I had the wonderful experience this past weekend with teaching a lesson in Relief Society. This is the women's organization in my church. I teach once a month and spend a lot of time and effort to get these lessons ready. I must admit, that I love teaching the women. I love having the discussions with them and hearing their ideas and their input into the lesson. I never leave that room without learning something and without feeling fulfilled.
This lesson was so difficult. Not because the subject was hard, but because it is something that I am passionate about. It is something that I believe in and appreciate. We talked about living like you believe. The lesson was several pages long, but we only really got through the first couple of pages. They were the ones that totally impacted me the most. Of all the things I read preparing for this lesson, it is the following that has really made me think.
With all the talk about resolutions and one word changes (of which I totally love by the way), I was so touched that this man would take it one step farther. What started as a list of resolutions, became a creed that he lived his life by.
When he was 34 years old, George Albert Smith made a list of resolutions that he called his “personal creed”—11 ideals that he committed to live by, and he did. His life is filled with stories and experiences of putting these ideals into action. I wanted to share them with you today. And leave with you a challenge to work and focus on your own creed. What things could you do today to make you the person that you want to be tomorrow. This is one I am thinking about. I would adopt all eleven of his resolutions, but I feel inspired to make them my own, so that is what I am working on. However, I believed if we all lived these things, we could totally change our world as well as the world around us. Here is the creed of the Prophet, George Albert Smith:
- “I would be a friend to the friendless and find joy in ministering to the needs of the poor.
- “I would visit the sick and afflicted and inspire in them a desire for faith to be healed.
- “I would teach the truth to the understanding and blessing of all mankind.
- “I would seek out the erring one and try to win him back to a righteous and a happy life.
- “I would not seek to force people to live up to my ideals but rather love them into doing the thing that is right.
- “I would live with the masses and help to solve their problems that their earth life may be happy.
- “I would avoid the publicity of high positions and discourage the flattery of thoughtless friends.
- “I would not knowingly wound the feelings of any, not even one who may have wronged me, but would seek to do him good and make him my friend.
- “I would overcome the tendency to selfishness and jealousy and rejoice in the successes of all the children of my Heavenly Father.
- “I would not be an enemy to any living soul.
- “Knowing that the Redeemer of mankind has offered to the world the only plan that will fully develop us and make us really happy here and hereafter, I feel it not only a duty but also a blessed privilege to disseminate this truth.”
I ended my lesson with the young women singing this song. I hope you take a moment to go and view it.
What a blessing! Thank you so much for linking up at Women of Noble Character. Your posts are always uplifting.
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