Patience

By Guest Blogger Devon Linn

Patience is one of those gospel topics that I seem to always gravitate towards, probably because I can use all the help I can get in that department! So I was very excited to read President Uchtdorf's talk from the Priesthood session of conference, Continue in Patience. Because I depend on the Lord to be endlessly patient with me, I always know I can work on becoming more patient with my family and others I interact with (even Philly drivers).

As sad as this is to admit, I also even need help being more patient with the Lord, especially when I'm waiting for an answer to prayer. I know that He always comes through for me when I need it, but I still seem to think that I can dictate the terms on when and how I receive revelation! I know in principle that it doesn't work that way, yet I find I'm not always as full of faith as I need to be when I have to wait for an answer. Because of this impatience on my part, I think the Lord has to be even more patient with me until I once again recognize that it is His will that matters, not mine.

In addition to being more patient with people, I also need more patience with life in general. It is hard sometimes for me to understand that it is not always the "doing" or "finishing" in life that we value the most from, but that the journey itself is where we gain the knowledge the Lord wants us to learn. There's so much I still need to learn and want to do better, and yet I can't learn things before I am ready, which can be frustrating at times. President Uchtdorf's message related to this perfectly:

Brigham Young taught that when something came up which he could not comprehend fully, he would pray to the Lord, “Give me patience to wait until I can understand it for myself.” And then Brigham would continue to pray until he could comprehend it.

We must learn that in the Lord’s plan, our understanding comes “line upon line, precept upon precept.” In short, knowledge and understanding come at the price of patience.

Often the deep valleys of our present will be understood only by looking back on them from the mountains of our future experience. Often we can’t see the Lord’s hand in our lives until long after trials have passed. Often the most difficult times of our lives are essential building blocks that form the foundation of our character and pave the way to future opportunity, understanding, and happiness.

I know that it is easier for me to realize that adversity actually helps me to grow when I'm not currently in the "deep valleys of the present," but I hope that I will have the faith I need when those storms hit, so that in the future I will be able to look back and know how the Lord was with me. When I do receive answers to my prayers, I know they are from Him, and I know that I have grown stronger in my relationship with Him from being patient and submitting my will (and timeline!) to Him.

Patience does require a lot of faith, but the Lord loves us and I know that He will help us in all areas that we struggle with patience!

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Providing Stability and Hope

The last two things that followers need from their leaders is stability and hope. [Read part 1 and part 2 first.]

Stability

Providing a solid foundation, being someone others can count on in a time of need, provides followers with security, strength, support and peace. Let your core values be stable, to buffer for times of change.

Hooray for righteous fathers and husbands who give stability to our homes, good teachers who give our children constant support and encouragement, and great women like you who do what is right consistently in your lives.

Nothing creates stability like transparency or being open about where we are going and how we are doing. This applies in all types of organizations. Families who know a little of the family budget can help support financial decisions, vacation choices, and purchases large and small. Couples who talk openly and often about goals near and far, and even hopes and dreams will strengthen their marriage. Wards who pull together to support and help one another create a stabilizing unity.

Studying the scriptures daily, praying and holding family home evening and counsels give stability to our lives and our families. These small simple practices add up of the years and make us strong for times of adversity.

Sharing our lives with each other as sisters will strengthen and stabilize each of us. And we know that happens in Relief Society meetings, and visiting teaching and in service to one another.

Sister Beck as the leader of our Relief Society just reiterated:

This society has at its very core the responsibility to help sisters increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and seek out and help others who are in need. Through Relief Society, sisters can receive answers to their questions and be blessed by the combined spiritual power of all the sisters. Relief Society validates the true and eternal nature of daughters of God. It is a sacred trust, a guiding light, and a system of watchcare that teaches and inspires women to be strong and immovable. Its motto, “Charity never faileth,” is embodied in all good women. April Conference link

And never failing is about as stable as you can get!

Hope

We want stability in the moment and hope in the future. Direction, faith and guidance too.

