Below are the quotes that were used in the video.
President Spencer W. Kimball: “Before we came here, faithful women were given certain assignments while faithful men were foreordained to certain priesthood tasks. While we do not now remember the particulars, this does not alter the glorious reality of what we once agreed to. You are accountable for those things which long ago were expected of you just as are those we sustain as prophets and apostles!” (“The Role of Righteous Women, General Conference, Oct 1979).
Elder Neal A. Maxwell: “The Lord does not ask about our ability or inability, but only about our availability. And if we prove our dependability, the Lord will take care of our capability” (Ensign July 1975 p. 7).
Groupwork idea: Look for a path that Jacob identifies that leads to sin.
One of my all-time favorite poems:
Sow a thought, and you reap an act;
Sow an act, and you reap a habit;
Sow a habit, and you reap a character;
Sow a character, and you reap an eternal destiny.
― Samuel Smiles
Elder Deiter F. Uctdorf: The great enemy of charity is pride. Pride is one of the biggest reasons marriages and families struggle. Pride is short-tempered, unkind, and envious. Pride exaggerates its own strength and ignores the virtues of others. Pride is selfish and easily provoked. Pride assumes evil intent where there is none and hides its own weaknesses behind clever excuses. Pride is cynical, pessimistic, angry, and impatient. Indeed, if charity is the pure love of Christ, then pride is the defining characteristic of Satan.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2016/04/in-praise-of-those-who-save?lang=eng)
C.S. Lewis: “Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call ‘humble’ nowadays: he will not be a sort of greasy, smarmy person, who is always telling you that, of course, he is nobody. Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. If you do dislike him it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all.
“If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realize that one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done before it. If you think you are not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed” (Mere Christianity, Book 3, Chapter 8, “The Great Sin”).
Note: In the video, I used a quote stating “True humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” But I have not been able to get the reference. I fear I may have inadvertently attributed a quote to C.S. Lewis that he did not write. I will look for the reference and admit my liking of a quote that has been circulating on the internet.
President Ezra Taft Benson: “The plaguing sin of this generation is sexual immorality. This, the Prophet Joseph said, would be the source of more temptations, more buffetings, and more difficulties for the elders of Israel than any other” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [1988], 277).
Elder Neal A. Maxwell: “Some seek to substitute Caesars for Christ. Others are blinded because they are “looking beyond the mark” (Jacob 4:14) when the mark is Christ” (Neal A. Maxwell, “Jesus of Nazareth, Savior and King” April 1976 General Conference).
Elder Quentin L. Cook: “As Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has pointed out, “The Jewish people … rejected the gospel, in part because it lacked adequate intellectual embroidery.” We look beyond the mark when we refuse to accept simple gospel truths for what they are” (“Looking beyond the Mark,” Ensign, Mar 2003, 40–44).
Elder Quentin L. Cook: “Some members elevate causes, many of which are good, to a status superior to basic gospel doctrine. They substitute their devotion to the cause as their first commitment and relegate their commitment to the Savior and His teachings to a secondary position. If we elevate anything above our devotion to the Savior, if our conduct recognizes Him as just another teacher and not the divine Son of God, then we are looking beyond the mark. Jesus Christ is the mark!” (“Valiant in the Testimony of Jesus,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 43)
Some ways to manage stress and anxiety. (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/emotional-resilience-for-self-reliance/4-managing-stress-and-anxiety/4-learn?lang=eng&id=aside3_title1-aside3_p15#aside3_title1)
Ideas for teaching:
Elder Neal A. Maxwell: “The Lord does not ask about our ability or inability, but only about our availability. And if we prove our dependability, the Lord will take care of our capability” (Ensign July 1975 p. 7).
Groupwork idea: Look for a path that Jacob identifies that leads to sin.
- Jacob 2:5 Thoughts
- Jacob 2:6 Hearts
- Jacob 2:13 Pride
- Jacob 2:23 Lack of understanding (doctrine)
- Jacob 2:23 Seek to excuse themselves
One of my all-time favorite poems:
Sow a thought, and you reap an act;
Sow an act, and you reap a habit;
Sow a habit, and you reap a character;
Sow a character, and you reap an eternal destiny.
― Samuel Smiles
Elder Deiter F. Uctdorf: The great enemy of charity is pride. Pride is one of the biggest reasons marriages and families struggle. Pride is short-tempered, unkind, and envious. Pride exaggerates its own strength and ignores the virtues of others. Pride is selfish and easily provoked. Pride assumes evil intent where there is none and hides its own weaknesses behind clever excuses. Pride is cynical, pessimistic, angry, and impatient. Indeed, if charity is the pure love of Christ, then pride is the defining characteristic of Satan.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2016/04/in-praise-of-those-who-save?lang=eng)
C.S. Lewis: “Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call ‘humble’ nowadays: he will not be a sort of greasy, smarmy person, who is always telling you that, of course, he is nobody. Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. If you do dislike him it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all.
“If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realize that one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done before it. If you think you are not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed” (Mere Christianity, Book 3, Chapter 8, “The Great Sin”).
Note: In the video, I used a quote stating “True humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” But I have not been able to get the reference. I fear I may have inadvertently attributed a quote to C.S. Lewis that he did not write. I will look for the reference and admit my liking of a quote that has been circulating on the internet.
President Ezra Taft Benson: “The plaguing sin of this generation is sexual immorality. This, the Prophet Joseph said, would be the source of more temptations, more buffetings, and more difficulties for the elders of Israel than any other” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [1988], 277).
Elder Neal A. Maxwell: “Some seek to substitute Caesars for Christ. Others are blinded because they are “looking beyond the mark” (Jacob 4:14) when the mark is Christ” (Neal A. Maxwell, “Jesus of Nazareth, Savior and King” April 1976 General Conference).
Elder Quentin L. Cook: “As Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has pointed out, “The Jewish people … rejected the gospel, in part because it lacked adequate intellectual embroidery.” We look beyond the mark when we refuse to accept simple gospel truths for what they are” (“Looking beyond the Mark,” Ensign, Mar 2003, 40–44).
Elder Quentin L. Cook: “Some members elevate causes, many of which are good, to a status superior to basic gospel doctrine. They substitute their devotion to the cause as their first commitment and relegate their commitment to the Savior and His teachings to a secondary position. If we elevate anything above our devotion to the Savior, if our conduct recognizes Him as just another teacher and not the divine Son of God, then we are looking beyond the mark. Jesus Christ is the mark!” (“Valiant in the Testimony of Jesus,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 43)
Some ways to manage stress and anxiety. (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/emotional-resilience-for-self-reliance/4-managing-stress-and-anxiety/4-learn?lang=eng&id=aside3_title1-aside3_p15#aside3_title1)
Ideas for teaching:
- Personalize. Take if from Jacob’s errand to ‘your errand from the Lord” in your ministry.
- Use groups to make connections with the doctrine being taught and their life experiences (e.g. thoughts leading to actions, personal antidotes for pride).
- Never forget that you teach some of the ‘pure in heart.’
- Look how the scriptures teach a principle and give suggestions on how to apply it (e.g. How can you ‘hit the mark’ and not just go through the motions).