Happy Sunday (night)! I wanted to write this post earlier today — I pictured myself serenely sitting and thought-purging after at-home church while my children colored quietly around me, while my husband made lunch behind me, while my baby napped upstairs above me — but alas, I crashed on the couch instead, my children watching “Beauty and The Beast” around me/on top of me. Although Ryan did make lunch (he’s the best)! That much of my dream was true. 🙂
I have been serving as a Relief Society teacher in my church congregation for the last year, and a virtual one for the last six months due to the pandemic. I shared my first virtual Relief Society lesson back here, but I had to put the blog on pause after that, which meant I didn’t share my remaining Relief Society lessons…until today! I have loved being a teacher in the Relief Society, and to say that I’ll miss this service and learning opportunity is an unbelievable understatement. I have gained so much from studying and sharing these lessons! The topics were all so timely for me personally, and surprisingly, some of them coincided with world events, too (like the lesson on hope – I was assigned that one on the heels of the death of George Floyd, and it offered my head and heart hope after feeling so hopeless for our world, especially for our black sisters and brothers). Scroll on below to find links to each of my video lessons, and for each talk that I taught from.
On HOPE. Lesson given Sunday, June 7, 2020. Source for lesson here.
On going to church and why it matters. Lesson given on Sunday, June 29, 2020. Source for lesson here.
On equality, and being united in accomplishing God’s work. Lesson given on Sunday, July 26, 2020. Source for lesson here.
On temples: what’s the point? Lesson given on Sunday, August 30, 2020. Source for lesson here.
I share these lessons with the intent to pay it forward — to pass on the light and life that these words breathed into my soul during these last few, heavy months. Because life has been so heavy. For everyone. More often than not in 2020, I have found myself asking where I can turn for peace? Where is my solace when other sources cease to make me whole? And true to His perfect form, HE answers quietly. Jesus Christ lives and He lives to help us. The reality of His life and power doesn’t dismiss or bypass our pain. Acknowledging Jesus Christ in our lives doesn’t eliminate our needs for real help. Rather, turning to the Savior in our struggles and despair sheds a light on our broken hearts and minds that then allows our hearts and minds to begin to heal. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28). Inviting Jesus Christ into our lives is the first, most powerful and pertinent step we can take to receiving help to heal, power to change personally, strength to instigate change in the world, and endurance to run the race set before us. Choosing Christ again and again and again – step after step after step – is the way to “happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come.”
I know He lives!
God be thanked (again and again and again) for the matchless gift of His divine Son.
