Our Institute lesson

   This blog will focus on a lesson that I taught last week. The title was "Salvation Comes Through Jesus Christ". (Lesson 8, Teachings and Doctrines of the Book of Mormon. REL275)
   We can read that King Benjamin taught what we must do to receive salvation through the Atonement of Jesus Christ (Mosiah 4: 6-8). We must come to a knowledge of God and of the Atonement, put our trust in God, keep the commandments diligently. and continue faithfully to the end of our lives.
   Then in 2 Nephi 25:23, Nephi helps us understand our responsibility to labor diligently to persuade our children and also our brethren, to believe in Christ and to be reconciled to God, and we know that it is by the grace of God that we are saved, (and here comes the interesting part), after all we can do.  
   I have heard this phrase before, but it sure touched my heart more deeply this time. So I got to thinking what is 'all we can do', and am I doing it?
The lesson goes on to help us better understand this, "after all we can do", concept with a statement from President Ezra Taft Benson. He says, 'After all we can do' includes extending our best effort. It includes living his commandments. 'After all we can do' includes loving our fellow man and praying for those that regard us as their adversary. It means clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, and giving succor to those that stand in need of our succor. 'After all we can do' means leading chaste, clean, pure lives, being scrupulously honest in all dealings and treating others the way we would want to be treated"( President Ezra Taft Benson "Redemption Through Christ After All We Can Do" Liahona, Dec 1988)
  Wow, what a list, and after some self evaluation, I found that generally I might be doing OK, but  other times I come up short on a few of these.
  Then my mind turned to President Nelson and his message regarding loving and ministering to others. How do we minister? What do we do and how do we start?
   Bam! It's there in Pres. Benson's list.  I can love and serve others. I can 'succor' those that stand in need of succor, which means, something that furnishes relief.  I can feed others (and cinnamon rolls certainly would apply). I can clothe others. I can visit the sick, both physically as well as emotionally. I can pray for and uplift others. I can be an example of a clean, chaste life.
  The bottom line folks is that I as well as you are doing it. We are trying to love and serve as our Savior, as we try to become like Him. We may not be doing all, every day, but we are doing lots quite often.
I want to up my game and do better. I certainly want to extend my best efforts to others as Jesus Christ has given His all to us.
We sure love you and miss you.
"Almost Heaven",
 Traynors