Resisting Sin

Here is a teaching aid for YW Manual 1 lesson 28: Resisting Sin. It talks in the lesson about how the adversary uses snares and lures to entice us to sin. Elder M. Russell Ballard relates the lures a fly fisherman uses to the cunning plan of Lucifer here:

The goal of the fly fisherman is to catch trout through skillful deception. The adept fisherman studies trout behavior, weather, the water current, and the types of insects trout eat and when those insects hatch. He will often craft by hand the lures he uses. He knows these artificial insects embedded with tiny hooks need to be a perfect deception because the trout will identify even the slightest flaw and reject the fly.

What a thrill it is to watch a trout break the surface of the water, inhale the fly, and resist until it is finally exhausted and reeled in. The test is the pitting of the fisherman’s knowledge and skill against the noble trout.

The use of artificial lures to fool and catch a fish is an example of the way Lucifer often tempts, deceives, and tries to ensnare us.

Like the fly fisherman who knows that trout are driven by hunger, Lucifer knows our “hunger,” or weaknesses, and tempts us with counterfeit lures which, if taken, can cause us to be yanked from the stream of life into his unmerciful influence. And unlike a fly fisherman who catches and releases the fish unharmed back into the water, Lucifer will not voluntarily let go. His goal is to make his victims as miserable as he is.

I made some “lures” to share in my lesson – feathers, beads and ribbon tied together – and will use them as we discuss. As we finish up I will attach them to the “Overcoming Temptation” handout (that is supposed to resemble a fish tail!) that you can download here.