Walk with Christ
A 14-day Journey to Strengthen your Relationship With Christ
In compiling this, I thought long and hard about the times I have felt the closest to my Savior. I took note of the things I did to bring that closeness. This 14-day journey is intended to help you feel closer to your Savior. Some of the days focus on things to do. Others concentrate on ways to be or qualities that we should have. For me, mornings are hectic; therefore, I have the bulk of your study happening at night with most of your Challenges or assignments to be carried out the following day. Later that night, I want you to journal about some of your experiences and then read the scriptures and stories pertaining to the next day’s Assignments. In this way, I hope that you will have an opportunity to apply the principles you study, ponder the experiences you have, and really critique what you have learned from them. Also, several of the topics and assignments will cover more than one day so that you can gain the most from them.
This Walk with Christ will use several elements daily. First, you will study the scriptures. President Spencer W. Kimball taught: “I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns.” You will open yourself to feeling the Spirit as you read the scriptures that are listed for each day. Then, the Spirit can much more easily testify of Christ’s divinity and of the truthfulness of the gospel. So take the time to read the assigned scriptures. Overall, I have tried not to make them too lengthy.
Secondly, you will write in your journal. President Spencer W. Kimball described that process of inspired writing: “Those who keep a book of remembrance are more likely to keep the Lord in remembrance in their daily lives. Journals are a way of counting our blessings and of leaving an inventory of these blessings for our posterity.” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982, p. 349). The act of writing in your journal will help you be closer to the Lord as you remember Him. When we take the sacrament, we are promised that we will have the Spirit to always be with us if we remember Christ.
Each day, you can listen to good, uplifting music. We have included a song that coordinates with the topic for each day. Reverent music can be a powerful method for helping us feel close to the Lord. In fact, for many people hearing good music is one of the fastest ways to bring the Spirit.
Lastly, I encourage you to pray. This will be an assigned Challenge on several days, but you will benefit from doing it every day. It should become a habit for your entire life.
We, as a YW presidency love you so much. One of our greatest desires is to see each of you have a strong testimony that burns within you. With this testimony you can be fully converted and become even stronger and more courageous in choosing the right than you already are. Of all the things you should seek in this life, a close relationship with Jesus Christ is at the top of the list. I hope you will take this opportunity to strengthen that relationship over the next 2 weeks.
Love, The YW Presidency
Journal: Write what you would like to gain from this experience, Walk with Christ. When we begin with the end in mind, we gain more than if we just set off not knowing where we are headed or why we are even going there.
Day One: Tuesday, March 30
Prayer
Evening Study: Read and mark D&C 88:63
Prayer is a powerful way to draw near unto the Lord. We humble ourselves as we go before our Heavenly Father and pray in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. However, sometimes we forget to pray or our prayers become routine. As we strive to make our prayers more effective, we will closer to our Savior.
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin explained: “There are many reasons our prayers may lack power. Sometimes they become routine. Our prayers become hollow when we say similar words in similar ways over and over so often that the words become more of a recitation than a communication. This is what the Savior described as “vain repetitions” (see Matt. 6:7). Such prayers, He said, will not be heard. . . Our beloved prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley, has observed: ‘The trouble with most of our prayers is that we give them as if we were picking up the telephone and ordering groceries—we place our order and hang up. We need to meditate, contemplate, think of what we are praying about and for and then speak to the Lord as one man speaketh to another.’ Do your prayers at times sound and feel the same? Have you ever said a prayer mechanically, the words pouring forth as though cut from a machine? Do you sometimes bore yourself as you pray? . . . As we approach our Heavenly Father in the name of Christ, we open the windows of heaven. We can receive from Him truth, light, and knowledge. Prayer is the doorway through which we commence our discipleship to things heavenly and eternal. We will never be alone so long as we know how to pray.” (Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Improving Our Prayers,” Ensign, Mar 2004, 24–31)
Read and mark important phrases in Enos 1:1-8
Challenge (beginning tonight and carrying on tomorrow):
Be sure to say your personal prayers morning and night kneeling. One way to push ourselves to improve our prayers is to lengthen them just like Enos did. For the next 3 days, try to pray for about 10-15 minutes at least once each day (or longer if you are already praying this long). At first, you may feel that you have nothing to say, but doing this will encourage you to break your routines. Praying does not mean that you must always be saying something. Feel free to stop in the middle of your prayer to think. This gives the Holy Ghost an opportunity to speak to you. Also, the Spirit may put things into your heart and mind that you need to pray for. Follow those promptings.
