Introduction Assignment

Step assignments are generally given from the LDS Addiction Recovery Manual, however, some assignments may include reading additional General Authority talks or writing inventories.

Assignment preparation:
  • Pray and humbly ask the Lord to open your heart and mind to be receptive to His teachings.  Ask Him to teach you what He would have you learn.
Assignment:
  • Read the Introduction to the Steps, focusing primarily on the paragraphs following the break found below the first four paragraphs.
  • Listen to the Spirit and ponder what the Lord is teaching you.
  • Journal your thoughts and feelings (keep in mind the Spirit will often teach you principles that aren't necessarily related to the actual Step).
If you are willing, please share what you have learned in a comment to this blog post.  Your thoughts will help others as they come to work these Steps.

Comments

  1. I think the most important word in the introduction is "we." There is such power in numbers. Most of us begin our recovery journeys barely reaching a finger out of complete isolation. I remember when I first cracked the manual and I read the word "we" all I could do was sit and cry. It meant I wasn't alone.

    Another thing that stood out to me is the quote "we have seen the power of the Savior turn our most devastating defeats into glorious and Spiritual victories." When I first started recovery that statement seemed so foreign to me. Even when I slipped 2.5 years ago I still felt that statement foreign to me. But now, I recognize it. As I awoke to the reality of my most recent slip and didn't feel shame... I saw for the first time, true Spiritual victory. I never knew it was possible to slip in a sexual sin and NOT feel shame. It's a miracle!

    I think another important quote is "We have paid an awful price in self-inflicted pain and suffering because of our addictions." This statement is sooo powerful, yet can be double edged. I would dare to venture to say that MOST of our pain from our addictions is self inflicted, however we are such practiced blamers that we probably aren't going to admit that right away. It's always everyone elses fault right? But what if it isn't? If we become willing to admit accountability then the agency to NOT choose pain becomes ours again. There is so much power in that!

    The introduction is a simple yet profound invitation to come unto Christ by following in the footsteps of Oldtimers who have worked the program before us.

    We are promised hope and healing and rescue and refinement and Grace.

    That is an invitation I cannot, nor will I, pass up.

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  2. I am currently doing assignments similar to these with my sponsor and wanted to share some thoughts. In the introduction 3 key things stick out to me. 1. Hope 2. Love 3. Promises.

    I know step 2 talks more about hope but for me the intro is what has offered me the greatest first step of hope. I also no longer felt alone. My bishop often will say that he thinks the first principles and ordinances of the gospel should read first hope, then faith etc.

    Second is that love. This is real love, not a feigning, seeking for acceptance type of love that I am so familiar with. I used to hear women or leaders express their love for the congregation or those under their jurisdiction and think oh yeah right...you are so full of it. You cannot possibly love people you do not know. Now I understand this more fully. I feel the love from the "we" in the recovery manual, those who do not know me or others in recovery there is a real love and in return I feel this love for other women in my group and around me in recovery, even those I do not know or have never met.

    Third is the promises. I went through and started noticing many things that were promised in the introduction as we seek recovery. I was so impressed that I went through and high lighted everything I see as a promise from those preceding me in recovery and from the Lord. It is FULL of promises, not just hopes, not just okay maybe you can get this, real hard, honest promises!!

    I am so grateful for this program and the chance I have had to study the manual more deeply and meaningfully in my life.

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  3. Umm, this has nothing to do with your post--but rather a comment to say GORGEOUS PICTURE ON THE SIDEBAR!! OW OW!!!

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  4. page v, paragraph 3 - The principles have a simple basis: I must come unto Christ and allow Him to change me. This clearly points out which part is mine and which part if the Lord's (to paraphrase an old Michael McLean song). My effort is in coming to Christ and being willing for Him to work His miracle. This is reiterated: as I draw upon the power of the Atonement, the Lord is the one who frees me from bondage.
    page vi, second paragraph – Four keys are listed for overcoming addiction: humility, honesty, calling upon God for help, calling upon others for help. Some of these are listed as actual steps in the book, but I have found that all four must be continuously practiced for recovery to happen. When one of the four is lacking, recovery will be stunted.

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