Be Thou Humble by Steven E Snow

"Humility enables us to be better parents, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, neighbors and friends."
Ether 12:27, "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their ^aweakness. I ^bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my ^cgrace is sufficient for all men that ^dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make ^eweak things become strong unto them."

"We must all strive to become more humble. Humility is essential to gain the blessings of the gospel. Humility enables us to have broken hearts when we sin or make mistakes and makes it possible for us to repent. Humility enables us to be better parents, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, neighbors and friends."

All of us look forward to exaltation, but before this can occur, we must persevere through what has been referred to as the “valley of humility.”<sup>8

I am grateful for prophets, like Alma, who have taught us the worth of this great attribute. Spencer W. Kimball, the 12th President of the Church, said: “How does one get humble? To me, one must constantly be reminded of his dependence. On whom dependent? On the Lord. How remind one’s self? By real, constant, worshipful, grateful prayer.”10 

It should come as no surprise that President Kimball’s favorite hymn was “I Need Thee Every Hour.”11 Elder Dallin H. Oaks reported that this was the most oft-sung opening hymn by the Brethren in the temple during his early years in the Quorum of the Twelve. He said, “Picture the spiritual impact of a handful of the Lord’s servants singing that song before praying for his guidance in fulfilling their mighty responsibilities.”12 

Humility (Family Home Evening)

Humility is a feeling that comes when we realize how much we depend on our Heavenly Father. We show humility by being teachable and by serving our fellowmen. Great blessings come to us when we are humble.

"...humility is: teachable, loving, dependent on the Lord, obedient to God, gracious. It is not: proud, arrogant, boastful, self-depreciating, weak, lacking confidence."

Mosiah 4:19 For behold, are we not all abeggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind? 

"...real humility begins when we understand our true relationship to Heavenly Father. When we know that we owe everything to him, we realize that our achievements and possessions are not our own."

Point out that being humble does not mean denying our achievements. But it does mean acknowledging the source of our blessings. Challenge your family to develop a humble spirit by remembering that all good things in our lives come from Heavenly Father. 

 D&C 112:10 "Be thou ahumble; and the Lord thy God shall blead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers."

D&C 136:32 Let him that is aignorant blearn cwisdom by dhumbling himself and calling upon the Lord his God, that his eeyes may be opened that he may see, and his ears opened that he may hear; 

D&C 67:10 "And again, verily I say unto you that it is your privilege, and a apromise I give unto you that have been ordained unto this ministry, that inasmuch as you bstrip yourselves from cjealousies and dfears, and ehumble yourselves before me, for ye are not sufficiently humble, the fveil shall be rent and you shall gsee me and know that I am—not with the carnal neither natural mind, but with the spiritual."

D&C 1:28, "And inasmuch as they were ahumble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive bknowledge from time to time."

3 Nephi 12:2, "And again, more blessed are they who shall abelieve in your words because that ye shall testify that ye have seen me, and that ye know that I am. Yea, blessed are they who shall bbelieve in your cwords, and dcome down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited ewith fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins."

Psalms 34:18, "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and asaveth such as be bof a contrite spirit."

Isaiah 57:15, "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth aeternity, whose name is bHoly; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a ccontrite and dhumble spirit, to erevive the spirit of the fhumble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."

Mosiah 4:11, "And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have atasted of his love, and have received a bremission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own cnothingness, and his dgoodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of ehumility, fcalling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing gsteadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel."</sup>

A Child's Prayer

35395, Children's Songbook, My Heavenly Father, A Child's Prayer, 12–13

1. Heavenly Father, are you really there?
And do you hear and answer ev'ry child's prayer?
Some say that heaven is far away,
But I feel it close around me as I pray.
Heavenly Father, I remember now
Something that Jesus told disciples long ago:
"Suffer the children to come to me."
Father, in prayer I'm coming now to thee.

2. Pray, he is there;
Speak, he is list'ning.
You are his child;
His love now surrounds you.
He hears your prayer;
He loves the children.
Of such is the kingdom, the kingdom of heav'n.

Words and music: Janice Kapp Perry, b. 1938
© 1984 by Janice Kapp Perry. This song may be copied for incidental, noncommercial church or home use.
  
A Special Gift Is Kindness
35395, Children's Songbook, The Gospel, A Special Gift Is Kindness, 145

A special gift is kindness.
Such happiness it brings;
When I am kind to others,
My heart sings.

Words and music: Sharon Steed, b. 1935.
© 1969 IRI

Faith

35395, Children's Songbook, The Gospel, Faith, 96-97

1. Faith is knowing the sun will rise, lighting each new day.
Faith is knowing the Lord will hear my prayers each time I pray.
Faith is like a little seed:
If planted, it will grow.
Faith is a swelling within my heart.
When I do right, I know.

