Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Changes
Way back in May, my husband, Kim, was called to be a Bishop in the YSA 17th Stake but because of one thing and another, he wasn't sustained until Aug. 3. He is now the Bishop of the 251st Ward. It's very humbling for both of us. We are amazed at the caliber of kids (men and women) in this ward. They are great! For the time being, I am still the Stake Relief Society President. I have very mixed feelings about it. I love the opportunity that I have had to serve and rub shoulders with so many amazing young women. I don't really want to be released BUT I also want to be able to really get involved in the 251st ward and get to know all the kids. I, for sure, will be able to be around for activities and FHE at our house and ward prayer and such. In other wards, anything that is outside of the normal 3 hour block of Sunday Church time, I can go to. But with ward conferences starting (next week) I'll be very busy going to other wards for the next 3 months. That's almost the whole semester. So I have mixed feelings. But for now, I am staying where I am and will just have to do what I can, when I can and get to be involved with our new ward as much as I can. So far I have been able to go visiting apartments with Kim and the Almeidas. Gasper Almeida is Kim's first counselor. The other counselor, Justin Weiss and his wife weren't available to go with us. It was so fun to meet everyone on their own turf. They were all so kind and accepting. We had the leadership over to our home last week for dinner and FHE. It was a great evening. This is going to be a great calling.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
BORN TO BE
In March 2011, we held a workshop similar to the one we did in March 2010. We got to have it in the Harmon Conference Center. It felt so official. It was a perfect place to meet. We had some of the same topics as last year available for the girls to learn about, and we had a few new topics:
Dating taught by Brother Justin and Sister Shannon Weiss
Decision Making taught by Bishop Kirk and Sister Kathy Benson
Presenting your Best Self by Sister Cassie Myers
Meal Planning and Healthy Lifestyles taught by Sister Sherrie Larsen
Budgets and Finances by Brother Kim Roper (my infamous husband!)
Balancing Life by Bishop Bob and Sister Celest Lott
Positive Attitudes taught by Bishop Reid and Sister Karen Heiss
Preparing to be a wife and mother taught by Sister Valerie Heaton
It was a pretty impressive outline if you do ask me! We started in the auditorium where I was the keynote speaker and President Richard Heaton spoke for a few minutes after me. We split up into our classes where they were able to attend two. Afterwards we had lunch all together. Sister Cherie Peterson and her husband, Terry, provided us with a delicious taco salad. I think everyone enjoyed the morning.
Here is my talk:
Dating taught by Brother Justin and Sister Shannon Weiss
Decision Making taught by Bishop Kirk and Sister Kathy Benson
Presenting your Best Self by Sister Cassie Myers
Meal Planning and Healthy Lifestyles taught by Sister Sherrie Larsen
Budgets and Finances by Brother Kim Roper (my infamous husband!)
Balancing Life by Bishop Bob and Sister Celest Lott
Positive Attitudes taught by Bishop Reid and Sister Karen Heiss
Preparing to be a wife and mother taught by Sister Valerie Heaton
It was a pretty impressive outline if you do ask me! We started in the auditorium where I was the keynote speaker and President Richard Heaton spoke for a few minutes after me. We split up into our classes where they were able to attend two. Afterwards we had lunch all together. Sister Cherie Peterson and her husband, Terry, provided us with a delicious taco salad. I think everyone enjoyed the morning.
Here is my talk:
A few months ago: My presidency and I visited each of your wards for ward conferences and I left you with 3 areas of council and 1 challenge. Who remembers the areas of council that I gave you? (no one did :( but one girl, Beth Yates, had her notes from ward conference and she looked them up.)
1. Stay away from pornography and anything that resembles it.
2. Don’t spend countless hours doing things that have no purpose.
3. Be careful how you dress.
Challenge:
Get rid of anything that is too low, too short or too tight. Or at least modify it. Don’t buy anything that fits into those 3 areas.
How are you doing? Anyone have an experience with one of the 3 areas of council they would like to share?? [no one did! :( ]
When I prepared for ward conferences, I felt very strongly that these were the things the Lord would have been saying to you. This morning I felt like I needed to remind you of these things. I feel strongly that the Lord will bless you for your efforts to follow that council.
Going along with challenge to stay away from pornography and anything that resembles it: Pres. Monson said at a CES fireside in 2009,
"Whatever you read, listen to, or watch makes an impression on you.