Day Two:
In the World But Not of the World
Music: "The Whole Armor of God"
Evening Study: Read and mark: Mark 14:27,33 James 1:27
Romans 12:2 1 John 2:15-16
Pres. Ezra Taft Benson taught, “The people of the world have the light of Christ to help guide them, but we are entitled to the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the Holy Ghost to be fully operative in our lives, we must keep our spiritual channels of communication open. The clearer our channels, the easier it is for us to receive God’s message. And the more of His promptings we receive and follow, the greater will be our joy. If our channels are not clear of sin, then we may think we have received inspiration on a matter when it is really promptings from the devil.” (Ezra Taft Benson, “In His Steps,” Ensign, Sep 1988, 2)
On earthly battlefields, the enemy often attempts to destroy the lines of communication. If that is gone, troops cannot follow orders. They cannot find out about the enemies’ strategies from those in a position to warn them. Satan does the same thing to us today. He attempts to jam the communication lines between us and the Lord. He does this by constantly barraging us with noise---radio, TV, books. If we aren’t careful, we can become numb to the things of the Spirit because our minds are always busy with trivial things. Popular music, movies, and books have a place but they shouldn’t take the place of spiritual things.
Challenge: For the next 2 days, do not watch or listen to anything of the world (Media Fast). This includes: TV, movies, CD’s, MP3 players, internet. You may listen to music that has a spiritual message. Of course, you may use whatever media is required to complete school assignments; however really push yourself to cut yourself off from the world.
Journal: Write about what you think will be the biggest challenge for you during this mini-Media Fast.
Day 3:
The Better Part
Music: "Drop By Drop"
Evening Study: Read and mark D&C 25:10
Matt. 6:24
Luke 10:38-42
When Jesus visited with Mary and Martha, the two women focused on different things. Martha focused on temporal matters, while Mary chose the better part----sitting at the feet of Jesus Christ and listening to his words. Of course, we have to take care of business with school and at home. Those things often seem pressing, urgent because they have deadlines and due dates. However, do we sometimes forget the important, but not urgent, spiritual matters?
“Choice”
By Jean Liebenthal
Am I, like Martha,
too immersed in homely
chores—too single-minded
in my day’s pursuits
of worldly worries which,
by heaven’s time,
won’t count for much—
or so intent today on
busywork that I don’t pray,
or keep my soul
in touch with the divine?
too immersed in homely
chores—too single-minded
in my day’s pursuits
of worldly worries which,
by heaven’s time,
won’t count for much—
or so intent today on
busywork that I don’t pray,
or keep my soul
in touch with the divine?
And do I
(oh, yes, conscientiously)
keep thoughts so fixed
on duties of my hands,
this hour’s demands,
that I’ve no time to spare
to dry His sweet feet
with my bowed soul’s hair?
Oh, may I pattern
after Mary’s way
and choose the better part,
asking forgiveness
at those tender feet
washed with my hope,
anointed with my heart.
(oh, yes, conscientiously)
keep thoughts so fixed
on duties of my hands,
this hour’s demands,
that I’ve no time to spare
to dry His sweet feet
with my bowed soul’s hair?
Oh, may I pattern
after Mary’s way
and choose the better part,
asking forgiveness
at those tender feet
washed with my hope,
anointed with my heart.
(Jean Liebenthal, “Choice,” Ensign, Mar. 1995, 7)
Challenge: Continue to do the Media fast for another day.
Journal: Write about the difference you feel in your life as you separate yourself from things of the world and focus on spiritual matters. List some leisure activities that you can cut back on in order to serve God more than mammon (the world).
Day 4:
Treasure the Words of the Prophet
Evening Study: Read and mark: D&C 1:37-39
Amos 3:7
When we listen to the prophet and Apostles, it is the same as if Jesus Christ were speaking to us himself. You have a unique opportunity to listen to a prophet’s voice this weekend during General Conference. Listening and following the prophet will help you become closer to Jesus Christ. Sometimes it takes great faith to change our behavior to align with what the prophet asks of us. However, we will be blessed as we are obedient.
