The Latter-Day Saint Woman

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The Latter-Day Saint Woman THE LATTER-DAY SAINT WOMAN Basic Manual for Women, Part B THE LATTER-DAY SAINT WOMAN Basic Manual for Women, Part B Published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Salt Lake City, Utah Revised 2000 Comments and Suggestions Your comments and suggestions about this manual would be appreciated. Please submit them to: Curriculum Planning 50 East North Temple Street, Floor 24 Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3200 USA E-mail: [email protected] Please list your name, address, ward, and stake. Be sure to give the title of the manual. Then offer your comments and suggestions about the manual’s strengths and areas of potential improvement. © 1979, 1993, 2000 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America English approval: 1/99 CONTENTS Introduction . v The Living Christ . viii The Family: A Proclamation to the World . x The Relief Society Declaration . xi Gospel Principles and Doctrine 1. Jesus Christ, Our Sure Foundation . 2 2. Agency and Accountability . 11 3. Gifts of the Spirit . 18 4. The Sabbath Day . 25 5. The Word of Wisdom . 34 6. Tithes and Offerings . 43 7. Honesty . 51 8. Forgiveness . 57 9. Purity of Thought . 66 10. Building the Kingdom of God . 73 11. The Worth of a Soul . 80 Duties and Responsibilities 12. Church Organization . 88 13. Follow the Brethren . 99 14. Withstanding the Evils of the World . 110 15. Trials and Adversity . 119 16. Responsibility to Parents . 126 17. What Our Home Teachers Can Do for Us . 135 18. Developing Self-Reliance . 143 19. Family and Personal Histories . 152 20. Our Temple and Family History Responsibilities . 160 Homemaking 21. Planning Healthful Meals . 172 22. Maternal and Infant Care . 179 23. First Aid, Part 1: Preventing and Preparing for Injuries . 185 24. First Aid, Part 2: Treating Injuries . 194 25. Home Storage . 214 26. Having Fun as a Family . 221 27. Caring for Our Homes . 229 iii Contents Personal and Family Development 28. Serving in the Church . 240 29. Developing Leadership . 247 30. Learning to Delegate Responsibility . 257 31. Decision Making . 263 32. Setting Personal and Family Goals . 271 33. Continuing to Learn . 282 34. Individual and Family Prayer . 293 35. Developing Gratitude . 303 Index . 312 Picture Section . 321 iv INTRODUCTION Using This Manual This manual provides 35 lessons related to basic gospel principles and the responsibilities of Latter-day Saint women. As prompted by the Spirit, leaders and teachers should plan and teach lessons that address the spiritual, emotional, and temporal needs of the members in their branch or ward. This manual should be used as the instruction manual for both Relief Society and Young Women in units of the Church where Teachings of Presidents of the Church and Young Women manuals are not yet pub- lished in the needed language. In such units, copies of this manual should be made available to all members of the Relief Society and to Young Women leaders and teachers. Local leaders should consult Information for Priesthood and Auxiliary Leaders on Curriculum for the schedule showing which years part A and part B of The Latter-day Saint Woman are to be used. In units of the Church where Teachings of Presidents of the Church and Young Women manuals are available, this manual should be used (1) as a resource for Relief Society instruction on first and fourth Sundays and for home, family, and personal enrichment meetings; (2) as a supplementary resource for Young Women instruction; and (3) as designated, for Relief Society “Teachings for Our Time” lessons on fourth Sundays. In such units, copies of the manual should be made available to the leaders and instructors in the Relief Society, Young Women, and Melchizedek Priesthood. In addition, leaders may encour- age the Relief Society sisters to purchase a copy of this manual for per- sonal study and for family teaching in the home. Preparing to Teach Teaching helps provided in this manual include a “Teacher Preparation” section, questions teachers could ask, suggestions for class participation, and directions for using pictures and charts. In addition to the discus- sion questions and methods suggested, teachers may choose to use v Introduction other methods or lesson approaches they find effective to involve their class members and stimulate participation and learning. Almost every lesson suggests the use of a chalkboard, so if possible teachers should arrange to have a chalkboard and chalk available for each lesson. Many of the visual aids suggested for use as posters could be drawn or writ- ten on the chalkboard. Other suggestions for teaching can be found in the Teaching Guidebook (34595) and in Teaching, No Greater Call (36123). Class members should be encouraged to prepare for class discussion by studying the assigned lesson during the week. They should also be encouraged to bring their scriptures. Involving Members with Disabilities During His mortal ministry, Jesus went up into the mountain near the Sea of Galilee. “And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them: “Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel” (Matthew 15:30–31). The Savior set the example for us in feeling compassion for those with disabilities. When He visited the Nephites after His Resurrection, He said: “Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you. “Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are with- ered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy” (3 Nephi 17:6–7). As a teacher in a Church classroom, you are in an excellent position to show compassion. Although not usually trained to give professional assistance to class members with disabilities, teachers should desire to understand and include these members in the learning activities of the class. Class members with mental, physical, emotional, and other disabilities may need special attention. The following guidelines should help you reach every member: I Strive to understand the needs and abilities of each class member. I Check in advance with a class member before calling on her to read, pray, or otherwise participate. Ask such questions as “How do you feel about reading in class?” or “Would you feel comfortable praying in class?” If appropriate, check with priesthood leaders, parents, and family members to determine the member’s special needs. vi Introduction I Try to increase and improve the involvement and learning of the member with a disability. I Ensure that each class member treats every other class member with respect. I Be natural, friendly, and warm. Every child of God needs love and understanding. As a teacher in the Church, remember that each member, regardless of physical, mental, emotional, or social capacity, has the potential for growth toward exaltation. You have an obligation to help each individ- ual learn gospel principles in your class. Remember the words of the Savior: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40). vii viii THET HELIVINGTESTIMONY OF THE ACHRISTPOSTLES THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS s we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ Of the Living Christ, the Prophet Joseph wrote: two millennia ago, we offer our testimony of “His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head the reality of His matchless life and the infi- was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone niteA virtue of His great atoning sacrifice. None other above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as has had so profound an influence upon all who have the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the lived and will yet live upon the earth. voice of Jehovah, saying: He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, “I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, the Messiah of the New. Under the direction of His I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father, He was the creator of the earth.“All things Father”(D&C 110:3–4). were made by him; and without him was not any Of Him the Prophet also declared: “And now, after thing made that was made”(John 1:3). Though sin- the many testimonies which have been given of him, less, He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: He “went about doing good”(Acts 10:38), yet was That he lives! despised for it. His gospel was a message of peace “For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and goodwill. He entreated all to follow His example. and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the He walked the roads of Palestine, healing the sick, Only Begotten of the Father— causing the blind to see, and raising the dead. He “That by him, and through him, and of him, the taught the truths of eternity, the reality of our pre- worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants mortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God” the potential for the sons and daughters of God in (D&C 76:22–24).
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