Sabbath School during the 2019 Laurelbrook Graduation Weekend began with a song service led by Cesia and Dafne (juniors). The opening hymn was “Seeking the Lost”, an old Laurelbrook favorite. Rich Sutton, Laurelbrook’s president, welcomed everyone.
Senior Suriel Balleza had prayer and read the scripture reading – “19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Seniors Itzel Huerta and Jissel Perez talked about the senior class trip to Mexico. Rich Sutton and senior Ashley Perez added some details after they finished.
- The group helped to build a church in southern Mexico.
- It cost about $5000 to build the church.
- Bubba and Rodney Herra went along to help build the building.
- Bubba taught Jissel how to weld, and she welded ever truss.
- Rich Sutton taught the senior class how to build a church from start to finish.
- Ashley Perez went online to buy her ticket and used a different last name than she had previously used. When she went to board the plane, the two names didn’t match. Eventually this was straightened out.
Senior Ashley Perez called for the mission offering and prayed for the offering after its collection. Juniors Ernesto, Mark, Saul, and Jesse collected the offering. This offering goes toward the expense of Laurelbrook’s mission trips. Jissel Perez and Eldric (sophomore) sang a vocal duet, accompanied by Eldric on his guitar for special music.
Seniors Itzel Huerta and Jissel Perez then paid tribute to the Laurelbrook staff members who had helped them come this far in their education. Each staff member was given a flower. Rick Sutton then recognized two couples who were leaving – Rick and Wendy Carr (24 years of service) and Jeremy and Lisha Westcott.
Rich Sutton had a few remarks.
- Jissel’s brother, a former Laurelbrook student, now works in an orphanage.
- Scott Sterling, wanted to be a pilot for the government, but now he is here to be a flight instructor training mission pilots.
- Jissel and Itzel are going to canvass this summer.
Itzel Huerta had the closing prayer, and Rich Sutton taught the Sabbath School lesson.
Following are some notes from the lesson:
- Psalm 127:3 “Lo, children [are] an heritage of the LORD: [and] the fruit of the womb [is his] reward.”
- Parents without children can count the world as their family.
- Genesis 18:1-2 “1 ¶ And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; 2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw [them], he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,”
- Abraham at this time was quite old as was Sarah, his wife. But no children.
- Single parents have to work as well as take care of the children. How can we help single parents? God helped single parents and widows – John taking care of Jesus’ mother, for example.
- Helping single parents can be helping take care of the children once in a while.
- Many times it is easier to do a job yourself than let kids help. But the training the kids learn is valuable.
- If you want a child to do something, do it yourself at the right place and time.
- The point of parents mentoring children is to make disciples for Jesus.
- Children often leave the church because they haven’t put God’s truths in their hearts. Just because children are trained a certain way doesn’t mean they will follow that training all their lives.
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