Great Lesson!

Today in church one of the lessons in church was about "Spiritual Nourishment", the young Mother who taught it, did a wonderful job and I knew immediately that I needed to take notes or ask for her notes after class so I could share it with you.
Here is how she started out the class...

How important is food?
Food contains nutrients that our body needs to function, to grow, become stronger, gives us energy, builds up our immune system to help us fight illness.
To help us identify what our bodies need we have a food pyramid.  This pyramid outlines the different food groups that our body needs and how much of each food group.  So it is with the gospel.  We can have a “Spiritual Pyramid” that can give us a guide as to our daily needs for nourishment to our souls.  This pyramid would be built as such –
1)      Be a teacher
2)      Be an example
3)      Be a testifier
4)      Be diligent

 “We know that our physical bodies require certain nutrients to sustain life and to maintain physical and mental health. If we are deprived of those nutrients, our physical and mental vitality are impaired and we have a condition called malnutrition. Malnutrition produces such symptoms as reduced mental functions, digestive disorders, loss of physical strength, and impairment of vision. Good nutrition is especially important for children, whose growing bodies are easily impaired if they lack the nutrients necessary for normal growth.
Our spirits also require nourishment. Just as there is food for the body, there is food for the spirit. The consequences of spiritual malnutrition are just as hurtful to our spiritual lives as physical malnutrition is to our physical bodies. Symptoms of spiritual malnutrition include reduced ability to digest spiritual food, reduced spiritual strength, and impairment of spiritual vision.” ~ Dallan H. Oaks

I loved how she connected spiritual malnutrition to physical malnutrition. I think with our physical bodies, we would never let it go that far... but how about the spiritual needs we have? I loved this story that she told also...

Dr. Gustov Eckstein, one of the world’s renowned ornithologists, worked in the same laboratory for over twenty-five years. He bred and crossbred species of birds. He kept meticulous records on the varieties and hybrids of birds in his laboratory. Each day when he would enter his laboratory he would go down two or three stairs to the stereo. He would put on classical music and turn the volume up very loud. Then he would go about his work. The birds would sing along with the classical music. At the end of the day, about 5:30 P.M., he would turn off the stereo and leave for home.

After twenty-five years he had to hire a new custodian. After Dr. Eckstein left the laboratory, the new custodian thought the place should be aired out, so he opened all the windows.

The next morning when Dr. Eckstein went into his laboratory he saw the open windows and noted that every bird had flown out during the night. He was devastated, his life’s work ruined. By sort of habit or instinct, he went to the stereo and turned the classical music up very loud. Then he went and sat down on the steps, put his head in his hands, and wept.

The strains of music carried out through the open windows, through the trees, and down the streets. In a few moments Dr. Eckstein heard a fluttering of wings. He looked up and saw that the birds were beginning to come back into the laboratory through the open windows.

Dr. Eckstein said, “And every bird came back!”

The point was that our children and those that we teach will come back to the the truths that they have been taught eventually, if we actually taught them. In the lesson she mentioned that our example was a bigger teacher than our words will ever be.
What a great lesson and one that really touched my heart and reminded me to not let my spirituality suffer, just because I don't stop and take the time to do what I am suppose to do. When I am full spiritually, then I see the world through different eyes and I am more grateful for all my blessing!
Good night dear friends!