Hear Him

Sisters, we are excited to bring you this study guide created by one of our RS teachers, MacKenzie Ostler. It comes from President Nelson’s talk, Hear Him. If we were meeting in person this would be our topic of discussion today. Please share any insights you may have below in the comments. While we cannot meet in person, we would love to be a part of a digital discussion with you.

Study Outline from Hear Him, President Russell M. Nelson

Sisters, it has been a pleasure studying this talk again and again, while preparing this study guide.  My hope is that as you study this talk this week, this study guide will help you feel closer to the Spirit and learning the different ways that you “Hear Him.”  President Nelson has outlined many ways we can Hear Him better.  My prayer is that we do.  

In the introduction, President Nelson speaks with so much hope in this time.  I don’t know about you, but it can be hard for me to look at these times and feel hope.  Yet, reading his words helps me feel that hope and encourages me to keep trying.  He has hope in our ability to do good for others.  

Question:  What good have you done today?  In the last week?  Last month?  Think of for a friend, for your family, children.  What about for your spouse, neighbor?  And most importantly, what have you done for YOU?  Remember, you can’t give from an empty bucket.  Don’t rely on others to fill your bucket, because then it might or might NOT actually happen.  Take control and fill your own bucket so you always have a full bucket from which to give.  

I love this, “We have front-row seats to witness live what the prophet Nephi saw only in vision…You, my brothers and sisters, are among those men, women and children whom Nephi saw. “  Think of a concert, play, orchestra.. the most coveted seats are with the best view, right?  We have the front-row seats to see what Nephi saw… the covenant people armed with righteousness.  We get to be THOSE PEOPLE.  

Question:  Are you being the kind of person Nephi saw?  What is the kind of person Nephi saw?  How do I become that kind of person?  Don’t fret, Sisters, President Nelson is going to share with us HOW!

“The Lord Jesus Christ is YOUR Savior.”  That is how.  Now let us get into the meat of the talk.  

President Nelson outlines 3 of the amazing Blessings of the Restoration.  Can you find them? 

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Question: How have these blessings of the restoration made a difference in your life?  

What does Apostasy look like? 

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Question: Has there ever been a time where you feel like one of these things seemed more important to you than righteousness?  What brought you back to the truth?  Do you “embrace truth”?  Or do you listen to those who do not have the whole truth or reject the whole truth?

President Nelson says, “The adversary is clever.  For millennia he has been making good look evil and evil look good.  His messages tend to be ___________, ___________, and ___________.  However, messages fro our Heavenly Father are strikingly different.  He communicates ___________, ____________, and with such stunning ___________ that we cannot misunderstand Him.”

Compare and contrast how Satan works vs. how our loving Heavenly Father works.  

Question: Are you living your life in a manner where we can Hear Him?  We now know that He will not be loud and boisterous.  Can you hear Him?

This quote is so appropriate for these times: “Our Father knows that when we are surrounded by uncertainty and fear, what will help us the very most is to hear His Son.  Because when we seek to hear –truly hear – His Son, we will be guided to know what to do in ANY circumstance.”  

Satan wants us to be fearful.  I have been using the Prophet and his Apostles as a gauge of how to really feel.  They are not fearful.  They are full of hope and faith.  And they look forward to a brighter day.  They have such an eternal perspective.  What is a few months (or even years) in quarantine in the grand scheme of things?  It is HARD now, and when we get through it, we will {hopefully} be able to look back and see how much we have GROWN.  

As we learn to Hear Him, He will tell us truth, encourage us to have faith, and will be with us every step of the way.  

Hearken=to listen with the intent to obey

Hearken=to hear what the Savior says and then HEED His counsel

“In those two words – Hear Him – God gives us the pattern for success, happiness, and joy in this life.  We are to hear the words of the Lord, hearken to them, and heed what He has told us!”

Is this easy?  No.  It takes us being intentional.

“It takes conscious and consistent effort to fill our daily lives with His words, His teachings, His truths.”  Later on he says, “Daily immersion in the word of God is crucial for spiritual SURVIVAL…”  He doesn’t say it is necessary for spiritual growth.  He says SURVIVAL.  If we want to spiritually survive, we need to be filling our lives with His word and His teachings and His truths on a daily basis.  There was a time where I am sure it was needful for us to GROW spiritually.  It is interesting that at this time, he makes it so apparent that it is necessary for us to survive spiritually.

Where can we go to Hear Him?  And what do we learn from these tools?

The scriptures

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Temple, house of learning

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How do we recognize the Spirit?

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Heed the words of the Prophets, Seers, & Revelators

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How have these resources been a strength for you in your life?  How can you utilize them more fully to receive the blessings that President Nelson promises us?

Blessings promised of President Nelson when we do these things:

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Which promise do you want to tap into more fully?  Which one do you need in your life right now?  Ask Him, where can I improve in my life in order to tap into these promises more fully?  

He then goes into the AMAZING Proclamation.  That would take many more pages.  He has encouraged us to study this personally, and as families.  One resource I am taking advantage of right now is with Emily Belle Freeman on Instagram.  The Instagram account is @inklings.ahintofsomethingmore  They are going through this proclamation 1 line every week and it is SO GOOD.  Join me, there if you would like.  

Take time to really study that proclamation.  What stands out most to you?  I would love to hear!  

Lastly, I want to close with another quote by President Nelson, toward the end of his talk.  “Ponder the truths and think of the impact those truths will have on your life if you will hear them, hearken to them, and heed the commandments and covenants that accompany them.”  

So much goodness.  So many promises from our Prophet.  Take time this week to ponder and pray about what things you can apply in order to more fully “Hear Him” and I know that His promises are sure.  

I know that President Nelson speaks truth.  I know he is a seer and can help us navigate this time, as well as the future.  He is called of God and will only lead us to truth.  I know that Jesus Christ is our Brother, our Savior, and our Friend.  He is there every step of the way, if we invite Him to be, if we let Him, if we hear, hearken, and heed.  I can’t wait to learn more from this proclamation.  I know Joseph Smith was called to restore this church.  I am so grateful that he heard our Father and His Son and he hearkened to what they told him.  We are so blessed for it.  

MacKenzie Ostler, RS Teacher