Lesson: Single Members of the Church

Single Members of the Church
The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have taught that "marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children" ("The Family: A Proclamation to the World,"Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102). While this family unit is the ideal, many Church members find themselves in a variety of other circumstances. Some are not married, but have good support from their parents or siblings. Others may not have support from an extended family. The gospel of Jesus Christ was given by God to bless all His children, without exception, regardless of the family situations in which they find themselves. The gospel provides a brotherhood and sisterhood to strengthen and help all God's children.

Our Heavenly Father designed the gospel of Jesus Christ to help and strengthen families, and the family is central to His plan for His children. Each person on the earth is part of the great family of God the Father. Those who join the Church become part of another great fellowship, a true fellowship of brothers and sisters who have chosen to follow Jesus Christ.

In an address to single adult members of the Church, President Gordon B. Hinckley said:

"Because you do not happen to be married does not make you essentially different from others. All of us are very much alike in appearance and emotional responses, in our capacity to think, to reason, to be miserable, to be happy, to love and be loved.

"You are just as important as any others in the scheme of our Father in Heaven, and under His mercy no blessing to which you otherwise might be entitled will forever be withheld from you.

"You are precious and important to Him. You are precious and important to the Church. You are precious and important to all of us" ("To Single Adults,"Ensign, June 1989, 72).

FHE: Thought for Single Adults / Young Single Adults

There are a tremendous amount of Single Adults in the Stakes and Wards of the Church that have fallen into inactivity. Some have moved to a school or employment far away from home and have wanted to get lost and have succeeded. Some have stayed in the same area that they have grown up in and have made the conscious decision to withdraw from the blessings of the gospel and a ward family. I have learned in my Bishops Trainings that the percentage of YSA that fall away is in the 75 to 85 percent range. As a Bishop, I see some of these members return to activity later, some much later, in life. The thing that breaks my heart is that these young members sometimes don’t realize the huge blessings they are forfeiting. Our Stake President has recently made the comment that “Not one more youth will be lost” in our stake. It is my prayer that the young lost souls will find it in their hearts to at least look into and pray about this important decision to return to a ward family that loves them and wants them to succeed.

Bishop Richard Jay Carpenter

Belgrade 2^nd Ward

Bozeman Montana Stake

Teaching the Gospel lesson 1

The Lord declared: "I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom. Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand" (D&C 88:77–78).

In giving this commandment to Church members, the Lord gives a sacred responsibility. This responsibility also provides countless opportunities for meaningful service. Few experiences compare to the joy of helping others learn and live the gospel.

In all efforts to teach the gospel, Jesus Christ is the example. He showed genuine love and concern for people. He strengthened them individually, teaching gospel principles in a way that would help them with their unique needs. He awakened in some the desire to understand and live the gospel. At times He asked questions that would help them apply what they learned. He taught the saving truths of the gospel, helping His hearers understand what they needed to know, do, and be in order to receive the gift of eternal life.

Effective gospel teaching nourishes and uplifts those who are willing to listen. It builds their faith and gives them confidence to meet life's challenges. It encourages them to forsake sin and obey the commandments. It helps them come to Christ and abide in His love.

The most effective teaching occurs by the power of the Spirit, or the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is a member of the Godhead who manifests "the truth . . . of all things" (Moroni 10:4–5). The Lord said, "The Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith; and if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach" (D&C 42:14). Only through the influence of the Spirit can gospel teaching be edifying and inspiring.

If Church members prepare spiritually, they will have the privilege of feeling the Holy Ghost teach, testify, and inspire others through them. As the prophet Nephi taught, "When a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men" (2 Nephi 33:1).

Spiritual preparation includes praying often, studying the scriptures, living the gospel, and being humble

Mark 16:15

Mark 16:15

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Kendall:thought...vicarious work

“Through Joseph Smith was restored the doctrine of the gospel being preached to the dead in the spirit world to those who did not have a fair chance on earth to hear it (see D&C 128:5–22; see also D&C 138:30–34). This was not the invention of a creative mind; it was the restoration of a biblical truth. Peter had long ago taught, ‘For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit’ (1 Peter 4:6).”

Tad R. Callister, “Joseph Smith—Prophet of the Restoration,” Ensign, Nov. 2009, 36

FHE Lesson : Vicarious Work

What comes to mind when you first hear the term vicarious work? Those of us who are Latter-day Saints have heard this term on several if not many occasions within the church. The word vicarious means "performed or suffered by one person as a substitute for another or to be the benefit or advantage of another." This means that one do something for and inbehalf or someone else. When we say vicarious work we do indeed mean "work." The vicarious work that we do is well put by Bruce R. McConkie, "Salvation itself is based on the vicarious atoning sacrifice of Christ. Through his suffering, death, and resurrection, immortality comes to all men and eternal life to those who obey the full gospel law. He acted on man's behalf, that is, vicariously, paying the penalty for our sins on condition of repentance, ransoming us from the effects of Adam's fall. In conformity with this pattern of vicarious service, the gospel law enables worthy members of the Church to act on behalf of their dead ancestors in the performance of the ordinances of salvation and exaltation. Baptism is essential to salvation in the celestial kingdom, endowments and sealings to an exaltation therein. The living saints, acting on a proxy basis, perform these ordinances for and in behalf of those who have died and who did not have an opportunity while in this life to receive the ordinances personally."
There will be people who will say, "it is impossible for someone to do a vicarious action." But I would say to them, wasn't Christ's life a perfect example of Vicarious work? We too can and should find ourselves participating in such vicarious ordinances as is the plan of our Heavenly Father because this is the Plan of Salvation. Of this I do testify, Amen.

VICARIOUS WORK --D&C 138: 33

"These were taught faith in God, repentance from sin, vicarious baptism for the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands"