Choosing love over fear: lesson outline

An outline of Deiter F Uchtdorf's general conference talk, April 2017. I'm using this for a high priests lesson I'm giving. Julie loves this man and suggested I do one of his talks. This one is powerful. So awesome when a person can choose a life of love over one of fear, control, abuse, constriction, or another of Satan's choice. A life filled with love is so much happier and more rewarding.  Here's the outline from his talk.

"There must have been four or five people asleep during your talk" - Church sleep the most wonderful of all sleeps

Using fear to motivate

-          Joseph smith’s time (the awakening)

o   Frighten people into church

o  Politicans and voters

o   Employees

o   Marketing

How do we use fear to motivate ?

-          We all do it (eating, working etc)

-          Fear will never change our hearts

-          It doesn’t involve love

-          Causes resentment, mistrust, defiance, rebellion

-          Unrighteous dominion (homes, work, with others)

-          Must not exercise control, dominion etc

o   We can’t allow ourselves to believe that the ends justify the means

o   It is not for “the good” of others

Is there a better way?

-          The fruits of the spirit are love, joy, meekness, gentleness and guidance

-          No vengeance or retaliation

-          Mentor

-          Exaltation

-          Merciful, gracious, long suffering, abundance in truth

Does God overlook poor choices

-          No, but he offers a better way

-          Iron rod, straight and narrow path

-          Because he loves us and knows this is the way to happiness

How does God show us the right way?

-          He sent his Son

-          Gospel, wants us to rise up

-          Trust

-          Stimulate us with faith

      

Satan

-          Wants us to toil upon the suffering in the world

-          Wants us to despair, to fear, and to dwell on the evils

God

-          Has given us an abundance of reasons to rejoice

-          Wants us to fear not

-          To look forward to the Savior’s return

-          To serve God and fellow men

-          Confidence and humility

-          Don’t burden yourself with constant fear

-          Focus on the power of God

The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace

Let us find our courage, muster our faith, and have confidence in the promise that no weapon formed against us shall prosper.

Be of good cheer: I have overcome the world

What can we do

-          Exercise faith to believe and act

-          Live our commitments and covenants

-          Keep the commandments even in challenging circumstances

-          Walk uprightly

-          Live with joy, humility, hope and bold confidence

-          Self check: are we causing fear in others?

o   Antidote is the pure love of Christ

o   Christ’s perfect love gives us the confidence to press through our fears and place our complete trust in the pwer and goodness of our heavenly father and in his son Jesus Christ.

o   Let us replace fear with Christ’s perfect love

o   With faith

o   His love will enable us to have faith in his gospel

o   His love will help us turn his commandments into a blessing

I testify with the apostle John that there is no fear in Christ’s love. God knows you perfectly. He loves us perfectly. He knows what your future holds. He wants you to be not afraid, only believe, and abide in his perfect love.