Alma 13-16

Enter into the Rest of the Lord

June 15-21

Scripture: Alma 13: 3

After my mission I was really distraught over knowing why I was so blessed. Why was I so blessed to have the gospel? Why was I so blessed to come from a family who loved me? Why was I so blessed to not worry about eating every day? Why was I so blessed?

It just didn’t seem fair to me. I met so many people that I knew and loved and they didn’t have the gospel from the earliest years of their lives. They struggled daily to put food on the table…a thing I took for granted for at home.

My grandpa is someone that I’ve always looked up to and admired. He served in many church callings and I asked him why. Why I was so blessed? And this is the scripture he had me turn to.

I’m still not sure how I sit with it. Yes, I can see that I’ve been blessed from choices made here. But, some of the most faithful people I know haven’t been so blessed in the ways that I have.

I feel like we all came to earth and we knew that we would be tested and tried. I feel like we all came to our ‘lot’ in life by divine design. Heavenly Father knows us from when we lived with Him before. He created an environment that He knew that we needed to grow and to be TESTED. Some of my blessings can be challenges too.

The homes I went to where they had the least, I somehow always left with something. They were always giving. I can learn from that. They blessed me.

I’m so grateful for a Heavenly Father who knows all. He knows us from before.

I pray that I can continue to choose the good and show my faith.

Activity Idea: Learn how to do Laundry

Alma 13:11-12 it says:

11 Therefore they were called after this holy order, and were sanctified, and their garments were washed white through the blood of the Lamb.

12 Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God.

It reminds me of laundry. You can either start from the beginnings of the process and have them sort their clothes and learn how to put soap in and turn it on and move it to the dryer. Or just teach them to fold their own clothes. If you have really young kids you can have them sort the socks and find matches.

While folding the laundry we can talk about how Christ cleans us and purifies us. Just as we had dirty and stinky clothes they can be made clean and fresh. (Although I will say that sometimes my kids put clean clothes in the hamper so they don’t have to put them away…that does not make me happy and I have to remember that Jesus said to love the children.)

Activity Idea from the church: Follow the Leader

• Sing “Follow the Prophet” (Children’s Songbook, 110–11).
• Zoram was captain of the Nephite army. He asked the prophet how to rescue some people who had been captured. Because he listened to the prophet Alma, he was able to rescue the people! (See Alma 16:2–8.)
• Play this game to practice following instructions. One person tells everyone to do three things, like, “1. Touch your nose. 2. Pick up three toys. 3. Jump up and down.” Then everyone has to remember and follow the instructions! Take turns being the leader. Add more instructions to make it harder.