7: RS Lesson

Sunday, July 07, 2013 7:55 AM

We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. 1. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A DAUGHTER OF GOD? -John 14:16-18 (He provides the Holy Ghost to comfort us and reveal truth) -Jacob 4:10 (He provides us with counsel and wisdom) -Matthew 7:7-11 (He provides answers and blessings) -John 3:16 (He provided the Atonement--a way for His children to return to Him) 1.1-Gordon B. Hinckley, "Stay on the High Road," Ensign May 2004 "You are second to none. You are daughters of God. There has come to you as your birthright something beautiful and sacred and divine. Never forget that. Your Eternal Father is the great Master of the universe. He rules over all, but He also will listen to your prayers as His daughter and hear you as you speak with Him. He will answer your prayers. He will not leave you alone." 1.2-James E. Faust, "What It Means to Be a Daughter of God," Ensign Nov 1999 "To be a daughter of God means that you are the offspring of Deity, literal descendants of a Divine Father, inheriting godly attributes and potential. To be a daughter of God also means that you have been born again, changed from a 'carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness.'" Elder Faust tells a story of a young woman leaving for college and the blessing she received from her father as she left. After the blessing she prayed to her Heavenly Father for additional comfort and support and these are the feelings and thoughts that she received: "My prayers were answered as I reflected on the tender experience with my father the day before. A wave of comfort fell over me as I realized that I had not come to college with the blessing of just my earthly father. I suddenly felt that one day, not so long ago, my Heavenly Father had held me close in His arms. Perhaps He gave me words of advice and encouragement and told me that He believed in me, just as my earthly father had. And at that moment, I knew that I am never without the perfect love and endless support of my Father in Heaven." 1.3-Russell M. Nelson, "Woman--Of Infinite Worth," Ensign Nov 1989 "A woman's richest rewards will come as she rises to fulfill her destiny as a devoted daughter of God. To all faithful Saints He has promised thrones, kingdoms, principalities, glory, immortality, and eternal lives. That is the potential for women in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is exalting, everlasting, and divine." 1.4-Bruce R. McConkie, "Making Our Calling and Election Sure," BYU Speeches Mar 1969 "There is a God in heaven who is infinite and eternal, an everlasting, glorified, exalted Being. He has a tabernacle of flesh and bones. He is a resurrected and holy and perfected man, and we are his offspring. We are his spirit children. He lives in the family unit. We are members of his family. We lived in this premortal life with him for an infinite period of time." 2. WHAT IS OUR DIVINE NATURE? Divine Nature--I have inherited divine qualities, which I will strive to develop. -2 Peter 1:4-7 "Be partakers of the divine natureGiving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity."
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to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity." -Alma 7:23-24 -Galatians 5:22-23 -Moroni 7:44-48 2.1-James E. Faust, "What It Means to Be a Daughter of God," Ensign Nov 1999 "As daughters of God, you cannot imagine the divine potential within each of you. Surely the secret citadel of women's inner strength is spirituality. In this you equal and even surpass men, as you do in faith, morality, and commitment when truly converted to the gospel" "You cannot imagine the gifts and talents each of you has. All women have appealing features. I do not refer to model-type appeal, but rather that which comes from your personality, your attitude, and your expressions" "You sisters do not know the full extent of your influence. You sisters enrich all of humanity. All human life begins with you. Each woman brings her own separate, unique strengths to the family and the Church." 2.2-James E. Faust, "What It Means to Be a Daughter of God," Ensign Nov 1999 "I wonder if you sisters can fully appreciate the innate gifts, blessings, and endowments you have simply because you are daughters of GodA woman can and must have an identity and feel useful, valued, and needed whether she is single or married. She must feel that she can something for someone else that no one else ever born can do." 3. WHAT IS OUR WORTH? Individual Worth--I am of infinite worth with my own divine mission, which I will strive to fulfill. -D&C 18:10 3.1-Russell M. Nelson, "Woman--Of Infinite Worth," Ensign Nov 1989 In discussing women, he said, "Her self-esteem cannot be based on physical features, possession or lack of a particular talent, or comparative quantities of anything. Her self-esteem is earned by individual righteousness and a close relationship with God. Her outward glow is generated by goodness within. And her patience is much more apparent than any imperfection...Feelings of worth come when a woman follows the example of the Master. Her sense of infinite worth comes from her own Christlike yearing to reach with love, as He does." 3.2-Russell M. Nelson, "Woman--Of Infinite Worth," Ensign Nov 1989 "To help another human being reach one's celestial potential is part of the divine mission of womanIn partnership with God, her divine mission is to help spirits live and souls be lifted. This is the measure of her creation. It is ennobling, edifying, and exalting. Her saintly calling is opposed by SatanHe would triumph if one man would offend or fail to honor her, or if one woman would deny her infinite worth and behave beneath her dignity." If we are of infinite worth, why are we sometimes not treated as such? 3.3-C.S. Lewis, "The Weight of Glory," Screwtape Proposes a Toast and Other Pieces 1974 "It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worshipThere are no ordinary peopleYour neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses." 4. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT WE ARE DAUGHTERS OF GOD? 4.1-James E. Faust, "What It Means to Be a Daughter of God," Ensign Nov 1999
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4.1-James E. Faust, "What It Means to Be a Daughter of God," Ensign Nov 1999 "Being a daughter of God means that if you seek it, you can find your true identity. You will know who you are. This will make you free--not free from restraints, but free from doubts, anxieties, or peer pressure. You will not need to worry, 'Do I look all right?' 'Do I sound OK?' 'What do people think of me?' A conviction that you are a daughter of God gives you a feeling of comfort in your self-worth. It means that you can find strength in the balm of Christ. It will help you meet the heartaches and challenges with faith and serenity." 4.2-Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "The Reflection in the Water" CES Fireside Nov 2009 "Too many go about their lives thinking they are of little worth when, in reality, they are elegant and eternal creatures of infinite value and potential beyond imagination." "Discovering who we really are is part of this great adventure called lifeOnce we begin to understand [where we came from, why we are here, and what happens after we die]--not with the mind only, but with the heart and the soul--we will begin to understand who we are, and we will feel like the wanderer who is finally finding homeEverything finally makes sense..." "This knowledge allows you to see your own reflection in the water. It assures you that you are not ordinary, rejected, or ugly. You are something divine--more beautiful and glorious than you can possibly imagine. This knowledge changes everything. It changes your present. It can change your future. And it can change the world." "Inquiry is the birthplace of testimony. Some might feel embarrassed of unworthy because they have searching questions regarding the gospel, but they needn't feel that way. Asking questions isn't a sign of weakness; it's a precursor of growthFear not; ask questions. Be curious, but doubt not! Always hold fast to faith and to the light you have already received. Because we see imperfectly in mortality, not everything is going to make sense right now. In fact, I should think that if everything did make sense to us, it would be evidence that it had been made up by a mortal mind. Remember that God has said: 'My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts' (Isaiah 55:8-9). Nevertheless, you know that one of the purposes of mortality is to become more like your Heavenly in your thoughts and in your ways. Viewed from this perspective, searching for answers to your questions can bring you closer to God, strengthening your testimony instead of shaking it." 5. HOW CAN WE KNOW FOR OURSELVES THAT WE TRULY ARE DAUGHTERS OF GOD? Share doctrine. Extend challenge.

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