is where you can find all the faith building lessons, object lessons and handouts originally found on MotherhoodTrade.com in one place. The materials here, although created for my current calling in church (YW teacher) are designed to be used for any calling, any faith, to teach your family or for personal use.

Today’s topic, TESTIMONY!! Testimony is a personal witness of TRUTH given to us by the Holy Ghost. Is that awesome or what?? That means we can actually rise above our limited human preconceived notions, stubborn lifetime conditioning that has been programed in our brains and come to know pure undefiled TRUTH for ourselves. Things as they really are, as they have been and will be. It is a power given to us through the Holy Ghost. The Spirit of Truth. (Jacob 4:13)

We can know for ourselves things that are not otherwise tangible or easy for our mortal minds to understand. That is the gift God grants us, that through a power greater than us, we can actually allow our spirits to come to a knowledge of things of the Spirit: Things beyond the physical, tangible or evident. The coolest things is that we can really come to know things of the Spirit (as intangible as it may seem) and feel and KNOW things in a very clear way and REAL way. Our minds can come to understand things in an Eternal perspective and come to know our Creator better.

We can gain a testimony that there is a God, that He cares personally about you. You can come to better understand any principle of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

How is this done? How can we better come to a better understanding of things of Heavenly Father and Eternity? Use this worksheet to find out!

Here is the download link in pdf!

Download “Testimony” testimony.pdf – Downloaded 4928 times – 106 KB

Here is a video that explains how a FATBOY ICECREAM © is like gaining a testimony!

More September Come Follow Me Lessons.

Who am I, and who can I become?

I’m teaching a YW lesson titled, “Who am I and who can I become”. I LOVE this lesson. Once we come to realize our true identities as children of God, EVERYTHING changes. Our choices, thoughts, attitudes and behaviors begin to line up to reflect our most sacred identity. I hope these lesson goodies will help out with understanding this.

We are the seed of God analogy:

Our souls, our character, or who we really are can be compared to seeds.

We are seeds of a Divine Being. We are divine by inheritance. Divinity already lives within us. We have everything inside of us to become like our Heavenly Father.

Even though we have it all inside of us, we must seek proper the nourishment for our seeds to grow into their full potential.

What kinds of things does a seed need to grow?

Light —> we need the Gospel light and its guidance. We must learn to follow the Light.

Soil —-> we need a good environment by surrounding ourselves with wholesome things

Water —> We need to seek the living water who is Jesus Christ by doing things to bring and feel His Spirit.

Weed out yuckies—> We need to weed out thoughts and behaviors that harm us. This includes abandoning our sins as well as learning to overcome destructive and mean thoughts about ourselves and other people.

Fake flower analogy (a side thought that might be helpful)

I think we all have ‘plastic’ flowers, or who we want to appear to be or want others to think we are. They are our outer image of ourselves or our egos. The motive our our ego (or natural man) is just to get attention or approval. We are constantly told by the world to buy or do things to get a better seeming ‘fake flower’.

The trouble with it is that it is NOT who we really are! And sometimes we can get so caught up with our fake plastic flower and other people’s fake plastic flower and how they compare that we forget our true selves! We forget about our true seeds inside of us waiting to be nourished so it can grow and bloom in a unique and beautiful way.

“You are here to BECOME not just to seem”

Our potential:

Our true selves require real spiritual sustenance. With this we can grow to be a real source of beauty and nourishment to others. We can bear true eternal fruit! We can become great and glorious beings just like our Heavenly Father and receive all He has in mind for us.

What it takes

Growing our true seeds takes time, patience, diligence and constant nourishment. In fact, as the seed develops underneath the soil it can be difficult to see results or the end product. Trust that there is growth and development even when your efforts are not immediately noticeable.

“Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.”

Here is the download if you want the to have something to use as a reminder (and color!)

Download “What does a seed need PDF” what-does-a-seed-need.pdf – Downloaded 4258 times – 75 KB

Here is a fun worksheet for the girls to fill out to help them remember the qualities that make them divine beings:

Download “My divine qualities worksheet” My-Divine-Qualities-Worksheet.pdf – Downloaded 4799 times – 70 KB

Enjoy!.

