RS Lesson Summary January 4th

Sister Ericson gave a wonderful lesson covering Elder Richard G Scott's recent General Conference talk
Make the Exercise of your Faith your First Priority.


When Adam and Eve were in the garden, there was no opposition, no death. Everything was provided for them. Because there were no challenges, they didn't understand real joy. Eventually Adam and Eve transgressed and they had to leave the garden. They left a perfect situation and became mortal and subject to disease, death, sorrow and progress and happiness. By partaking of the fruit, knowledge and understanding would enter their minds. Good and evil entered the world. They were also blessed with the ability to choose. This is all part of our Heavenly Father's plan of happiness.
We live in difficult times. Times of trial, heartache, but also great opportunity, enlightenment and joy. We were educated in the pre earth life that we needed to come to earth to be tested, to gain a body, to learn and prove our obedience to the Lord.
The life was too full of other things to accommodate what the Lord has asked us to do that the important things had no place. So, she started over. Empty jar, but this time, filled the jar with the eggs first: Prayer, Scripture Study, etc. Then she added everything back into the jar, and all the other things still fit. Once we make the things the Lord has asked us to do a priority we will be surprised at what we can accomplish. We will be able to do all the things we need and want to do, but first we are growing closer to the Savior.We are expanding our testimonies, and growing in spiritual strength.

"We were taught in the premortal world that our purpose in coming here is to be tested, tried, and stretched.³ We knew we would face the evils of the adversary. Sometimes we may feel more aware of the negative things of mortality than we are of the positive. The prophet Lehi taught, “For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things.”⁴ Despite all of the negative challenges we have in life, we must take time to actively exercise our faith. Such exercise invites the positive, faith-filled power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ into our lives.

Our Father in Heaven has given us tools to help us come unto Christ and exercise faith in His Atonement. When these tools become fundamental habits, they provide the easiest way to find peace in the challenges of mortality. Today I have chosen to discuss four of these tools. As I speak, consider evaluating your personal use of each tool; then seek the guidance of the Lord to determine how you could make better use of each one of them."

Sister Ericson demonstrated how our lives can be filled with lots of good things, but not filled with the things the Lord has asked us to do. There are things we think we HAVE to do, like working, school, housework, exercising, etc. But there are a few things that the Lord has asked us to do that are musts. 

She showed us an empty glass jar which represented our lives. Then she showed several different items that we can fill our jars- rice, pasta, sugar, each representing something we feel we have to do, or things we like to do, like watch tv, go to shows, social media, working, house work, talking on the phone, reading, exercising, etc. Once the jar was completely filled with these things, she showed us four eggs labeled with the words Prayer, FHE, Scripture Study, and Temple Attendance. The jar was so full the eggs had to sit precariously on the top of the jar. 

" These four tools are fundamental habits for securing your life in the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Remember our Savior is the Prince of Peace. Peace in this mortal life comes from His atoning sacrifice. When we are consistently praying morning and night, studying our scriptures daily, having weekly family home evening, and attending the temple regularly, we are actively responding to His invitation to “come unto Him.” The more we develop these habits, the more anxious is Satan to harm us but the less is his ability to do so. Through the use of these tools, we exercise our agency to accept the full gifts of His atoning sacrifice."