We find that in the doctrines of the gospel, in the words of our prophets, and in our experiences with the Spirit.

We can provide that for those who follow us, especially our families. In this world of chaos and complexity we need to share our testimonies with family and others as we have just been counseled to do. We need to initiate good things in our lives and families and not just react to immediate needs.

President Uchtdorf’s talks always speak of hope and something else closely related...

May we ever remember the lesson of Kirtland and hold on a little longer—even when things look bleak. Know and remember this: the Lord loves you. He remembers you. And He will ever sustain those who “endure in faith to the end”. January 2010

and this...

Love is what inspired our Heavenly Father to create our spirits; it is what led our Savior to the Garden of Gethsemane to make Himself a ransom for our sins. Love is the grand motive of the plan of salvation; it is the source of happiness, the ever-renewing spring of healing, the precious fountain of hope.

As we extend our hands and hearts toward others in Christlike love, something wonderful happens to us. Our own spirits become healed, more refined, and stronger. We become happier, more peaceful, and more receptive to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit. April 2010

and once again...

Love is the healing balm that repairs rifts in personal and family relationships. It is the bond that unites families, communities, and nations. Love is the power that initiates friendship, tolerance, civility, and respect. It is the source that overcomes divisiveness and hate. Love is the fire that warms our lives with unparalleled joy and divine hope. Love should be our walk and our talk. October 2009

Hope is directly tied to love, the Lord’s for us, as our ultimate leader, and ours for those who follow us. And that brings us back to the first attribute in what followers want, compassion. It is the most direct way we can be like our Savior.

Sisters, think about your leadership qualities, about those who follow you either in the home, extended family, at school or in the workplace.

Strive to the kind that builds the trust, compassion, stability and hope in others lives.

e

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Compassion

Guest Blogger Charity Wolf

Compassion is one of the most influencing gifts we have when it comes to turning our hearts towards the Lord. I have experienced the Lords compassion in my life many times through the hands of his servants on the earth. A few years ago it was never more evident to me in my life.

Alan and I lived in Fresno, California right by family and friends. Alan came home and told me we were being transferred to Seattle, WA in four weeks. The next few weeks were a blur of learning new areas, picking a new school district, mountains of transfer paper work, and I'll confess ward shopping. The week came, we were to move. Everything was planned out the best it could be. Tuesday morning of that week, I was pulling out clothes and essentials before the movers came on Friday morning. The phone rang and I was told my younger Sister had passed away in the night. Chelsie had been in a coma for just over 9 years from a car accident. There really was not time to think; we could not change any of the moving schedule. We planned and set the funeral for Saturday of that week.

The time came and went so fast. The next thing I really remember is sitting in a rental house outside of Seattle. Most of our worldly things were put in place except for some things in the garage that I need to unpack. The move had worked out well. But, I was never more sad and alone and my spirit was never more broken. One morning I was sitting in my house crying, trying to unpack, feeling like no one knows what just happened to me. Chelsie was just gone and the world just went on, no one even knew she was missing. To say the least my heart was aching. I was arguing in my heart with the Lord why this had to be and that he could not have really cared about me. We had not been to church yet and we didn't know anyone. I remember that morning saying to the Lord if you really love me why am I all alone?

About a hour later there was a knock on the front door. The Relief Society President and my new visiting teachers were there with flowers and a meal and had an hour or two to help me in any way they could. I was very embarrassed (be careful what you and your house looks like when you tell the Lord you feel alone) and grateful for the compassion that these Sisters were able to show me.

I know the Lord sent these Sisters on His errand that day. To me compassion will always be remembered as a work of the Lord. It takes each of us Sisters to work together. We are leaders in our area, in our homes, and in the Lord's church, if we choose to take the time to find out where we can serve.

Fostering Trust and Having Compassion

In a previous post, I introduced the idea that followers expect four things from their leaders: Trust, Compassion, Stability, and Hope. [Read part 1 first, then part 3.]

Let’s look at the first two.

