July 2015 Visiting Teaching (VT) Message: 'Divine Attributes of Jesus Christ: Forgiving & Merciful'

Here is the new message for July, following on with the theme of Divine Attributes of Jesus Christ. The full message can be found {HERE}.

Here is a free handout for you, which can be downloaded out two to a page {HERE}, when the image appears just right-click and select 'save as' to save to your computer.

Have a great month!

Sarah

The First = Bravest, Strongest, Happiest

The first to apologize is the bravest. 

The first to forgive is the strongest. 

And the first to forget is the happiest.

Available for purchase in many sizes, HERE

A Beautiful Place

"Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let the pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal away your sweetness. Take pride that even though the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place."
~Kurt Vonnegut

Life is to Short…..

"Life is far too short to be sad. To be mad. To hold regret. To look back. To be depressed. To be unkind. Be nice and do good, everyday is new."

{image source}

Breaking the Barriers

"Today, many will break through the barriers of the past by looking at the blessings of the present. Why not you?"

Steve Maraboli

Sand & Stone

"When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it." 

~Unknown

Lean & Forgive

Lean on each other’s strengths. Forgive each other’s weaknesses.

Transformation through Forgiveness

"Forgiveness has nothing to do with absolving a criminal of his crime. It has everything to do with relieving oneself of the burden of being a victim - letting go of the pain and transforming oneself from victim to survivor."

~C.R. Strahan~

Wounds

"Don't allow your wounds to turn you into a person you are not."

{source}

Forgiveness is the Fragrance

‎"Forgiveness is the fragrance flowers give when they are crushed..."
I think if you're going to be crushed anyway, you may decide to turn it into sometime beautiful, and there's not many things more beautiful than a forgiving heart - for the giver and the receiver:)

Do it Anyway

I think this has to be my most favorite Mother Teresa quote. Ever:

“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”
 ~Mother Teresa

Divine Gift of Repentance

I'm teaching this lesson tomorrow in RS, and created this handout, it's a 4x6, and have created a free download of it incase it's useful to anyone out there. Click HERE to download (for current free 4x6 deals I know of, click HERE).

“Only repentance leads to the sunlit uplands of a better life... Repentance is a divine gift, and there should be a smile on our faces when we speak of it. It points us to freedom, confidence, and peace. Rather than interrupting the celebration, the gift of repentance is the cause for true celebration.”
 (D. Todd Christofferson, ‘Divine Gift of Repentance’, Ensign, Nov 2011)

5 Aspects of Repentance
1. The invitation to repent is an expression of love.
2. Repentance means striving to change.
3. Repentance means committing to obedience.
4. Repentence requires a willingness to persevere, even through pain.
5. Whatever the cost, repentence is swallowed up in the joy of forgiveness.

Apologizing

Apologizing does not always mean that you’re wrong and the other person is right. 

It just means that you value your relationship more than your ego.

{To order, click HERE}

Forgiveness

‎"You will know that forgiveness has begun when you recall those who hurt you and feel the power to wish them well." 

~Lewis B. Smedes

{source}

Be the First

The first to apologize

is the bravest.

The first to forgive

is the strongest.

And the first to forget 

is the happiest.

{available for purchase HERE}

Serenity Prayer

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference."

~Reinhold Niebuhr~

***Because this prayer is so loved, by so many, I created a free printable of it. Just click the image you want yo go to the download page.***

Laugh, Apologize, Let Go

"Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, and let go of what you can't change. Life's too short to be anything... but happy."

To download printable image of this, click HERE

Changing the Future

"When you forgive, you in no way change the past - but you sure do change the future."

- Bernard Meltzer

Freeing the Hostage

"We cannot repent for someone else. But we can forgive someone else, refusing to hold hostage those whom the Lord seeks to set free!"

--Neal A. Maxwell, "Repentance," Ensign, Nov. 1991, 30

Forgiveness: My Burden Was Made Light

Just powerful.