2. Faith is knowing I lived with God before my mortal birth.
Faith is knowing I can return when my life ends on earth.
Faith is trust in God above;
In Christ, who showed the way.
Faith is strengthened; I feel it grow
Whenever I obey.

Words: Beatrice Goff Jackson, b. 1943.
© 1978 IRI
Music: Michael Finlinson Moody, b. 1941.
© 1978 IRI

For Thy Bounteous Blessings

35395, Children's Songbook, My Heavenly Father, For Thy Bounteous Blessings, 21

(1) For thy bounteous blessings,
(2) For thy wondrous word,
(3) For thy loving kindness,
(4) We give thanks, O Lord.

Words: Lester Bucher
Music: Traditional melody; arr. by Vanja Y. Watkins, b. 1938. Arr.
© 1965 IRI

Help Me, Dear Father

35395, Children's Songbook, The Gospel, Help Me, Dear Father, 99

1. Help me, dear Father, to freely forgive
All who may seem unkind to me.

2. Help me, dear Father, to truly repent,
Making things right, and changing my ways.

Help me each day, Father, I pray;
Help me live nearer, nearer to thee.

Words and music: Frances K. Taylor, 1870–1952
Added text (verse 2)
© 1989 IRI

 

The Empowerment of Humility by Richard C. Edgley

The strength of the Church is in the millions of humble members striving every day to do the will of the Savior.

These companion virtues are the first critical steps to opening the doors to the blessings of God and the power of the priesthood. It matters not who we are or how lofty our credentials appear. Humility and submissiveness to the Lord, coupled with a grateful heart, are our strength and our hope.

To this end, the Savior is our supreme example of the power of humility and submissiveness. After all, His submitting His will to the Father brought about the greatest, and even the most powerful, event in all of history. Perhaps some of the most sacred words in all the scriptures are simply, “Not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42).

Elder Marlin K. Jensen "To Walk Humbly with Thy God"

True humility will inevitably lead us to say to God, “Thy will be done.”--Elder Marlin K. Jensen

Fortunately, the Savior has given us a model for developing humility. When His disciples approached Him and inquired, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He responded by placing a little child in their midst and stating, “Whosoever … shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”⁴

 ^{And because what we are does affect what we do, our submissiveness will be reflected in our reverence, gratitude, and willingness to accept callings, counsel, and correction.}

^{The power of that response itself brings a feeling of humility. It reminds us that the greatest act of courage and love in the history of mankind—Christ’s atoning sacrifice—was also the greatest act of humility and submissiveness. Some may wonder if those seeking to become humble must forever defer to the strongly held opinions and positions of others. Certainly the Savior’s life evidences that true humility is anything but subservience, weakness, or servility.}

Imagine a world in which we would replace I as the dominant pronoun.

Think of the impact on the pursuit of knowledge if being learned without being arrogant were the norm.

Even more importantly, think of the role of humility in the process of repentance. Is it not humility, coupled with strong faith in Christ, that carries the transgressor to God in prayer, to the offended party in apology, and, where necessary, to his priesthood leader in confession?

I resonate to the English author John Ruskin’s memorable statement that “the first test of a truly great man is his humility.” He continued: “I do not mean, by humility, doubt of his own power. … [But really] great men … have a curious … feeling that … greatness is not in them, but through them. … And they see something Divine … in every other man …, and are endlessly, foolishly, incredibly merciful.”¹³ 

The Old Testament prophet Micah, like our living prophet, President Hinckley, was concerned about nurturing the development of humility. To his people he said, “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”¹⁴

 

Temple Cleaning

To show humility, my husband and I cleaned the temple this past Friday night.  I was able to vacuum the Celestial Room.  It was a complete privilege to do so.  As I was vacuuming, I had a lot of time to think.  I thought about the people who would come the next day to the temple.  I thought about the woman that will go through the temple for the first time tomorrow.  I thought about the Savior:  what if all of a sudden I just felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around and there He was?  I thought about my effort.  Did I do a good enough job?  Was my service enough?  It was a blessing for my husband and I to serve together in the temple that night.  We were healthy enough to do so.  That in itself is a great blessing.

Our ward was supposed to provide 20 people.  Only 13 showed up.  Seven people went without a blessing that night.  Our bishop provided a great example.  He and his wife were both there.  He gives a lot of service, so for he and his wife to be there was a great sacrifice.  We gave service for about 2 1/2 hours.

Abide in My Love by Elder D. Todd Christofferson

"God's greater blessings are conditioned on obedience."
"Abiding in his love will enable us to obtain our full potential."
The final judgment is not just a sum total of good and evil deeds.

