Sisters in the Gospel Make Me Smile

Me, Kristin S., Sheryl W., Peche' C. and Cynthia H.

What makes me happy today was actually something that happened last night at our Stake Auxillary Training Meeting.

As we were meeting with our Stake YW leaders, the most inspiring thing happened we actually were taught with a goal in mind, but the Spirit Led the discussions, the direction and the Scriptures fed our souls.

I love These ladies, I learned to initially love 3 of them at girls camp. Cynthia I had already fallen in love with the minute I met her, when she was introduced by her Husband Ricky,(who is Matt's boss and the City Manager of Ocala) to our Family!

These Ladies are strong in the Gospel. They knew what needed to be taught because they are so in tune to it.

Sheryl started the meeting telling us about the Theme for 2011 and about the New Personal Progress Program being online at personalprogress.lds.org.
Our new Theme is the 13th Article of Faith. "We believe in being Honest, True, Chaste, benevolent, Virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul - we believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things.  If there is anything Virtuous, lovely or of good report or praiseworthy we seek after these things."

Peche' gave us so many pearls of wisdom that came from President Packard. Leah and I seemed to be on the same wave length when we would hear something, I would write it down and then she would write it down, or visa versa. Sister Castillo of the Ocala 3rd Branch gave some great ideas that I think would be awesome to implement! But, the best of all was the things that created the "Aha Moments"... reading out of the scriptures talking about the Cloven tongue like fire (meaning speaking with the Spirit of the Holy Ghost.)

Then we talked about 5 steps that you can take to help to use the Spirit to teach and reach each other.

1st step would be to prepare Spiritually.
a. : Ask and you will see
b: Seek and you will find
C. Knock and a door will open

2nd step: is to do more teaching from the Scriptures and to rely on the Holy Spirit in your calling!

How can you teach from the scriptures if you don't read them or know them better? How can you rely on the Spirit if you don't ask or listen for Him to tell you what you need to know?

3rd step: Teach by the Spirit
D&C 50:13  Wherefore, I the Lord ask you this question—unto what were ye ^aordained? We replaced the word ordained to Called. "Unto What were ye Called?


I took away from that the fact that I was called to do a certain thing, Am I fulfilling that Calling? Am I, Sandi Brower. keeping the records of the girls accuratly, Am I loving the girls and being a good example to them? Am I Supporting Leah in her calling and the rest of her counselors? These are things that I need to do better. What happened to the calendar and the Newsletter? These things need to be done and whatever else Leah asks for!

4th step: Help the learner to have the responsibility for the learning.
What in the world does that mean? Well, how can someone learn if they don't feel they need to? Don't you sometimes listen to a lesson but totally zone it out? Are you actively learning if you do that?  Sometimes we think the girls are not listening but they really are, they may be a step behind where you are only because they are thinking and applying what they are learning to their everyday life. We need to give the girls more time to respond when we teach, when we ask questions and when we talk to them so that they can delve deeper into their own minds. We need to ask them what they are feeling, what they are thinking, how something makes them react?!
As Leah teaches our girls when they are doing the Spiritual thought... they need to Explain, Share and then Testify of what they are teaching. I love that!

and the Last step would be : Testify of the Savior. The girls and your family need to know what you believe, they will listen to your words but they will also look for your example and they won't believe you if you talk but don't do!
The way to Eternal Life is only through the Savior, and the only way to have a testimony of the Savior is 4 fold, Study, Pray, seek the Holy Spirit and believe in what you learn and then pay it forward and pass it on.

It is up to each of us to be actively participating to take the Gift of the Hoy Ghost into our lives.

So, this is what made me have that "aha, I like that" moment! last night!

One thing more...Cynthia was in Gainesville like all the rest of us were but she was not able to make the training meeting due to her daughter-in-law having an emergency C-section which led to a tiny (3 lbs 1 oz,) but healthy baby Girl! Congratulations Grammy, and proud Mama and Daddy!