ALL JANUARY CFM LESSONS

Fasting: Getting Beyond the Hungry and Grumpy

I’ve been studying the young women lesson, “Why do we fast?” and it reminded me of a journal entry I wrote last year after I had completed a fast (in our church we voluntarily go without food and drink at least once a month). This was a time when I felt like I came to a better understanding of why we fast. Hope it helps!

“Today I decided to fast longer than the usual short and pretty insignificant fast of skipping breakfast and stuffing my face as soon as I get home from church.
I decided to really complete the two meals of fasting.

Part of me resisted it because I have a very hard time functioning without food. I get grumpy and when I am grumpy I’m short, reactive, impatient, and mean. And I end up thinking to myself, how is fasting a spiritual experience if I don’t have the spirit at all?? Why are we asked to fast if it ends up being a negative thing for me?

Well you know that scripture that says,
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: (Matt 7:7)”
It’s true. (See receiving personal revelation post)

After thinking about it, I figured one of the reasons we are asked to fast is because we are giving up our natural desires and letting our spirit conquer and be in charge. I learned that my experience with fasting was basically never getting to the ‘let the spirit be in charge’ part because my body was just too consumed with the fact that it was hungry and grumpy. I was letting my body take the reins because it does by default when I am hungry; and it becomes exceedingly difficult to take over again until I get fed! But I needed to win this time. Once I realized the real war that was raging: body vs. spirit, I knew I could win.

After I realized this dilemma in my fast, I knew how to better approach it. Today I decided that I would succumb to having the spirit instead of giving into my natural human urges. It didn’t start off well. It was end of daylight saving time, which sounds like it was a good thing because of the extra hour. But that knowledge of extra hour made us sleep in and take our sweet time while getting ready to go to church.

We were late. I was hungry and irritable and snarky at my husband and impatient with my kids. I felt myself getting worked up. But I caught it before it got crazy. I reminded myself of my goal. Even though almost every part of me had no desire and it seemed impossible that I could actually get over the starving/grumpy aspect of fasting, I chose to do what I could to stay calm and choose the spirit. And I kid you not, magical things happened that day. Magic that may have not been realized by anyone else but me, but magic nonetheless. I was awakened to things I would not have realized had I not been fasting.

I was very prompted to bear my testimony. Even though I’m happy to bear my testimony, it can be an intense experience, and many times it is just more comfortable NOT bearing it. But when you know, you know, and so I did it. I did it because I knew that the Heavens and my spirit really wanted me to express those those things lying deep within my heart. I talked about the war in heaven and how it hasn’t ended. Each day we choose whom we will serve.

Each moment of every day we decide if we choose the spirit or not. If we succumb to anger or love. Self pity or self respect. It is about overcoming our human nature and embracing our very real and true divine nature. I know when I choose the spirit, my spirit enlarges and my capacity to keep making those good spiritual choices is strengthened. If we don’t choose God we are choosing to give captivity to the devil. If we aren’t aware of it, we will just choose the default, our human nature, which is actually to serve our natural carnal desires. The war is still RAGING!

Anyway, I felt so much better after that. It was a spiritual release! People thanked me for my testimony (which is actually a really awkward experience for me) but I’m grateful for their compliments.

During the rest of my fast I was happy and full of the spirit. I didn’t feel grumpy or weighed down. Even though I could feel the physical weakness of not eating, my thoughts were not focused on eating or my discomfort. I engaged in activities that could enlarge and feed my soul. I felt ideas and inspiration for my church calling and for life flow freely. I felt more connected to my true self and to my God.”

If you are doing a lesson, here is a handout you could use. Invite them to write answers they find regarding fasting in Isaiah 58:3–12.

Download “Why do we Fast PDF” we-do-we-fast1.pdf – Downloaded 557 times – 103 KB

The Power of CHOICE.

Why do the choices I make matter?

I’m prepare a Young Women’s Lesson for my church titled, “Why do the Choice I make matter?” I LOVE this topic, the very real power of CHOICE and how it literally governs the outcomes of our lives! Here are some of my thoughts:

Tell me, what ultimately determines our destiny in this life?

