Lesson 2 - 30 "Strengthening Testimony Through Service"

You guys aren't going to believe this. I love this lesson. From the beginning section immersed in the scriptures to the wonderful story by one of my favorites - Ardeth G. Kapp, to the great talks included in the resource materials (bonus points for one being by a woman!). Little Miss Nitpicker over here doesn't have anything to complain about.

I have always loved that quote from President Kimball that is included in Elder Snow's talk.

“God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another mortal that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom.”

I think that is just one of the purest distillations of the gospel. It reminded me of President Uchtdorf's talk from last conference, You Are My Hands.

Upon first reading, this suggestion might seem a little out of left field, but I think that Kristine gives us so much dense material in her blog post The Liturgy of the Jello that we can extrapolate her point and deliver it in an an age appropriate way. These small acts of service matter.

I like how the resource materials expand service beyond cookies and cleaning, which is where we often leave it because anything more is way too complicated to do with our group of young unskilled laborers, but I think there could be some great discussion to point out the three (or four if internet rumors are correct) fold mission of the church. I think after we discuss ways to serve family, church and friends, I'll ask how we can serve in a manner that aids in the spreading of the gospel, the perfection of saints, or the redemption of the dead.

I am totally lousy at traditional missionary work, but I think I'm really good at reaching out to people on the fringe. I have never done an ounce of genealogy work, but going to the temple has been very meaningful to me. And perfecting the saints could mean anything from teaching Sunday School to supporting a friend through making a difficult choice. There are as many ways to serve as talents we've been given, and it could be great to teach the girls to look beyond dropping off cookies and doing heart attacks, even though those are such great fun.

But best of all, this is the kind of lesson that leaves lots of room for personal stories, which you all probably know by now is my favorite way to teach. When my husband and I were deeply enmeshed in our eight year infertility battle, I avoided going to the temple. The endowment ceremony is very heavy on counsel to have family, and that is just a knife right in the heart for someone who would like nothing more but can't make it happen. I got roped into going on a ward temple night and I was dreading it the entire time, but before we got off the bus the organizer asked for volunteers to help with sealings. My hand shot up so fast it nearly came off my body. I hadn't ever done sealings before and I just wept through the whole experience. As I knelt across the alter with my husband I had this profound feeling of the service I was providing and took comfort in knowing that if I couldn't do anything to create my own family, at least I could help in creating someone else's. I was just trying to get through the temple trip, I never expected to find healing.