Trust

Trust is the foundation of leadership. It means honesty, integrity and respect. Lasting friendships, loving marriages, smooth collaboration with coworkers, successful businesses, are all built on trust.

How do you convince a person of your honesty? They just know. Over time others see your behavior and know they can depend on you.

Another key to building trust is being authentic or real, even if that means letting those around you see your flaws. Didn’t you love the few personal words President Monson had to say about his wife during conference. Don’t you cringe at the phoniness of most politicians as they try to create a false trust. Don’t you cherish those who see you for what you are and love you anyway.

Compassion

We all know what this is...caring, friendship, and love. Caring and compassion have such an impact on the lives of those around. When others care about us we are more likely to be more productive, stay with an organization, and reflect that caring to others.

Visiting teaching is where we do this best. Be there for your sisters. Devon Linn would love to visit everyone in the ward and take dinner and lift everyone. She can’t, of course. But you can. Be a leader in this special calling.

President Monson sums it up, “ Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved.”

(To be continued)

e

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Lesson: Our Perfect Example

Taught by Cheryl Wentzel

President Henry B. Eyring

Our Perfect Example, October 2009

The message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is that we can and must expect to become better as long as we live.

Part of that expectation is set for us in a revelation given by God to the Prophet Joseph Smith. It describes the day when we will meet the Savior, as we all will. It tells us what to do to prepare and what to expect.

It is in the book of Moroni: “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.”

That ought to help you understand why any believing Latter-day Saint is an optimist about what lies ahead for him or her, however difficult the present may be.

We believe that through living the gospel of Jesus Christ we can become like the Savior, who is perfect.

Considering the attributes of Jesus Christ should quash the pride of the self-satisfied person who thinks he or she has no need to improve. And even the most humble person can take hope in the invitation to become like the Savior.

...determination and confidence can and must be in the heart of every Latter-day Saint. The Savior has prepared the way through His Atonement and His example.

Love is the motivating principle by which the Lord leads us along the way towards becoming like Him, our perfect example. Our way of life, hour by hour, must be filled with the love of God and love for others.

There is no surprise in that, since the Lord proclaimed those as the first and great commandments. It is love of God that will lead us to keep His commandments. And love of others is at the heart of our capacity to obey Him.

...First, I give counsel to husbands and wives. Pray for the love which allows you to see the good in your companion. Pray for the love that makes weaknesses and mistakes seem small. Pray for the love to make your companion’s joy your own. Pray for the love to want to lessen the load and soften the sorrows of your companion.
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...Now I give counsel to the parents of a wandering child. The Savior is the perfect example of persisting in love. ...The story of the prodigal son gives us all hope. The prodigal remembered home, as will your children. They will feel your love drawing them back to you.

...Now, here is my counsel to children. The Lord gave you a commandment with a promise: “Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.”

...For all of us it may be hard to see in our lives an increasing power to love and to see ourselves becoming more like the Savior, our perfect example.

...Because of His Atonement for you, your childlike obedience will bring a feeling of love of the Savior for you and your love for Him. That is one of the gifts that is promised to His faithful disciples. And this gift can come not only to you alone but also to the loving members of your family.

...None of us is perfect yet. But we can have frequent assurance that we are following along the way. He leads us, and He beckons for us to follow Him.

What Followers Want

The blog theme for April is Empowerment and how we feel empowered in the church.

One way we are empowered as women in the church is the leadership opportunities that come our way...leaders as parents in the home and leaders as perhaps the only church member in our extended families. The experience and skills we gain through callings in the church prepare us for leadership at school and in the workplace as well. So, it’s important for all of us to understand what makes the right kind of leader and to try to emulate those qualities.

Lest you think I’m being presumptuous about knowing what followers want, I’ve just been reading several leadership books lately for work, so I’ve been pondering leadership and following.

I read a lot of business books and some of them are a whole lot of...um...malarkey. You know empty rhetoric, nonsense.

So I have to “test” them for truth, usually by seeing if I can apply the principles elsewhere.