Don’t be afraid to walk out of a movie, turn off a television set, or change the radio station if what’s being presented does not meet your Heavenly Father’s standards. In short, if you have any question about whether a particular movie, book, or other form of entertainment is appropriate, don’t see it, don’t read it, don’t participate."
Going along with how we spend our time: Elder M. Russell Ballard talked a little bit about time in Nov 2010 CES Fireside:
“Are you giving the Lord equal time? You live in a world filled with technology, where there is such easy access to electronic information, entertainment, and social networks on your home computer, your iPad, or your iPhone. No generation before you has had so much technology available at their fingertips. Through Facebook and other social networks you can stay in touch with friends all over the world. While these are marvelous tools, I caution you not to let the use of technology capture your time to the point that you become addicted to constantly using them. Somehow you need to limit their use so they do not steal away from you what is essential, precious, and eternal.”
Elder Bednar said at a CES Fireside in 2009,
A young man or woman may waste countless hours, postpone or forfeit vocational or academic achievement, and ultimately sacrifice cherished human relationships because of mind- and spirit-numbing video and online games. As the Lord declared, “Wherefore, I give unto them a commandment … : Thou shalt not idle away thy time, neither shalt thou bury thy talent that it may not be known” (D&C 60:13).
I read several talks where this topic was mentioned. I think our leaders are very concerned. Since ward conferences, I personally have been very much aware of how I spend my time. I’m also aware of my clothing and what I watch on TV and movies.
In D&C 130: 20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—21And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.
The Lord will bless you tremendously if you will do the things He asks.
At Ward Conferences, Pres. Mullen also gave you an assignment—does anyone remember what he asked you to go home and do:
--Look in the mirror and tell yourself that you are AWESOME!! Because each one of you are. . .
That brings me to today’s theme: BORN TO BE!
One of my favorite bible stories is the story of Esther. Esther was an orphan. She was raised by her adult cousin, Mordecai. When she was a young woman the queen of the land was dismissed, so the King was in need of a new queen. He asked for all the available maidens to come to his palace so that he might choose a new queen. Mordecai felt that Esther should go before the King. She went and consequently she was chosen to be his queen. The King loved Esther. Unbeknownst to the King, Esther was a Jew. The King, being advised by one of his men, issued a decree to have all the Jews killed. When Mordecai found out, he told Esther she must go before the King and plead with him to take back the decree. Esther was frightened for the queen was not allowed to go before the King uninvited. And that’s when Mordecai said to her:
Esther 4:14 “. . . who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Esther realized the great responsibility and role she had to try and save her people. She said she would do this and then said, “and if I perish I perish.” She than asked for all the Jews to fast and pray for her for 3 days. She prepared a great feast for the King and then went to him and asked him to take back the decree. He did take back the decree and her life was spared as well.
Esther had a great role in her life. She knew that God had a plan for her and she had the faith necessary to accomplish that plan.
God has a mission for each of you sisters as well. I would like to alter that scripture to say,
“who knoweth whether thou art born on the earth for such a time as this?”
Elder L. Tom Perry: CES Fireside March 6
“You are the generation which the Lord has saved for this day!”
You have been told that countless times.
Many of you if not all of you have patriarchal blessings that tell you that you were foreordained to come to earth at this time. That because of the choices you made in the pre-existence you were saved to come to earth when the gospel is here.
You have been blessed and fore ordained and endowed with special talents that are just waiting to be discovered and developed. You are choice and noble daughters of our eternal Heavenly Father. You have divine potential.
This is a great and exciting and wonderful time. The world is filled with light and knowledge. There is so much available for you. The best thing is the gospel of Jesus Christ and each of you has been given the opportunity to be a part of building the kingdom of God through His gospel. With the gospel comes the Gift of the Holy Ghost. And with the Gift of the Holy Ghost comes personal revelation! Anything the Lord would like to reveal, HE can through this great power! What a great gift this is in our lives. We also live in a time when the earth has been flooded with knowledge. I am ever so amazed at the new things that scientists and researchers are continuing to discover.
Elder M. Russell Ballard said:
"Heavenly Father has an eternal plan for each one of you. Your birthright, the privilege you have of being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is like unto a miracle in a world of some six billion people. You made some very important promises and commitments to Heavenly Father while living with Him in the pre-mortal world."
You were Born to Be here TODAY! To be here when the world is full of good and evil. You were Born to Be the woman our Heavenly Father knows you can be.