Elder M. Russell Ballard explained, “We know of the experience of Naaman, who was struck with leprosy and who eventually contacted the prophet Elisha and was instructed to “go and wash in [the] Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean” (2 Kgs. 5:10). At first, Naaman was unwilling to follow Elisha’s counsel. He couldn’t understand the thing he had been asked to do—to wash seven times in the Jordan river. In other words, his pride and stubbornness were keeping him from receiving the Lord’s blessing through His prophet. Thankfully, he finally went down, and “dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean” (2 Kgs. 5:14). What a humbling thing it must have been for Naaman to realize how close he came to allowing his own pride and his unwillingness to listen to the counsel of the prophet to prevent him from receiving such a great, cleansing blessing. And what a humbling thing it is to contemplate how many of us might miss out on great and promised blessings because we do not listen and then do the relatively simple things our prophet is telling us to do today.”
Challenge: Attend as many sessions of General Conference as you can on Saturday and Sunday. Take notes of what Pres. Monson and the Apostles are asking of us, but also write down the impressions you get as you hear their talks. Those impressions are personal revelation just for you. Maybe you will think of things you should be doing or something you should stop doing. You might think of someone that needs your help. Even if the impressions seem unrelated, as long as you are trying to pay attention to conference, the thoughts that pop into your mind are the Holy Ghost speaking to you. Write these things in your journal.
Journal: Write your feelings about our prophet, Pres. Thomas S. Monson. If you do not yet have a testimony of him as a prophet of God, pray to the Lord to help you gain that testimony. As you listen to General Conference, the Holy Ghost will help you know that Pres. Monson is indeed a living prophet.
Day 5:
Meditation on Christ’s Atonement
Music: "Gethsemane"
Evening Study: Read and mark: Luke 22:39-46
Matthew 27:27-38
Matthew 27: 45-54
Luke 23:50-56
2 Nephi 9:21
Stephen E. Robinson wrote, “I have learned that there are many who believe that Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of the world, but who do not believe that he can save them. They believe in his identity, but not in his power to cleanse and purify and save. To have faith in his identity is only half the principle. To have faith in his power to cleanse and save is the other half. We must not only believe in Christ, but we must also believe Christ when he says that he can cleanse us and make us celestial.
My wife, Janet, and I were living in Pennsylvania. Things were going pretty well. I had been promoted, and it was a good year for us as a family. But it was a trying year for Janet personally. That year she had our fourth child, graduated from college, passed the exam to become a certified public accountant, and was called to be the ward Relief Society president. We had temple recommends, and we held family home evening. I was serving in the bishopric.
Then one night, something happened to my wife that I can describe only as “dying spiritually.” She wouldn’t talk about it or tell me what was wrong. For me, that was the worst part. For a couple of weeks she did not wish to participate in spiritual things, and she asked to be released from her callings.
Finally, after about two weeks, it came out. She said, “All right. You want to know what’s wrong? I’ll tell you what’s wrong. I can’t do it anymore. I can’t get up at 5:30 in the morning and bake bread and sew clothes and help my kids with their homework and do my own homework and do my Relief Society work and get my genealogy done and go to the parent-teacher meetings at school and write to the missionaries.” And she named off one burden after another that had been laid on her.
Then she listed her flaws and imperfections. She said, “I don’t have the talent that Sister Morrell has. I can’t do what Sister Childs does. I try not to yell at the kids, but I lose control and yell at them anyway. I’ve just finally admitted that I’m not perfect and that I’m not ever going to be perfect. I’m not going to make it to the celestial kingdom, and I can’t pretend that I am. So I’ve given up. Why break my back trying to do what I can’t?”
Well, we started to talk, and it was a long night. I asked her, “Janet, do you have a testimony?”
“She said, “Of course I do! That’s what’s so terrible. I know it’s true. I just can’t do it.”
“Have you kept the covenants you made when you were baptized?”
She said, “I’ve tried and I’ve tried, but I cannot keep all the commandments all the time.”