In the book, Strengths-based Leadership, I have found some thoughts that ring true.

Each time I've read a statement I’ve thought about my roles as a leader at work, as a mother, and as church worker. I think about those who lead our country, our communities, my workplace, the church, and think about my husband.

Effective leaders
The most effective leaders understand their follower’s needs

At work this is not always evident. Sometimes managers have personal agendas, and some know how to turn a phrase or work a room, but overlook the real needs of their team.

At church it is clear. Our leaders are ordinary people like us and so they understand the ups and downs of life. And, as an added bonus, they can be and are guided by revelation and inspiration in our behalf.

As a parent it is a must. You soon learn what each child will do in a given situation. You come to know what their weaknesses and strengths are and what they need from you as a parent.

Followers know what they need from a leader
A Gallup poll, conducted with more than 10,000 followers, asked, “What leader has the most positive influence in your daily life?” and then “List 3 words that best describe what this person contributes to your life.” (Try it yourself before reading on.)

No, the tops words weren’t vision, wisdom, humility or humor.

Followers need trust, compassion, stability and hope.

Think about it. Isn’t that what you want from a good leader?

Think about the leaders in your life...Jesus Christ, church leaders, bishops you’ve had through the years, and your parents. Think about the head of the PTA, your professor, your employer, the leaders of our country.

Think about yourself. Yes, we are all leaders in some way or other. And we could all do with a little more practice in the things that count to those who follow us.

How do you create more trust, compassion, stability and hope in your lives and for those that follow you? I’d love to hear.

(To be continued)

[Read part 2 then part 3.]

e

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Temper, temper, temper...

Ellen has asked each of us in the presidency to occassionally share our thoughts on gospel principles here on the blog as a guest blogger. If any of you would like to do the same, feel free to e-mail Ellen your thoughts! We’d love to hear from you!

Guest Blogger Devon Linn

Children are not always easy to live with. This morning while I was having a grouchy moment, I lost my temper at my children and instantly felt terrible about it. I have been trying to become more patient this year, and I get so discouraged when I don't parent my children in the way that I'd like to. I wanted to figure out how to avoid another moment where my nerves were frayed and I let little things get the better of me.

I got on LDS.org and searched “temper,” and I found a great article from the Ensign called Tempering our Tempers by Douglas Brinley (A BYU professor). In it he says, “I can think of no positive context for displaying anger, though certainly righteous indignation and the righting of wrongs can be justified. The scriptures indicate that undisciplined anger is always cankerous and destructive. It is one of Satan’s primary tools for destroying marriages and family relations.” I remember President Monson saying something very similar in his previous Priesthood session talk he gave, and I realized it is true. There really is no positive reason for displaying anger.

But how can I change the way I’m wired? I think I have more of a "grouchy" problem rather than an "anger problem," but I know I have a lot of room for improvement. I want to be the kind of woman who always parents with love and speaks kindly all the time, but it isn't easy to ALWAYS be that way when little things all seem to pile up!

This was from Dr. Brinley’s article, and I think the concepts can apply to all of us when we'd like to change any of our behavior:

“So how does someone who struggles with anger learn self-discipline? The world would try to help people conquer their tempers by setting up some kind of behavior modification program that might take years and yet produce only marginal results. But the Lord and the prophets tell us that we already know how to control anger. The problem of anger results from not understanding and applying the doctrines of the gospel. President Boyd K. Packer, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said: ‘True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior.’”

He then quotes Elder Holland of the quorum of the twelve, who said, “You can change anything you want to change and you can do it very fast. That’s another Satanic sucker-punch—that it takes years and years and eons of eternity to repent. It takes exactly as long to repent as it takes you to say ‘I’ll change’—and mean it. Of course there will be problems to work out and restitutions to make. You may well spend—indeed you had better spend—the rest of your life proving your repentance by its permanence. But change, growth, renewal, repentance can come for you as instantaneously as it did for Alma and the Sons of Mosiah.”