You were Born to Be like our Savior, Jesus Christ.
You were Born to Be “examples of the believers, in word, in conversation, in faith . . .
You were Born to Be someone who will make a difference in this world.
You were Born to Be, “honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, lovely, of good report and praiseworthy”
You were Born to Be—stewards of your bodies. We were given this physical body, to take care of it. It is a temple of God.
Sometimes along the path of life, we may set our goals and ambitions and kind of decide what we want our lives to look like. And we think we know exactly how it should look. Which isn’t a bad thing as long as we are willing to let go when things don’t quite go the way we think they should.
Example: When I was pregnant with our third child, a few days before she was due, I stopped feeling her move. I became concerned and talked to a few people. My sister-in-law who was a nurse, told me not to worry that it meant I was going to go into labor. I tried to take her advice, but the longer it went the more I worried. That night I remember waking up in the middle of the night and trying to get the baby to move and crying for fear that she was dead. At that time, I begged and pleaded with Heavenly Father that he would make her live. I knew He had the power to do that. Jesus Christ had raised several from the dead, and if this baby was dead, He could make her live. This was not in my plans to lose a child. But it was in God’s plan and my baby was stillborn. I could have gone home after burying her, and curled up in my bed and spiritually and emotionally died. But I didn’t. I didn’t loose faith. If anything it strengthened my faith. I knew Heavenly Father loved me. I knew that my Meggie had gone on to another phase of her life. I felt the peace that only a loving Heavenly Father can send. I still am at peace. I now have a granddaughter that bears her name.
We don’t always know what lies around the corner for us. But we must trust in our Heavenly Father to know that He does know and He will never leave us alone. He will never expect us to live this life without his help and support and guidance. You made choices before this life that brought you here at this time. So no matter how hard or how easy, You Were Born for a such a time as this.
You have to decide What are you going to do with your time here and with the cards you’re dealt?
In August 2008 a young mother went with her husband and his flight instructor in a small aircraft for a “day trip” from Mesa to New Mexico. When taking off from an airport, they got tangled in some power lines and the plane caught on fire and crashed. Stephanie Nielsen and her husband Christian survived the crash. Christian had burns over 35% of his body. Stephanie had burns over 83% of her body. They had 4 young children waiting for them at home. Stephanie was in a coma for 3 months. She spent 3 more months recovering in the AZ Burn center. Stephanie was an avid blogger before the plane accident. She had hundreds of followers because of her love for being a mother and wife. She wrote about the good times and she wrote about the struggles and I think that’s why people loved her. She was real. After her accident, Stephanie no longer looked like Stephanie. She, at first, didn’t feel like her old self. Physically, she was in a lot of pain. Eventually, with the persuasion of her family she started blogging again. She now feels responsible to tell and share her story. Life is still difficult Physically for Stephanie. If any of you have seen her, you understand when she says, “I am not my body.”
She also has said, “Some days I’m proud of this face. . . other days I think, oh man, I sure miss the old me.” This experience has strengthened her.
She tells of an experience of while doing the laundry she went to her closet and touched all her clothing and she said she had a wave of emotion come over her.
“I missed me again. I mourned for that woman again. I felt that familiar sadness. But then it was followed by a beautiful spiritual confirmation that this is my new life. It is good. It is OH so good. Then I felt that I should bring home me. Because it is still me and those clothes still fit.”
She had learned that even though she isn’t attractive to look at, and maybe some would find it difficult to look at her, she is still her. She sees things differently and she sees life as being more than her physical appearance. She’s grateful to be on the earth. Her role is more divine. She is a mother who enriches and teaches the gospel of Jesus Christ and sees her life as a privilege. There is a plan for you. It is a plan that will ultimately give you the greatest joy and happiness you will ever experience. It can only be possible through Jesus Christ. Stephanie Nielsen grateful for her challenges and trials. She has a great relationship with HF.
“Spiritually, I have a better sense of who I am, what my divine purpose is, what I’m doing here on earth and why I’m still here. Life has a different meaning than it did before.”
Stephanie has chosen to stand up and be an example to all women. She has chosen to have gratitude for her life. She has learned to trust and rely on her Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. She has chosen to try and make a difference in the lives of others. She has chosen to not sit in her home and mope about the way she looks and feels. She has chosen to move forward with strength and courage. She has learned that life is not about your physical appearance, it’s about what you do with your life! She has found her true Beauty.
