November!

Hi friends!

What did y'all think about the snow today? :)

I had a lot of fun today. I love going to Church. I love feeling the Spirit and being uplifted by everyone's testimonies. It was just simply wonderful.

Okay, here are the announcements for this week:

1. Tuesday, November 5th, @8pm Happiness Project at SW Bottom.
2. Wednesday, November 6th, @7pm Institute in B092 JFSB.
3. Wednesday, November 6th, @7:30pm Prospective Missionary Fireside with Elder Richard G. Hinckley in the Wilk Ballroom.
4. Wednesday, November 6th, @7pm RS Auxiliary Training (Presidency & Secretary) @ Costco West Chapel.
5. Saturday, November 10th, @7pm Stake Conference evening session @ Costco North Building, East Chapel.
6. Sunday, November 10th, @10am Stake Conference morning session @ Wilk Ballroom.
7. Sunday, November 10th, @1230pm Councils meeting
8. Sunday, November 10th, @7pm Ward Musical Fireside @ Wilk Ballroom.
9. Sunday, November 17th, @7pm Engaged Couples Fireside @ Pioneer Building
10. Monday, November 18th, Recently (less than 1 year) Returned Missionary Fireside @ Pioneer Building.
11. Thursday, November 21st, @7pm Quick Connect @ Pioneer Building
12. Sunday, December 8th, @6pm First Presidency Christmas Devotional Broadcast
13. Thursday, December 12th, @ 7pm Quick Connect

So today Ashley and Whitney gave a wonderful, combined lesson.

They started by sharing Moroni 10:32, which states, "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God."
Believe in Christ.

Ashley: One of the general authorities shared a story about a litter girl who really wanted a bike. Her dad told her to save up all her money and give it to him, then she could have the bike. She gave him all she had, which was less than a dollar, so her dad told her that if she gave him a hug and a kiss with her money that she could have the bike. Christ is the same way. He just wants our best at the moment.

Whitney: Why does the Atonement matter to you? How do you use it on a daily basis? What does the Atonement enable us to do? What does that mean to you right now?

Carla: How do I use the Atonement?

Ryan: It has to do with your heart. You have to think, what are my desires? The more I turn to Christ the more I feel the Atonement working in my life.

Megan: Once heard/read a statement from Elder Oaks that he doesn't fully understand the Atonement. Sometimes when I'm in pain I also feel peace. Pain from my trials, peace from the Atonement to get through the pain.It's not always a huge thing, but a power/strength that gets us through.

Whitney showed us a cool drawing on the board:
Do the basics. They open the way to the Atonement.

Ginger: Enabling power to me means that I'm going to try to do better today than yesterday. It gives me hope. I believe Christ will save me, that His grace will save me. The Atonement is the center of the Gospel.

Marren: So much goes with the basic principles. When you look back at a bad choice and wonder how you can be forgiven, but recognize that you've had a change of heart and would never do that again, that's how the Atonement is used.

Ashley: Someone might be struggling right now and maybe feels like they're too far gone. I've been there, where I felt like giving up, and that's when God saved me. That's when you realize the Atonement is real. It's a feeling of being saved.

Brittany: I have no idea why or how it happens when I pray for comfort that it's immediately there. It's the same with the Atonement. Someone is doing it with you. He's the Mediator. Follow Christ's example. One of my favorite quotes from Abraham Lincoln is "I'm a success today because I had a friend who believed in me and I didn't want to let him down." Christ is that friend.

Evie: Set goals that you can only do with God's help.

Alma 7:11-13

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

Ryan: vs. 12 Summarizes 2012 for me. It was a really hard year. I struggled with depression. I went to Ukraine for a few months and had time to reflect on my year and was able to change. Christ can take everything negative and turn it into the most beautiful love. I came through it and can help others.

Kiersten: In my New Testament class I learned that Christ could've known what the Atonement would be like, but because of His love He chose to actually experience it.

Ashlyn: Faith is the #1 principle. When you get a blessing, you have to use your faith. Give your trial to Christ and move forward with faith.

Here's a video from Elder Christofferson about change:
http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=2649250159001&cid=HPWE110613145

Ashley: You'll see miracles if you look for them.

Emily K.: You can find peace through the Atonement. Heavenly Father hears our prayers and will give us strength.

Rachel: I have a testimony of prayer. The Lord does hear and answers prayers through the hands of others. He knows exactly what we're going through.


That was the lesson. It was very powerful. Thank you everyone for your comments and participation. I loved hearing everyone's testimonies. Thanks Carla for the wonderful question! It really helped us all think about how we actually apply the Atonement in our personal lives.