…the ones with grain…( Mosiah 26:1)

1. …the ones with grain…(Mosiah 26:1) A young man, a few months out of college, got a job with an insurance company. He was full of enthusiasm and vigor—determined to sell insurance to all he met, including the farmers. He walked into a farmyard one lovely autumn morning and noticed an old farmer across the yard, somewhat stooped and bent, looking out over his field of grain. The salesman briskly walked over to the farmer and said, “Look up, my good man, there’s much to live for.” The elderly farmer straightened up the best he could and replied: “Young man, you see that beautiful field of wheat?” The salesman acknowledged that indeed it was beautiful. “Do you notice that some of the heads are bent?” “Yes,” Said the youth, “that’s right; they are.” The old farmer said, “Those are the ones with the grain in them.”

2. Leadership Raise your hand if you’re in a leadership position.

3. Leadership Raise your hand if you’re in a leadership position. Now tell me why I take issue with those who didn’t raise their hands. “Every member a missionary” could also be expressed “Every member a leader” Show videos: “how to get a job” “sick employer” Illustrating what good, innovative leadership can do and what happens when there is no leadership/boss

4. Alma’s Leadership Read Mosiah 26:10, 12-20, 34-39, looking for the attributes of effective leaders. Using these scriptures, complete the phrase: “Great leaders…” and then be prepared to discuss with a buddy how you’ve seen others use these skills and attributes and how you can use them in your leadership responsibilities.

5. Great leaders… (26:10, 12-19, 32-39) • Are troubled for those in their stewardship (10) • Inquire of the Lord (13, 19) • Are afraid to do wrong in God’s sight (13) • Get answers from God (14) • Are great followers (15) • Can inspire faith from his teachings (16) • Follow instructions/do as they’re told (32-34) • Are forgiving (35) • Do hard things (36) • Do their duties/ bring prosperity (37) • Are diligent (38) • Are examples—subject to same rules (39)

6. Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing.Albert Schweitzer • It is impossible to imagine anything which better becomes a ruler than mercy.Seneca • The price of greatness is responsibility.Winston Churchill • If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.John Quincy Adams • Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.Ralph Waldo Emerson

7. Mosiah 27:8-24—Alma the Elder understood these principles! “Many of you have heavy hearts because a son or daughter, husband or wife, has turned from righteousness to pursue evil. My message is for you… First, you must recognize two foundation principles: 1. While there are many things you can do to help a loved one in need, there are some things that must be done by the Lord. 2. Also, no enduring improvement can occur without righteous exercise of agency. Do not attempt to override agency. The Lord himself would not do that. Forced obedience yields no blessings (see D&C 58:26–33). First—Love without limitations. Second—Do not condone the transgressions, but extend every hope and support to the transgressor. Third—Teach truth. Fourth—Honestly forgive as often as is required. Fifth—Pray trustingly. Sixth—Keep perspective. One last suggestion—Never give up on a loved one, never! (Richard G. Scott, “To Help a Loved One in Need,” Ensign, May 1988, 60)

8. Conquered by love “I had an experience that taught me something as a grandfather. It was the night of the June Dance Festival up at the stadium, and my daughter’s two oldest (she had three children) were giving her a lot of bad time, as she called it. So, I said, “how would you like it if I take your two boys up to the stadium to the Dance Festival?” She said, “ Oh Daddy, if you’d do it, I’d be so happy.” I didn’t know what I was getting into, but I took those two boys, one of them was five years old and the other was six and a half, nearly seven. As that spectacle began, I didn’t know there was so much difference between a seven-year-old and a five-year-old. The seven-year-old was entranced by that spectacle down on the football field. But that five-year-old, his attention span was pretty short. He’d squirm and then he’d want to go and get a hot dog and he’d want to go get a drink and he’d want to go to the toilet, and he was just on the move all the time. And here I was sitting in the front with the General Authorities, and they were smiling as they saw this little show going on; and as I tried to pull my grandson here and there, trying to make him behave, finally, that little five-year-old turned on me and with his little doubled-up fist he smacked me to the side of the face and he said, “Grandfather, don’t shove me!” And you know, that hurt. In that twilight, I thought I could see my brethren chuckling a bit as they saw this going on and my first impulse was to take him and give him a good spanking; that’s what he deserved. But I’d seen his little mother do something. I’d seen her when he was having a temper tantrum and she had a saying “you have to love your children when they’re the least lovable.” And so I thought I’d try that out. I had failed in the other process. So I took him in my arms and I said to him, “My boy, Grandfather loves you. I so much want you to grow up to be a fine big boy. I just want you to know that I love you, my boy.” His little angry body began to unlimber, and he threw his arms around my neck and he kissed my cheek, and he loved me. I had conquered him by love. And incidentally, he had conquered me by love. You see what I mean? There’s a way and a way and a way to every child’s heart. Please, I beg of you, don’t drive that boy away that needs you so much. They’re the Lord’s children. We need them all and he wants them all. That one may be one of my grandsons that you’re having trouble with” (Harold B. Lee, Sunday School General Conference, October 5, 1973, pp. 5-8)

9. True Conversion (Mosiah 27:32-37; 28:1-4) “The intensity of our desire to share the gospel is a great indicator of our personal conversion” (Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, 11/01, 7).