Jesus Christ said, “There will I be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round you to bear you up.” D&C 84:88
Your lives do not have to have trials and tragedies for you to grow and become the woman our Father knows you can become. There used to be a great lady that lived in our ward. She came to BYU right after graduating from High School. She had great plans. She wanted to get a college degree, serve a mission, travel the world and then marry and become a mother. The first week she was in Provo, she met this great guy. He was a return missionary and well on his way to getting his education. He was ready for marriage. She fell in love with him. He was everything she ever wanted and dreamed of. There was only one problem, she was NOT ready to get married. She had plans. Marriage was not yet in the plans for this 18 year old girl. But she did have faith in prayer and in her Heavenly Father so she prayed for guidance as to what she should do. 'I want to travel. I want to go on a mission. I want to get my education. BUT here is this great guy who wants to marry me.' Well, she felt prompted that if she would marry him she would still be able to do all the things she had plans to do. So she married him, and it didn’t take too long for her to see answers to her prayers. After he graduated from BYU he got a great job in Italy. This woman got to travel the world, bear her testimony and teach the gospel to non-members and she got to have a family. Never did she dream that she could have such blessings.
Sometimes life is so amazing and sometimes life is so hard. You don’t need a tragedy to feel of God’s love. You don’t have to lose things that are of great value to know who we are. You need to trust in our Heavenly Father. You need to see your role as so divine. You are women of God. You have great worth. If you will have the same attitude regardless of how life is going, to fully rely on God to guide you and direct you, and totally trust Him, then you will feel great joy and you will BE the person that He knows you can be.
You were Born to Be Great!
You were Born to Be educated!
You were Born to Be a mother.
You were Born to Be beautiful.
You were born to be you!
Remember: “There will I be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round you to bear you up.” D&C 84:88
In the name of Jesus Christ. AMEN!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Build Faith through the Book of Mormon
Stake Conference Time again (February 2011) and guess who got to speak in the main session. Yes, it was me. My favorite thing to do. ha ha! I was really nervous. That morning as I said my personal prayers, I felt the words, "where is your faith?" So I decided I just needed to have faith that Heavenly Father would help me to present this talk. I got to the Wilkinson Center, greeted a few people, and then went up front and was just going to glance through my talk and make sure it was in my head. I looked and NO first page. I went through all of the pages again and NO first page. I looked through all of my things and again, NO first page. WHAT? How could that happen? Where could it be? Then I thought of my youngest daughter Abbie. I knew she was coming to hear me speak, (as well as all of my children. Aren't they awesome to support me!!) Anyway, if she still was at home, she could grab my first page and bring it. So I quickly called her, (yeah for cell phones), but unfortunately she had already left the house and was on her way. Talk about having a prayer in your heart. I had to silently pray that Heavenly Father would help me to remember the things that were on the first page. I could easily remember the story of Brinley. And I knew there was the comment by Pres. Hinkley and the story of Parley P. Pratt. Could I remember it well enough to present it??? I kept remembering the words I heard as I prayed, "where is your faith?" I had prepared, now I just needed to have faith that God would bring what I needed to remember to my recollection (the blessings of the Holy Ghost!) And I must add, that yes He did. It was a great faith building experience. My family said they had no idea that part of my talk was not right before me. Here is the talk:
Last weekend Brother Roper and I went to Phoenix to visit our daughter and her family. With both of us being educators by profession and I particularly being a reading recovery teacher we are always interested in how her daughters are doing with their reading. She has two daughters, ages 9 and 5. So we spent some time talking about reading and how they are doing in school. My 9 year-old grand-daughter told us about the book she is reading at home and the book she is reading at school. Later that day, we were walking through the botanical gardens and I thought, I wonder if Brinley is reading her Book of Mormon. I knew her mother had covered a Book of Mormon for her a couple of years ago and that her parents had given her a nice set of scriptures when she was baptized. So I decided to ask her, “Brinley, you told me all about the books you are reading earlier, are you reading your Book of Mormon too?” Her reply was, “Yes, but I only read 2 pages every day!” Wow, if a 9 year-old girl will read her Book of Mormon only 2 pages every day, then I know she will gain the testimony she needs and the faith that is necessary to make correct choices in her life. She is on the right track. And what a great example for all of us to follow.