Helen Keller--1880 birth
19 months old - became both deaf and blind
Age 6 - outbursts daily, sometimes hourly
Ann Sullivan- age 5 cornea left her mostly blind.  Went to the Perkins School.
Operation helped her vision.
Won Helen's heart and trust.
"Trust our divine teacher."
W A T E R = wonderful
Everything had a name
Loved language, eloquence as a public speaker.

"Savior comprehends our great potential. .. Each of us can love and serve God."

"To atone for our sins...his suffering caused himself to tremble because of pain..."

Olive oil---crushed by rolling a large stone over them.
Olives were put in baskets upon baskets.  Oil is blood red as it first flows out.

Endured the agony until justice was satisfied to the very last drop.

"Will you not now return unto me...Blessed our those who come unto me"

"...receive all that he graciously offers you."

Goals

1.  Attend the temple weekly.
2.  Read the scriptures daily for at least 10 min.
3.  Pray morning and evening
4.  Have FHE
5.  Give service to at least one person daily..

Attending the Temple

I think that attending the temple is part of gaining humility.  I was grateful for the opportunity yesterday to attend the temple.  It was nice to be there. 

Look to the Book!  Look to the Lord!  Elder Gary E. Stephenson--The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our testimony, our spiritual strength.  Keystone of our religion. Keystone in our witness of Christ.  Keystone of our doctrine.

"As you strive to follow the teachings you find there, your joy will expand, your understanding will increase, and the answers you seek to the many challenges mortality presents will be opened to you. As you look to the book, you look to the Lord."--Elder Gary E. Stephenson

Disciple Preparation Plan

My plan is to become humble enough to listen to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit and learn what God would have me do in my life.

Humility Goals

I wanted to attend the temple weekly, but this past week and the week before hasn't been a good one.  Sunday night, last week, I became sick with the flu.  Tuesday, I started sneezing uncontrollably.  Friday, I finally went to the doctor and was prescribed an antibiotic.  Tuesday, this week I started vomiting because of the antibiotic, so I called the doctor and they prescribed a different antibiotic that I am currently taking.  Last night was the first time I actually went somewhere besides the grocery store.  I'm hoping to attend a sister's temple session tomorrow who is going through for the first time.  She is a beautiful woman and I love her testimony and her love for the gospel.

Gladys Knight and the Saints Unified Voices Choir

Last night, my husband and I attended the Saints Unified Voices Choir with Gladys Knight.  Can I just say it was amazing?  It was beautiful.  Her spirit is beautiful and she conveys love to everyone around her.  The beautiful voices were a real treat.  She is a wonderful person and is so genuine in her love for the Savior.  I'm glad my husband and I didn't miss this concert.  I learned a lot from their performance, but the most important thing I learned was to accept the Lord today, invite Him in your life today, not tomorrow.  The music was exhilarating--"His eye is on the sparrow", "Blessed Assurance," "Via Dolorosa," "I am a Child of God," and more.  She is a gift from God with her musical talent that spans generations.  If you ever have a chance to go to one of these concerts, please don't miss out!

Humility

The Lord will strengthen us as we humble ourselves before Him.  James taught:  "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble...Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up" (James 4:6, 10)

Proverbs 18:12 "Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility."

2 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/mormon-messages-2016?lang=eng

General Conference

What we were asked to do in conference:

1.  Know the Savior
2.  Follow Him
3.  Serve Him
4.  Pray to God with all the energy of heart...become purified
5.  Believe Him and his assurances
6.  Study and Feast on His word
7.  Receive the power of Godliness in our lives
8.  Give away all our sins to know Him
9.  Be perfected in Christ
10. Faith in the words of Christ
11.  Trust Him
12.  Become submissive to God's will
13.  Repent
14.  Become sanctified
15.  become like Christ
16.  Endure to the end
17.  Lay hold on every good thing
18.  apply the doctrine of Christ
19.  Recognize God's hand in our calling
20.  Ask the bishop, "How can I help?"
21.  Magnify your calling
22.  Serve your neighbor
23.  Become committed to Jesus Christ
24.  Hearken to the counsel of God
25.  Always remember the Savior
26.  Bless and lift others
27.  Keep the commandments
28.  Don't forget your heritage
29.  Be faithful
30. Abide by His teaching
31.  Be diligent parents
32.  Share spiritual experiences
33.  Seek that which will edify
34.  Record feelings of joy
35.  Do not forget your divine heritage
36.  Respond with faith
37.  Learn from afflictions
38. Be meek
39.  Come unto Christ
40.  Become one with the Savior
41.  Turn from sin
42.  Recognize the Savior's divinity
43.  Forsake our sins.