Then I rejoiced because I knew that her problem wasn’t any of those horrible things I had thought it might be. It is possible to be an active member of the Church, to have a testimony of its truthfulness, to hold leadership positions—and still to lose track of the “good news” at the gospel’s core. This is what had happened to Janet. She was trying to save herself. She knew why Jesus is an adviser and a teacher.
She knew why he is an example, the head of the Church, our Elder Brother, and even God. She knew all of that, but she did not understand why he is called the Savior.
Janet was trying to save herself, with Jesus as an adviser. But we can’t do that. No one is perfect . . .
As Janet and I internalized how the Atonement works, we wept. “I’ve always believed that Jesus suffered and died for me,” Janet said. “But now I realize that he must save me from myself, from my sins and my weaknesses.” (Stephen E. Robinson, “Believing Christ,” Ensign, Apr 1992, 5)
Challenge: Think about the Atonement of our Savior. Pray to express your gratitude for His sacrifice you. He died for you. He suffered for you. You can be exalted if you learn to rely on Him and accept His atonement in your life.
Journal: Write your feelings regarding the Atonement. Write about any experiences you have had using the atonement to repent for your sins. How did those experiences strengthen your testimony of the Savior?
Day 6:
Meditation on Christ’s Resurrection
Music: "Come Unto Him"
Evening Study: Read and mark John 20: 1-18
Mosiah 3:17
Because Jesus Christ was resurrected, we will all be resurrected. He has done for us what we could never do on our own. Through the Atonement, Christ overcame spiritual death or sin. And through the Resurrection, Christ overcame physical death for all mankind.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught, “The “lively hope” we are given by the resurrection is our conviction that death is not the conclusion of our identity but merely a necessary step in the destined transition from mortality to immortality. This hope changes the whole perspective of mortal life. The assurance of resurrection and immortality affects how we look on the physical challenges of mortality, how we live our mortal lives, and how we relate to those around us.
“The assurance of resurrection gives us the strength and perspective to endure the mortal challenges faced by each of us and by those we love, such things as the physical, mental, or emotional deficiencies we bring with us at birth or acquire during mortal life. Because of the resurrection, we know that these mortal deficiencies are only temporary!
“The assurance that the resurrection will include an opportunity to be with our family members—husband, wife, parents, brothers and sisters, children, and grandchildren—is a powerful encouragement for us to fulfill our family responsibilities in mortality. It helps us live together in love in this life in anticipation of joyful reunions and associations in the next.” (Dallin H. Oaks, “,” Ensign, May 2000, 14).
Challenge: Ponder Christ’s resurrection and the hope it brings you.
Journal: Write what the resurrection means to you. How does your knowledge of the resurrection influence your choices? How can it help you face adversity and death?
Day 7:
Repentance
Music: "Whole Again"
Evening Study: Read and mark 2 Nephi 25:23
The Parable of the Bicycle
I was sitting in a chair reading. My daughter, Sarah, who was seven years old at the time, came in and said, “Dad, can I have a bike? I’m the only kid on the block who doesn’t have one.”
Well, I didn’t have the money then for a bike, so I stalled her. I said, “Sure, Sarah.”
She said, “How? When?”
I said, “You save all your pennies, and soon you’ll have enough for a bike.” And she went away.
A couple of weeks later I was sitting in the same chair when I heard a “clink, clink” in Sarah’s bedroom. I asked, “Sarah, what are you doing?”
She came to me with a little jar, a slit cut in the lid, and a bunch of pennies in the bottom. She said, “You promised me that if I saved all my pennies, pretty soon I’d have enough for a bike. And, Daddy, I’ve saved every single one of them.”
My heart melted. My daughter was doing everything in her power to follow my instructions. I hadn’t actually lied to her. If she saved all of her pennies, she would eventually have enough for a bike, but by then she would want a car. I said, “Let’s go look at bikes.”
We went to every store in town. Finally we found it—the perfect bicycle. She was thrilled. Then she saw the price tag, and her face fell. She started to cry. “Oh, Dad, I’ll never have enough for a bicycle!”
So I said, “Sarah, how much do you have?”
She answered, “Sixty-one cents.”
“I’ll tell you what. You give me everything you’ve got and a hug and a kiss, and the bike is yours.” Then I drove home very slowly because she insisted on riding the bike home.