Joseph Smith said: ‘I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book’ (History of the Church, 4:461). …
Pres. Hinckley said: “Read the Book of Mormon itself. Read it again and again. Ponder its beauty. Reflect upon its many magnificent passages. Think of the complexity of the detail of its historical accounts. Pray about it, and the Holy Ghost will bear record to you, as he has to me and to millions of others, that it is the word of God, a voice crying from the dust to this generation in declaration of the divinity and the reality of the Lord Jesus Christ as the living Son of the living God. The Lord Himself has spoken concerning our study of this great latter-day work. He has said: “Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.” (D&C 1:37)
I love the story of Parley P Pratt when he was first introduced to the Book of Mormon. He said:
“I opened it with eagerness, and read its title page. I then read the testimony of several witnesses in relation to the manner of its being found and translated. After this I commenced its contents by course. I read all day; eating was a burden, I had no desire for food; sleep was a burden when the night came, for I preferred reading to sleep.
“As I read, the spirit of the Lord was upon me, and I knew and comprehended that the book was true, as plainly and manifestly as a man comprehends and knows that he exists” (Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, ed. Parley P. Pratt Jr. [1938], 37).
We all need at least a little bit of that hunger that Parley P. Pratt had for reading the Book of Mormon. As we read this book, it will build our faith.
Throughout the book there are countless examples of people who had sufficient faith to do what they were commanded to do.
This book begins with the great example of Lehi and how he had faith to take his family and leave Jerusalem and go to the unknown. 1 Ne 2: 4 And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and adeparted into the wilderness. What great faith!
Lehi had faith that he needed to send his sons back to get the brass plates. He knew that they would need the scriptures to give them the guidance and foundation they needed to start their new lives. Nephi showed his father that he exemplified the same faith that he had: 1 Ne. 3: 7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I awill go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no bcommandments unto the children of men, save he shall cprepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.
Nephi also had faith to go back to Laban the second time, even though he didn’t know how he was going to get the plates from him, he knew that the Lord would guide him and help him to accomplish that task. Nephi was unwavering in his commitment to obey the Lord’s commandments. He reasoned with his brothers this way: “Let us go up again unto Jerusalem, and let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands?” (1 Ne. 4:1).
Alma had faith in the words of Abinadi and was willing to not only write his words down so that they wouldn’t be lost, but he also began preaching his word to others, even after seeing Abinadi’s horrible death. Mosiah 18: 7 And it came to pass after many days there were a goodly number gathered together at the place of Mormon, to hear the words of Alma. . . . . And he did ateach them, and did preach unto them repentance, and redemption, and faith on the Lord.
This same Alma had faith in God enough that he never stopped praying for his wayward son. He had so much faith that an angel visited his son Alma. Mosiah 27: 14 And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath aheard the prayers of . . . his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has cprayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the dknowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to econvince thee of the power and authority of God, that the fprayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith.
And as you young sisters should know, my favorite example of faith was the 2000 stripling warriors who had faith enough to obey with exactness. They didn’t deviate. They went forward with faith and battled bigger forces than themselves, and came out so victorious that not one soul of them was lost.
There are countless more examples that I don’t have time to mention, but I don’t want to leave out Mormon and his son Moroni, who had so much faith that they gave their whole lives in preserving the plates so that they could come forth in our day. They knew that these plates, these records of so many valiant people, were never intended for their time. Mormon speaks directly to us about our day and why we need this book. He says:
35 Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing.
President Ezra Taft Benson reaffirmed the fact that the Book of Mormon is of particular value to our time when he said:
“The Book of Mormon was written for us today. God is the author of the book. It is a record of a fallen people, compiled by inspired men for our blessing today. Those people never had the book—it was meant for us. . . . God, who knows the end from the beginning, told Mormon what to include in his abridgment that we would need for our day” (“The Book of Mormon Is the Word of God,” Ensign, May 1975, 63).
Mormon said that our day would be filled with pride, whoredoms, deceiving others, all manner of abominations, robbing, lying, murders, envying and strifes, malice, persecution, all manner of iniquities, lovers of money, hypocrites, secret works, and more. He truly saw our day.
With so much evil going on around us, we would be stupid to not take a few minutes everyday to immerse ourselves in this book. It will give us the strength and faith needed to avoid becoming involved in any of these things.
