Sunday's Lesson: January 26

Ye Are No More Strangers by Bishop Gerald Causse

True Shepherds by President Thomas S. Monson

Diane also shared this handout with us. Only, I can't remember the source. Anyone want to chime in?

Follow the leader:
Shepherds vs. Sheepherders

Hireling n.
1. One who works solely for compensation
2. One who is employed by another
3. A person willing to perform a menial task for a fee

I grew up in rural Clovis, California on a 2.5 acre ranch house. We had chickens, turkeys, a large garden, a creek running through our back yard, an old horse, and a bunch of sheep.  I never knew why we had sheep because no one in our family ate lamb, we didn't use their wool (although we tried to shear them once), and they were a disaster to take care of. Sheep are not particularly smart, are exceptionally skid dish, and will do exactly the opposite of what you want them to do. I remember spending many frustrating hours trying to drive them from one adjacent pasture to the other.

A close family friend who lived nearby would occasionally come over to help us work the property. I was gearing up for an hour long struggle to move them between pastures, when he strolled by with some oats in a small bucket. He spread some of them in a single line in front of him, and waited patiently as the skid dish sheep's interest in the treat overcame their natural fear. As the sheep nervously approached, he would touch them one by one and talk gently to them. These previously untamable creates became calm, docile, and obedient. After a few minutes, he slowly rose and walked between the gates to the next pasture. The sheep quietly followed, in near single file, and made it to the other pasture without difficulty.

Beyond this personal pastoral scene, I learned a valuable leadership lesson that day. The lesson has been reinforced many times over in my own life, in different leadership settings, where the lessons of the Shepherd vs. the Sheepherder have been repeated. There are clearly literary scriptural corollaries, and I do't have any intention to cheapen those by referencing them in this setting, but some analogies are appropriate:

Shepherds actually know their sheep, and have earned their trust and confidence; Sheepherders could care less about the sheep, and are only trying to score a buck.
Shepherds lead from the front; Sheepherders drive from the rear.
Shepherds know the right way; Sheepherders are looking for shortcuts.
Shepherds talk softly (and carry a big stick!); Sheepherders yell and scream.
Shepherds rule with love; Sheepherders coerce with fear.
The sheep willingly follow the Shepherd; the Sheepherder forces by compulsion
Shepherds will leave the 99 and search for the one; Sheepherders don't know the one, and are bothered by the other 99.
Shepherds would protect the sheep with their life; Sheepherders run away at the first sign of wolves.

To the sheep at my boyhood home, it was glaringly obvious I was a hireling, a fledging sheepherder, and as such the sheep responded accordingly. But what had taken me hours to do was literally accomplished in minutes under the guidance of a true shepherd.

Turns out those sheep weren't as dumb as I thought--they were just waiting for the right kind of leader.

*Next week's lesson will be a Presidency Message

Activity Recap

We had a fun evening on Thursday! We introduced our FHE Lending Library and played some group games that you can easily play as part of your Family Home Evenings (Mad Gab (LDS version), Don't Eat Pete, and a fun Guess the Name group game). Instructions for these games are included in the Lending Library.

The Family Home Evening Lending Library (whoa! that's a mouth full) will be available today in the Relief Society room. Please only sign out one packet at a time so everyone has a chance to use what's available. There will be a clip board in the box to write your name, date, and which packet you are taking. There are a variety of topics and most of them can be adapted to different ages. We hope to continue to add to our library and encourage you to submit any or all favorite FHE lessons you have.

One of the Relief Society purposes is to strengthen families and homes and we hope this Lending Library will aid you and your family in this purpose.

President Ezra Taft Benson stated the promised blessings for those who will hold a weekly home evening: 'If the Saints obey this counsel, we promise that great blessings will result. Love at home and obedience to parents will increase. Faith will be developed in the hearts of the youth of Israel, and they will gain power to combat the evil influences and temptations which beset them." (God, Family, Country, p. 228)

Relief Society Meeting: Thursday!

January 16

6:30pm

at the church

Come for a night full of games and delicious hot chocolate!

*If you plan on bringing your kids to the nursery provided that night, will you please let Meghan know so we can get a count.