As I drove beside her, I thought of the atonement of Christ. We all desperately want the celestial kingdom. We want to be with our Father in Heaven. But no matter how hard we try, we come up short. At some point all of us must realize, “I can’t do this by myself. I need help.” Then it is that the Savior says, in effect, All right, you’re not perfect. But what can you do? Give me all you have, and I’ll do the rest.
He still requires our best effort. We must keep trying. But the good news is that having done all we can, it is enough. We may not be personally perfect yet, but because of our covenant with the Savior, we can rely on his perfection, and his perfection will get us through. (Stephen E. Robinson, “Believing Christ,” Ensign, Apr 1992, 5).
Read and mark: D&C 58:42-43
We all have areas that we need to work on. Sometimes we hold onto sins hoping they will just disappear on their own; however, repentance involves several steps.
1) Acknowledge that we have done wrong, without rationalizing it or making it seem less serious than it truly is. Be conscious of our guilt.
2) Confess the sin to the Lord in prayer first and then to the Bishop, if necessary.
3) Forsake or abandon the sin---don’t do it again.
4) Make restitution for the sin. In other words, try to make things right. Apologize to anybody that you have wronged---whether it is the Lord or another person.
Challenge: Repent of a sin or offense that you have been holding on to. The Holy Ghost will help you know what you should focus on. Spend time in prayer speaking to the Lord about it. Go apologize to the person, if it involved someone else. Make an appointment to talk with the Bishop, if the sin is of a more serious nature. You may feel nervous about the Bishop knowing your sin, but having true godly sorrow means that you care more about what the Lord thinks about you than what anyone else (including the Bishop) might think of you. I promise you great peace and happiness if you will go through the correct steps of repentance. And relying on the Savior’s atonement will help you grow closer to Him. This challenge may take more than one day, but follow through with it.
Journal: Write about the feelings you are having as you go through these steps.
Day 8:
Gratitude & Prayer
Music: "A Believer's Prayer"
Evening Study: Read and mark D&C 59:21
2 Nephi 9:52
The Lord wants us to be grateful to Him. All we have is because of His mercy. When we do not recognize His hand in our lives, we truly offend Him. We can have an attitude of gratitude in our lives by not complaining when things do not go as planned or as we wish them to go. We can express thanks to those we interact with, and we can express our gratitude to our Heavenly Father in prayer. Doing so will help us “draw near unto” him.
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin wrote, “When you find yourself getting into a routine with your prayers, step back and think. Meditate for a while on the things for which you really are grateful. Look for them. They don’t have to be grand or glorious. Sometimes we should express our gratitude for the small and simple things like the scent of the rain, the taste of your favorite food, or the sound of a loved one’s voice. Thinking of things we are grateful for is a healing balm. It helps us get outside ourselves. It changes our focus from our pains and our trials to the abundance of this beautiful world we live in.” (Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Improving Our Prayers,” Ensign, Mar 2004, 24–31).
Pres. Henry B. Eyring said, “President Benson suggested prayer as a time to [thank the Lord]. He said: ‘The Prophet Joseph said at one time that one of the greatest sins of which the Latter-day Saints would be guilty is the sin of ingratitude. I presume most of us have not thought of that as a great sin. There is a great tendency for us in our prayers and in our pleadings with the Lord to ask for additional blessings. But sometimes I feel we need to devote more of our prayers to expressions of gratitude and thanksgiving for blessings already received. We enjoy so much.’ (God, Family, Country, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1974, p. 199).” Pres. Eyring continued, “You could have an experience with the gift of the Holy Ghost today. You could begin a private prayer with thanks. You could start to count your blessings, and then pause for a moment. If you exercise faith, and with the gift of the Holy Ghost, you will find that memories of other blessings will flood into your mind. If you begin to express gratitude for each of them, your prayer may take a little longer than usual. Remembrance will come. And so will gratitude.”
Journal: Write your feelings about prayer. Do you feel that your prayers are improving? List some of the things you are grateful for.
Pres. Eyring said, “As you start to write, you could ask yourself, “How did God bless me today?” If you do that long enough and with faith, you will find yourself remembering blessings. And sometimes, you will have gifts brought to your mind which you failed to notice during the day, but which you will then know were a touch of God’s hand in your life.”
