RS Lesson 9/13/20 - Deep in our Heart

RS Lesson - Two Perspectives

Deep in Our Heart by Elder Douglas D. Holmes

Tia Linford - North Relief Society

Brother Douglas D. Holmes said, "the Lord is trying to help us-all of us-get His gospel deeper in our hearts." How can we get the gospel "deep in our hearts"? How can we get a firmly rooted testimony of Christ in our lives?

One of the things he mentions in his talk, is that we can grow closer to God through relationships. No one was meant to go through life by themselves. We are meant to reach out to others and grow stronger together, whether that is with family members or friends. We can develop close relationships by seeing others the way that God does. I find that when I get to know people better, I grow to like them better. The relationships we establish here are still going to be around in the next life. There are some people who are needing that connection in their lives and we need to reach out to them. When we reach out to others and include them in our lives we can help them come closer to Christ. President Eyring commented, "What will matter most is what others learn from you about who they really are and what they can really become."

Another thing we can do to have the gospel more deeply rooted in our hearts is to have individual spiritual experiences. To have our own spiritual experiences we need to be open to receive them. One of the ways we can do this is through pondering the things that we study. I find that I get better revelation when I've been thinking about things for a while. We need to consistently study the scriptures and consistently think about what we are learning. When we are doing these things, the spirit can teach us what we need to learn.

I challenge all of you to build stronger relationships with others and to be open to receiving revelations. I know that if you do these things, you will have the gospel more firmly rooted in your heart and come closer to Christ. 

Alicia Ballard - South Relief Society

In his talk, Brother Holmes speaks on the joyous fact that the Restoration of the Gospel is alive and continues today. There have been changes and additions made to the Elders Quorum, Relief Society, Young Men and Young Women, and the Children’s organizations. These changes were made to help deepen the gospel in our hearts. That is the whole purpose. Brother Holmes spoke specifically of three principles that can help us deepen the gospel in our hearts. Relationships- “Be With Them”, Revelation, Agency and Repentance- “Connect Them with Heaven”, and Engagement and Sacrafice-“Let Them Lead”.

I will share my brief thoughts on the first principle.

One of the things I’ve really missed during Quarantine is meeting in person for meetings and gathering as friends. As a newish member of the ward those moments together really helped me to feel the ministering of the gospel.

Brother Holmes reminds us that relationships take time. We must have time together to laugh, play, discuss, learn about each other’s interests, and appreciate the wonderful uniqueness that is each our own. He said these relationships are one of the main reasons we meet as groups for it is the very foundation of ministering.

How true is that? I remember on my mission, when I was green, that the first thing my trainer taught me was that we must know and understand our investigators. We cannot be effective at ministering unless we took time to build a sincere relationship with them. I will forever be grateful for her wise counsel.

I felt deeply touched by Elder Dale G. Renlund’s quote, “To effectively serve others we must see them...through Heavenly Father’s eyes. Only then can we begin to comprehend the true worth of a soul. Only then can we sense the love that Heavenly Father has for all His children.”

If I’ve learned anything about spiritual matters is that things of the spirit must be taught by the spirit. How many times did you leave a friend’s house, or a conversation uplifted? Did you remember exactly what words were said? Or did you just feel the goodness?

This is the second thing my trainer taught me. More important than words, or the service given, was the feeling that lingered when we left. As President Eyring says, “What matters most is what others learn from you about who they really are and what they can really become. My guess is that they won’t learn it so much from lectures. They will get it from feelings of who you are, who you thing they are, and what you think they might become.”

To see others as God sees them is a gift. It is one that we must seek and ask for. Only then can our eyes be opened. It might not come quickly, keep asking. He will grant us the ability to see, and when we do our hearts will begin to unite. This is the first principle to deepen our hearts in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.