Faith converts and faith teaches. It takes faith to be obedient. We have to have faith if we are to have testimonies. We have to have faith if we want to progress and grow in this gospel. So as we read the Book of Mormon it teaches us the ways of God and of Jesus Christ. And as we learn, it builds and increases our faith and blesses us with the companionship of the Holy Ghost. It then gives us strength and courage to be obedient. And as we are obedient and listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost, our faith is strengthened. It is a vicious circle, continually in motion.
We often hear the phrase, if you want more faith, be more obedient. So today I’m going to say: If you want more faith, read more from the Book of Mormon. (Which is in itself being obedient).
With sufficient faith, you will be able to resist the ever battling temptations that come before you. You will be prepared to make the decisions which you are faced with, whether big or small. It will help you make educational and eventually career decisions and you will be able to continually move forward in your life. You will be the person your Heavenly Father knows you have the potential to be. Your ever increasing faith will help you to spread the gospel, to follow the words of the prophet and be obedient, to prepare you to make sacred covenants in the temple, to prepare you for the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ and be prepared to receive eternal life.
I know I am not perfect and I know I need all the help I can get, so I am going to read my Book of Mormon, even if it’s only 2 pages each day. And when I have finished it, I will start again. I will study and read and ponder so I can have the faith I need to be obedient to God’s laws and be blessed with the Holy Ghost in my life. So I can have eternal life.
I know this is God’s work. This is Jesus Christ’s church. We are lead by a prophet of God. The Book of Mormon is true and contains the words we need in our lives.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Get Back to the Basics
A new year and a new semester means it was time again for a leadership training. So on January 23 we got all the ward presidencies together and had a stake leadership training. I began our portion of the meeting with this talk/training:
As I was listening to the past October General Conference and a talk by President Uchtdorf on my way to work a couple of weeks ago, something struck me really strongly—the Lord wants us to get back to the basics--the fundamentals of the Gospel. As I study the new handbook it tells me, we need to get back to the basics. When I think about the course of study that we have had in Relief Society and Priesthood the last year and again this year, we have been studying the basics. We need to look at and remember the true and simple truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In his talk, President Uchtdorf said, “The search for the best things inevitably leads to the foundational principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ—the simple and beautiful truths revealed to us by a caring, eternal, and all-knowing Father in Heaven. These core doctrines and principles, though simple enough for a child to understand, provide the answers to the most complex questions of life. There is a beauty and clarity that comes from simplicity that we sometimes do not appreciate in our thirst for intricate solutions. . . . . When we look at the foundational principles of the plan of happiness, the plan of salvation, we can recognize and appreciate in its plainness and simplicity the elegance and beauty of our Heavenly Father’s wisdom. Then, turning our ways to His ways is the beginning of our wisdom.”
--you don’t have to do things that are over the top—simple and basic. I love the scripture that says, by small and simple things, great things come to pass. I believe as you teach the simple truths of the gospel, that the testimonies of the sisters in your ward will be strengthened, their faith will grow and obedience will become a way of life.
Pres. Uchtdorf told the story of a legendary football coach who started out training his team by teaching them the very simplest fundamental principles first. What is a football, how it is shaped and held etc etc. What is a football field and it’s dimensions etc. etc. All the basic rules of the game. He was teaching this to men who had been playing the game for years. Because he knew that even these experienced players could become great only by mastering the fundamentals. “I think most of us intuitively understand how important the fundamentals are. It is just that we sometimes get distracted by so many things that seem more enticing.
Printed material, wide-ranging media sources, electronic tools and gadgets—all helpful if used properly—can become hurtful diversions or heartless chambers of isolation. . . . . . Yet amidst the multitude of voices and choices, the humble Man of Galilee stands with hands outstretched, waiting. His is a simple message: “Come, follow me.” 5 And He does not speak with a powerful megaphone but with a still, small voice. 6 It is so easy for the basic gospel message to get lost amidst the deluge of information that hits us from all sides.
The holy scriptures and the spoken word of the living prophets give emphasis to the fundamental principles and doctrines of the gospel. The reason we return to these foundational principles, to the pure doctrines, is because they are the gateway to truths of profound meaning. They are the door to experiences of sublime importance that would otherwise be beyond our capacity to comprehend. These simple, basic principles are the key to living in harmony with God and man. They are the keys to opening the windows of heaven. They lead us to the peace, joy, and understanding that Heavenly Father has promised to His children who hear and obey Him.”
My dear sisters, we need to follow the council of this great man, who is ordained as a prophet, seer and revelator.