Challenge (beginning tonight and carrying on tomorrow): Continue to lengthen your prayers. However, this time pray only about the things you are grateful for. For an entire day, try not to ask the Lord for anything at all and instead focus on all He’s already given you. Also, continue with your Media Fast.
Day 9:
Love One Another
Music: “As Zion’s Youth in Latter-Days”
Evening Study: Read and mark John 13:34-35
John 15:12
Moroni 7:45-48
Perhaps one of the best ways to be close to the Savior is to be like him. Christ’s love is pure and unconditional. He loves you more than you have ever loved anyone. He loved you enough to die for you.
Challenge: For the next day strive to show love to others. If someone is angry or upset, try to stay calm and understand them instead of fighting back. Treat people with respect. Choose kind, loving words.
Journal: Christ loves you. Write your feelings about His love for you.
Day 10:
Service
Music: “Miracle”
Journal: Write about the opportunities you had to show love today. How did it feel to show love even when someone else was necessarily easy to love?
Evening Study: Read and mark Mosiah 2:17
D&C 4:2
Jesus Christ’s live was filled with service. He blessed others, at all times. He put others’ needs above his own. And He has commanded us to also serve others with all our hearts, might, mind, and strength.
“You probably already know the thrill that comes from doing something for someone else, especially when your service is anonymous. The Savior encouraged us to “let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth” when we give to others (Matt. 6:3). Of course it is not always possible for service to be anonymous, but here are some secret service ideas for you to try out.
• Wake up early and wash your family’s and neighbors’ cars.
• If you are able, donate blood to a local blood bank.
• If the missionaries in your area live in an apartment where this is possible, make cookies and leave them on their doorstep with a thank-you note.
• Pick up trash in the park, at school, or as you walk along the sidewalk.
• Wash the dishes, vacuum, or do something that needs to be done around the house while your parents are out.
• Send an anonymous [letter] to someone you think might need one.
• Rake leaves for people in your neighborhood who might need help. If you do it while they are at work or on vacation, you’re less likely to get caught.
• Organize a food or clothing drive in your neighborhood, and donate the items you collect to a local shelter.
• Do something nice for your siblings. You could clean their room, or just write them a note of encouragement telling them someone loves them.
• Pray for those who you know need a little extra help.
• Finally, you know best what you can do in your situation. If you see someone who needs help, or something that needs to be done, try to fill that need the best you can. Keep your eyes open for secret service opportunities. (“Idea List: Secret Service,” New Era, Feb 2003, 27)
Challenge: Try to find opportunities to do service in your day-to-day activities tomorrow---whether secretly or with others’ knowing. When you serve others, you will feel closer to your Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ.
Day 11:
Fervent, Vocal Prayer
Music: "My Soul Hungered"
Journal: Write about your experiences serving others today, whether secretly or with their knowledge.
Evening Study:
One woman explained, “I have found there is great power in praying aloud. Fourteen-year-old Joseph Smith had surely prayed before the First Vision, but not vocally. The prayer that brought about the Restoration was verbal (see Joseph Smith—History 1:14). Though the Lord hears and answers all prayers, both silent and spoken, I have found that vocal prayer is especially powerful because it helps me concentrate my thoughts. The scriptures are replete with stories of those who lifted their voices to the heavens. Nephi prayed aloud (see 2 Nephi 4:24), Enos raised his voice till it reached the heavens (Enos 1:4), and Alma and his people prayed so loud their captors threatened to put them to death if they did not stop (see Mosiah 24:10–12). Christ offered His great Intercessory Prayer aloud (see John 17:1) as well as His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (see Matthew 26:39–44). If at all possible, when I am on my knees I try to pray aloud.” (Mary Jane Woodger, “What I Have Learned about Mighty Prayer,” Ensign, Dec 2006, 54–57).
Read and mark: Joseph Smith-History 1:14
2 Nephi 4:24
Mosiah 24:10-12
Challenge (beginning tonight and continuing tomorrow): In your personal prayers, try to pray vocally. This will help you stay focused on what you are saying.
Day 12:
Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy
Music: "In That Holy Place"
Evening Study: D&C 59:9-16
We show the Lord how much we love Him by how we spend the Sabbath day. We remember Him as we take the sacrament, but how do we spend the remainder of the day. The Sabbath lasts the whole day, not just until church is over.
