From the Notebook

A talk idea from May 2016 contains some profound insight for last week's Sunday School reading from the first chapters of Matthew and Luke.

We're told in 1 Nephi 18:2 that he built his ship after the manner the Lord showed him. This is one of my favorite verses because it gives us a pattern for building our lives, after the manner the Lord shows us. The Heavenly Pattern for families is explained in The Family: A Proclamation to the World, "Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity."

1. Mary, an unmarried woman, was chosen to be the mother of Jesus.
2. Joseph was counseled to marry her, so Jesus would have an earthly father.
3. Mary was not a single mother because that is contrary to the Heavenly, eternal pattern.

I wasn't asked to give a Mother's day talk so I've never used this idea, but today as I read through my little "church" notebook (a small spiral bound book for recording things of interest to me, or insights, etc. at church) I came across this and am adding it to what I share as the teacher of Gospel Doctrine on Sunday.

What insights have you gained these past two weeks?