Let’s follow the basic fundamental principles of the gospel.
*Study your scriptures.
*Read the conference talks.
*Listen to the words our prophet gives us. CES Firesides & BYU Devotionals are specifically for you
*Get on your knees daily and pray to Heavenly Father for understanding and guidance.
*Live worthy of a temple recommend. USE IT
**Teach the sisters in your wards to do the same; to love the Savior; to learn of Him; to follow His example.
A little change in direction:
Think about what stood out to you as you were reading the handbook? I want to talk about a couple of things that stood out to us, the stake Relief Society Presidency:
Please study the handbook at each presidency meeting
Handbook: Chapter 1: What did you get from this chapter? What stood out to you?
The family is the fundamental unit of life!! This life is all about having and being a family. The church provides the priesthood that supports and administers the ordinances so that we can be eternal families. The church is a support to families. The church cannot function properly without the family and the family cannot function properly without the church. We need both! We came from a family before our earthly experience, we are in a family now—no matter how dysfunctional it may be, and we will be in a family after this life.
The Role of Church leaders: (1.2.2)
Teach and Testify of Jesus Christ
Strengthen families and Individuals
Provide Counsel, support and opportunities to serve
Temple Marriage is mandatory for exaltation in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom.
We are commanded to have children. Read 1.3.2 1st paragraph, last sentence
Several times the Family Proclamation is quoted—tells me the importance of that proclamation and that we should know it and understand it. Christina’s Sealing—given a copy of the Proclamation to the World.
Read 1.3.3 Both paragraphs. This is a beautiful promise. And whether we like it or not, there will be some who will never get the opportunity to marry in this life. And will never have the opportunity to have children in this life. But as long as they keep the covenants that they have made, they can attain all the promised blessings in the next life.
Read 1.4.3 Help those who don’t have the support of a family. “Mary” is a young girl who comes from a dysfunctional family. She is an only child. Her parents are divorced. She lives with her mother and they live in the basement of her grandparents home. Her grandparents are very active in the church. Her mother hasn’t been since she was a teenager. When “Mary” was 12ish she wanted to be baptized. She went through the missionary discussions and was baptized. She had a testimony and enjoyed the benefits of the young woman’s program. But as she grew older, she realized that she didn’t have what the other girls had and knew she never would, as far as a family is concerned. Slowly she felt like she didn’t fit in and she has now stopped going to church. It was just too painful. She has started hanging around kids that are a bad influence and she has gotten into trouble with the law and with drugs. Why did this happen? Because she didn’t fit the “mold” of an LDS family. Because someone somewhere didn’t help her to see that she could one day have the blessings of an eternal family, even if she didn’t have it now.
We must teach that Every Member of the Church can have ALL the blessings of eternal life exalted in a family forever.
In a world that sees marriage as a thing of the past and children as nuisances, we must teach the importance of families to the sisters in our wards. This is the training ground and preparation time for all of you to prepare for your own families. But in doing so we must also be sensitive to those that do not have the ideal family and be supportive and understanding of them in their individual needs and relationships.
How does this relate to you and your calling? Will you go home and pray about that very question? Will you ask Heavenly Father to show you how this relates to your single sisters in your ward? Ask Him what He would have you to do?
Summary: Small & Simple—Fundamentals—Basics: Study this great handbook! It has SO much!
Teach them the importance of marriage and family and children.
Teach them the importance of having a home where Christ can dwell.
Teach them the importance of living a righteous life.
Teach them the importance of priesthood authority and ordinances we can obtain because of the priesthood.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
For Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord
The ward that Kim and I have been attending (the former 42nd ward and now the 242nd ward) was in charge of the 3 hour block of church the day after Christmas in 2010. This was a combined meeting of all the wards in the stake. I was asked to teach the lesson for Relief Society. It was a really fun meeting because we had all just celebrated Christmas it was such a small group. Here's the lesson I taught.
Pres. Uchtdorf told the following story:
One night a grandfather was reading a story to his four-year-old granddaughter when she looked up and said, “Grandpa, look at the stars!” The older man smiled kindly and said, “We’re indoors, honey. There are no stars here.” But the child insisted, “You have stars in your room! Look!”
The grandfather looked up and, to his surprise, noticed that the ceiling was peppered with a metallic glitter. It was invisible most of the time, but when the light struck the glitter a certain way, it did indeed look like a field of stars. It took the eyes of a child to see them, but there they were. And from that moment on, when the grandfather walked into this room and looked up, he could see what he had not been able to see before."