The prophet Spencer W. Kimball counseled: “The Sabbath is a holy day in which to do worthy and holy things. Abstinence from work and recreation is important but insufficient. The Sabbath calls for constructive thoughts and acts, and if one merely lounges about doing nothing on the Sabbath, he is breaking it. To observe it, one will be on his knees in prayer, preparing lessons, studying the gospel, meditating, visiting the ill and distressed, sleeping, reading wholesome material, and attending all the meetings of that day to which he is expected. [Failure] to do these proper things is a transgression on the omission side.” (The Miracle of Forgiveness (1969), 96–97.)
Challenge: Decide to make tomorrow a special Sabbath Day by doing some of the things that Pres. Kimball suggested.
Journal: How did it feel to have vocal prayer?
Day 13:
Forgive
Music: "I Will Forgive"
Evening Study: Read and mark Isaiah 1:18
Luke 6:37
D&C 64:8-10
We normally think of the Atonement as the answer to our sins, but it can also help us forgive others their offenses against us.
Elder James E. Faust taught, “Our Redeemer took upon Himself all the sins, pains, infirmities, and sicknesses of all who have ever lived and will ever live. 32 No one has ever suffered in any degree what He did. He knows our mortal trials by firsthand experience. It is a bit like us trying to climb Mount Everest and only getting up the first few feet. But He has climbed all 29,000 feet to the top of the mountain. He suffered more than any other mortal could. The Atonement not only benefits the sinner but also benefits those sinned against—that is, the victims. By forgiving “those who trespass against us” (JST, Matt. 6:13) the Atonement brings a measure of peace and comfort to those who have been innocently victimized by the sins of others. The basic source for the healing of the soul is the Atonement of Jesus Christ.” (James E. Faust, “The Atonement: Our Greatest Hope,” Ensign, Nov 2001, 18).
Challenge: Think of an offense that you have been holding onto. Spend some time in prayer asking for help to forgive this person. If you feel that it’s appropriate, talk with the person and let them know that you forgive them. Or pray to forgive yourself if you haven’t.
Journal: Write about the activities you did today to help you keep the Sabbath Day holy. How did it feel to focus more on the Lord through positive activities?
Day 14:
Testify
Music: “This I Show, This I Know”
Evening Study: Jesus Christ spent his life testifying. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. “(John 14:6) He asks us to share our testimonies with others, too. As we bear testimony, we will feel the Spirit reconfirm in our hearts and minds that what we are saying is true. We will feel close to our Savior.
Read and mark D&C 84:61
Revelations 12:11
Mosiah 18:9
Elder David A. Bednar stated, “Our testimony of gospel truth should be reflected both in our words and in our deeds. And our testimonies are proclaimed and lived most powerfully in our own homes. Spouses, parents, and children should strive to overcome any hesitancy, reluctance, or embarrassment about bearing testimony. We should both create and look for opportunities to bear testimony of gospel truths—and live them.
A testimony is what we know to be true in our minds and in our hearts by the witness of the Holy Ghost (see D&C 8:2). As we profess truth rather than admonish, exhort, or simply share interesting experiences, we invite the Holy Ghost to confirm the verity of our words. The power of pure testimony (see Alma 4:19) does not come from sophisticated language or effective presentation; rather, it is the result of revelation conveyed by the third member of the Godhead, even the Holy Ghost. . . Such testimony fortifies faith and provides direction. Such testimony generates light in a world that grows increasingly dark. Such testimony is the source of an eternal perspective and of enduring peace.” (David A. Bednar, “More Diligent and Concerned at Home,” Ensign, Nov 2009, 17–20).
Challenge: Share your testimony with a friend or family member. You may also write your testimony inside the cover of a Book of Mormon and give it to someone. Pray to know to whom you should give the book or testify.
Also: Find a song that represents your feelings or testimony of Jesus Christ.
Journal: Write what you have gained from this Walk with Christ and your testimony of Him.
This is just what I was looking for! We're doing an activity for Relief Society on Christ Centered Easter traditions, so thank you for putting this together and posting it. I changed it a little for older sisters, I hope you don't mind.
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