Eyring - First Presidency Message - Peace in This Life - December 2016

President Eyring shares the First Presidency Message for December 2016.  He speaks about the blessings of the sacrament and the peace that comes from partaking of the sacrament each week.

• It is only through following the Savior that any of us can find peace and serenity in the trials that will come to all of us.
  
• The sacramental prayers help us to know how to find that peace amidst the tribulations of life. As we partake of the sacrament, we can determine to be faithful to our covenants to follow Him.
  
• We each promise to remember the Savior. You can choose to remember Him in the way that best draws your heart to Him. Sometimes for me, it is to see Him in my mind kneeling in the Garden of Gethsemane or to see Him calling Lazarus to come forth from the tomb. As I do, I feel a closeness to Him and a gratitude that brings peace to my heart.
  
• You also promise to keep His commandments. You promise to take His name upon you and to be His witness. He promises that as you keep your covenants with Him, the Holy Spirit will be with you. (See D&C 20:77, 79.)
  

President Eyring notes that the sacrament cleanses us in two ways:

• The Holy Ghost cleanses us from sin because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
  
• The Holy Ghost can give us the peace that comes from having God’s approval and the hope of eternal life.
  

There are several things to consider when sharing this lesson.

• Ask those you teach how having the Holy Ghost with us can help us have peace.
  
• Share your thoughts or an experience of how the Holy Ghost helped you feel peace in a trial.
  
• Encourage those you teach to ponder this message during the sacrament this week.
  

Several activities could be done to help us think of the Savior more on Sunday and throughout our week.

• How do you “always remember Him” throughout the week?
  
• Do you have favorite scriptures about the Savior? You could mark a different scripture each day this week and share it with someone.
  
• Do you sing a hymn or another uplifting song in your mind when you’re feeling down? Maybe choose one that is specifically about the Savior this week.
  
• Do you ponder the Savior’s life and atoning sacrifice during the sacrament every week? You could prepare for the sacrament by recalling your choices throughout the week to always remember the Savior and repenting of the times when you struggled to.
  
• Do you pray for chances to share the gospel each day? Try to have a gospel discussion this week that focuses on the Savior. You could bear your testimony of the Savior during family home evening or talk to a friend at school about an experience you had at church.
  
• Make a goal to remember the Savior in a special way this week. Tell a parent, a sibling, a leader, or a friend about your goal. At the end of the week, tell them what happened. You will both feel the peace and happiness that President Eyring talked about.
  

In church this week, ponder this message.  Encourage those you visit to:

• Be reverent during the sacrament.
  
• Choose to be kind and not judge others.
  
• Read about the Savior in the scriptures.
  

The sacrament is the most important thing we do on a weekly basis.  Renewing our cevenants with God recharges us and gives us strength to endure the upcoming challenges that are before us in the week ahead.  I am going to consider the ways that the sacrament helps me spiritually and try an activity or two to help me throughout the week find deeper meaning in the ordinace of the sacrament.