Sunday Lesson: Oct 25th

Our lesson today came from the very recent conference talk by Elder Costa, That They Do Always Remember Him. Elder Costa says, "I love to study and ponder the life of Him who gave everything for me and for all of us." Our teacher asked us this question: How many times a day do you think of the Savior? Pres. Howard W. Hunter counseled, "We must know Christ better than we know Him; we must remember Him more often than we remember Him; we must serve Him more often than we serve Him." 

Our Savior should be at the forefront of our minds more than He actually is. Our prophet, Pres. Thomas S. Monson has said, "Prepare time for Him in our lives and room for Him in our hearts. In these busy days there are many who have time for golf, time for shopping, time for work, time for play - but no time for Christ."

Elder Costa give 15 things that we can meditate on to remember our Savior:

1) To remember His premortal life, when this beautiful planet was made by Him.

2) To remember His humble birth in a manger in Bethlehem of Judea.

3) To remember when, even as a 12-year-old-boy, He taught and preached to the doctors in the temple.

4) To remember when He went aside privately into a desert to prepare for His mortal ministry.

5) To remember when He was transfigured before His disciples.

6) To remember when He instituted the sacrament at the Last Supper with them.

7) To remember when He went to the Garden of Gethsemane and suffered so intensely for our sins, pains, disappointments, and illnesses that He bled from every pore.

8) To remember when, after so much suffering and severe pain, even yet in Gethsemane, He was betrayed with a kiss by one of the disciples whom He called a friend.

9) To remember when He was taken to Pilate and to Herod for trial.

10) To remember when He was humiliated, buffeted, spat upon, smitten, and scourged with a whip that tore His flesh.

11) To remember when a crown of thorns was brutally put upon His head.

12) To remember that He had to carry His own cross to Golgotha and that He was nailed to the cross there, suffereing every physical and spiritual pain.

13) To remember that at the corss, with his bowels full of charity, He looked at those who crucified Him and raised His eyes to heaven, pleading, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

14) To remember when He, knowing He had fulfilled His mission of saving all mankind, gave up His spirit into the hand of His Father, our Father.

15) To remember His Resurrection, which ensures our own resurrection and the possibility to live beside Him for all eternity, depending on our choices.

When we simply remember the Savior in our lives so many things can happen. A mighty change can and will come into your life. We will be able to resisit temptation better. Remembering our Savior will bring about peace and joy. Lonliness will be replaced by peace and comfort when we remember Jesus. These are just a few of the ways our lives can be changed if we just remember our Savior more often.

Recently Pres. Monson shared this story: "Through the years, the offices I have occupied have been decorated with lovely paintings of peaceful and pastoral scenes However, there is one picture that alwyas hangs on the wall which I face when seated behind my desk. It is a constant reminder of Him whom I serve, for it is a picture of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. When confronted with a vexing problem or a difficult decision, I always gaze at that picture of the Master and silently ask myself the question, "What would He have me do?" No longer does doubt linger, nor does indecision prevail. The way to go is clear, and the pathway before me beckons."

To help us remember our Savior more often our teacher gifted each of us a little card with a picture of the Savior and the words, "I will not forget thee. I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands." She asked us all to keep this small picture of the Savior in our wallets where we will see it on a daily basis. Our Savior always remembers us; He loves us and died for us. We can remember Him and all the love he has for each one of us.