We are now leaving the Christmas season. Hopefully you have heard the Christmas story of the birth of Jesus Christ at least once during this holiday time. At our home, we read it every Sunday through the month of December and again on Christmas Eve. One of my favorite parts in Luke is when the angels announce the birth to the shepherds: “For Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” And they said to themselves, “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass” (Luke 2:11, 15).
As we embark on a new year, I hope that we will “see this thing which is come to pass” and not be like this grandfather that had the stars right above him and he hadn’t even seen them. In order for that to happen, we have to know what things came to pass. The story of Jesus Christ did not stop at this miraculous birth. That was just the beginning. He lived an exemplar life—one in which he not only wanted us to see, but do as he did. In John 13: 15For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
16Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
He didn’t come to earth to be greater than us, but to be equal with us and to show us that we can be and do as he did.
Also in John 14: 5Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
We must follow Jesus Christ. We must do as He did. We must know what he did to do what he did.
So today, I thought it would be fun to look at the life of Jesus Christ.
When I looked up Jesus Christ in the topical guide I found a section called the summary: pg. 240—
(read through these) There’s his life in a nut shell. But it didn’t tell the miraculous things he did in between his baptism and his crucifixion.
Give small groups (about 3 people) a scripture reference that tells about something the savior did. Read it. Discuss it.
What can we do to follow the example that Jesus set for us?
What do we learn from this segment of the Savior’s life?
If we are to ACT and not be acted upon, then what does it teach us to do?
What do we learn from this segment of the Savior’s life?
If we are to ACT and not be acted upon, then what does it teach us to do?
(Be humble, accepting, serve the children & do all to help & teach them)
2. Mary and Martha: Luke 10:38-42
(take time to learn the things of Christ & His ways)
3. Christ and the Samaritan Woman: John 4:3-30, 39-42
(Don’t judge)
5. Other healings: Matthew 9: 27-31, 32-35, 36-38
(compassion and love for others)
6. Feeding the 5000 with a few loaves of bread: Mark 8:1-9
(service—compassion & charity)
7. Raising the dead: Luke 7:11-17
(No one asked him to heal this woman’s son—Jesus had compassion when he saw them)
8. Forgives the adulterous woman: John 8:3-11
& those that crucified him: Luke 23:33-34
9. Washing the apostles feet: John 13:4-15, JST John 13:8
(serve—be humble, never better than anyone else)
10. Changed the water to wine—wedding in Cana: John 2:1-11
(He cares about the things that are important in our lives)
11. Healed the Nephites: 3 Nephi 17: 5-20
(Love, compassion, charity)
12. Respect for family/mother: John 19:25-27
14. Raised Lazarus from Dead: John 11:1-45 (Love, compassion, charity, service, friendship)
15. Cleansing the temple: Matthew 21:12-15; Mark 11:15-17
(stay clean & pure)
Tell us what is the story of your scripture: What did Jesus do? Tell us what we learn from it and how we apply it to our lives. (write these on the board)
Jesus Christ went about doing good. His life wasn’t about “himself” for he was doing the work of His Father’s. He was always concerned with the one and who needed help. There are many, many, many examples of Him healing, helping, serving and teaching. Jesus Christ served and taught the people because he loved them. In everything you read, his love emanates. John 15:9 “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.”
What is our life all about?
Do we only do those things that will benefit ourselves or are we looking out for others?
Do we have compassion and charity for our neighbors?
Do we love as he loved?
Do we reach out to others?
Challenge: Draw closer to the Savior—learn of Him.
Follow His example.
Be more compassionate. Keep your eyes and thoughts always looking for someone who needs your help. A smile, a conversation, a listening ear, some of your time, forgiveness, a non-judgmental attitude.
Our lives are very busy. But we must “do as he did” and I know that “happy are ye if ye do them”.
You will have hope for what is to come, you will feel peace, you will feel joy and happiness.
Pres. Monson said in closing in last April’s general conference: “My counsel for all of us is to look to the lighthouse of the Lord. There is no fog so dense, no night so dark, no gale so strong, no mariner so lost but what its beacon light can rescue. It beckons through the storms of life. The lighthouse of the Lord sends forth signals readily recognized and never failing.”
Look to the Lord. See what you've not been able to see before. Follow his example.
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