-What you look like
-Your personality traits
-The circumstances you were born into
– Your genetic predispositions
-Your IQ
-The social influences that surround you.
-Fortunes or mishaps that occur in your life
-The way you were raised

Those are all huge factors in life, right? So which one is it? What will best tell what our lives will look like? Is it nature or nurture? The great debate! Is it all the weakness and strengths we are born with or the weakness and strengths of our surroundings that will decide the happiness of our life??

Ready for my epiphany moment?

See, even though those factors can have a big influence in the life of person, the ultimate determining factor is actually one’s choices. Ultimately, what we choose to do with what we’ve been given is what determines everything.

That is one BIG FAT POWERFUL TRUTH.

That means that no matter who you are, where you were born, what you look like, how you were raised, how ‘smart’ you are, what choices others make, what happens to you in life, YOU ALWAYS continue to have CHOICE, AGENCY, one of the greatest powers available to you. To choose God, to choose love, to choose the Spirit, to choose peace, to choose JOY, to choose to contribute to humanity! Everytime. With the guiding power of Christ, his enabling Atonement and the Holy Ghost that communicate this to us (or spirit of Christ that is given to every man) WE ARE ALL given the tools to make powerful choices in our lives to bring us great happiness! It is what sets us FREE from all the factors we cannot control in our lives from controlling what and who we become! To ‘act for ourselves and not be acted upon.’

Nephi 2:25 say’s

Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

Mean trick of the adversary.

One greatest games that Satan pulls on us ALL the TIME (and enforced by our ‘natural man’) is to make us believe that we simply DON’T have choice! He tries to blinds us to the choices we have and responsibility we have towards our own progression and happiness. He wants us to believe we are victims and forever captive to our situation. As long as we believe it, we will be held captive! That mentality stunts the progress we can make. It comes in beliefs that it is somebody else’s fault that we can’t do something, or that our behavior is excused by this person or situation. Or that our circumstances make it so we can’t be happy, successful or at peace. That people MAKE us angry, MAKE us depressed, MAKE us do things we aren’t proud of. Even though it is our very human nature to believe this when things don’t go smoothly, we are given a greater power through the Atonement of Christ and His Spirit to eventually overcome default reactions and impulses. It gives the strength that help us reclaim our right to peace and happiness, even in difficult situations.

What it will takes from us.

It mostly likely will require us to have humility, to forgive, to repentance and engage in a gradual process of letting go (again and again and again) but it is available to us! It empowers us to rise above our circumstances and our fallen selves! Yay!

Commitment of choice.

There are solid choices that can be made beforehand that can help keep us undeviated on our journey. Choices that take us to where we want to be and become. If we have written these commitments on paper and in our hearts, when confusion sets in, when we feel lost and weary, when temptation is roaring, when everyone else around us sucumbs to what you know isn’t right, you still know what is right and can continue to choose it. And you will remain unscathed, clean and strong. That is the power of choice.

Sister Elaine S. Dalton ‘choice’ advice:

“When I was a young woman, I learned that some decisions need to be made only once. I wrote my list of things I would always do and things I would never do in a small tablet. It included things like obeying the Word of Wisdom, praying daily, paying my tithing, and committing to never miss church. I made those decisions once, and then in the moment of decision, I knew exactly what to do because I had decided beforehand. When my high school friends said, “Just one drink won’t hurt,” I laughed and said, “I decided when I was 12 not to do that.” Making decisions in advance will help you be guardians of virtue. I hope each of you will write a list of things you will always do and things you will never do. Then live your list.” ~From her talk “Guardians of Virtue”

Here is a printable to taken on the challenge!

[Download not found]

See all February “Come Follow me Lessons” on this site

For other helpful/related posts see:

“What is Jesus Christ Important in my Life”

“How to manage Negative Feelings in a Positve Way”

How can I prepare to become a righteous wife and mother printable

I teach a group of teenaged girls at my church. Here is printable I created for them to take notes of things they felt particularly impressed about ‘preparing now to become a righteous wife and mother.” I wanted something they would want to put on their mirrors or hang somewhere in their rooms so they could remember.

DOWNLOAD ‘How can I prepare to become a righteous wife and mother’ printable notecard PDF

Here is an object lesson and handout for this same lesson

Other Come follow me lessons for August