I am probably going to be working on learning to temper my temper for years to come, but hopefully as I learn to study the scriptures, apply the gospel to my life, and just strive to become more like the Savior, I can begin to overcome the grouchiness that creeps into my life and keep the Spirit with me. I know that the principles of repentance work and really can change lives, and I know they can even change our behavior and emotions.


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New Church Website: Youth

Check out the new website for our LDS youth, called Youth. It’s just in beta so all the sections are not completely built out, but it’s great to see the church growing and responding to specific needs.

Learn about President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's interpretation of the story of the ugly duckling.

And hear a young woman from South Africa share a poem she wrote called Significant in Every Way.

4 categories focus on Young Women, Young Men, Seminary and Quick Links.

A new Personal Progress website is coming soon too!

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Seek the Higher Ground

Worried about recent earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanos? Struggling with a  “bitter cup” or spiritual challenge? Learn how to find safety from life’s temporal and spiritual storms by following the Savior’s example and seeking higher spiritual ground.



Seek the high ground for safety and peace. Read the entire talk: http://bit.ly/cPbAoB

e

Empowerment

I found this article on Feminist Mormon Housewives blog, of all places, titled How Are You Empowered in the LDS Church. Surprisingly, it starts This post is meant to highlight the good things about being a woman in the Church. If you want to debate the topic, I ask that you hash it out on one of the other threads. Thanks. It wasn’t going to be another gripe session as many posts on that blog turn out to be.


It got me thinking about what a great day we live in, what great opportunities are ours and how good it is to be a woman in the church today.

The answers in the blog range from I have a chance to speak publicly and give my testimony every month,

...to I have grown from my many callings,

...to you’re just as likely to hear a woman “preaching” in an LDS church as a man,

...to I actually find RS to be empowering. Not sitting in RS every Sunday (although sometimes that can work), but combining my female voice with the voice of many women in my area, and in my ward. There is just something special, and powerful, and absolutely lovely about women gathering and lifting each others burdens. 

So I’ve asked you to share how you feel empowered.

Elizabeth Latey:

In a world that surrounds us with so many images of what a woman ought to look like, dress like, etc. I find so much strength in the words of the leaders of the Church, which remind us of our inherent divine nature. Satan would have us get caught up in the nothing-ness of fads, where the Lord has us focus on the eternities.

To quote the apostle Boyd K. Packer from the recent General Conference, “We know who we are and we know what we know.” In a world full of confusion, it is empowering to be able to state this in full confidence!

Devon Linn:

I feel empowered as a woman in the church mainly because I think we understand agency better than most. I choose to stay home to be a mother at this time in our lives, rather than furthering my education or moving up in a career, and I know it's my choice and it is most certainly not always the easiest on.

And in the future when I do decide it is time for me to look for employment and jump back into the workplace (which eventually is probably a pretty safe bet in the unpredictable economic times we live in), I know that what I choose to do will be a choice I will make with my Heavenly Father prayerfully. 

Really, the power to choose with the Lord on our side is empowering, and it gives us such an advantage in the world!

Ellen King:

I feel empowered by knowing I have direct access to God, our Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, His Son and our Savior, by listening and responding to the Holy Ghost, another member of the Godhead. What an awesome doctrine!

To think that I can feel close to them at any time is incredible. And, can be guided by them and feel their love at any time. To think that others believe God does not speak today and is far distant or nonexistent is baffling. The doctrines of the gospel empower us!

Now, it's your turn. Add a sentence or two to the comments and let us know how you feel empowered.
e

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8 Real-world Skills You Learn From Callings

Our years of church experience are some of the best training in the world.

Dependability, preparation, and how to run a meeting are a just few of the skills we learn through serving in callings.

By attending meetings and doing their callings faithfully, converts to the church who lack education or training, who are rising from the depths of poverty, soon find themselves able to function as leaders and managers, or as team players who can be counted on to fulfill their assignments.

And when you think about it, we’re all converts to the church, because even lifers like me begin as unskilled and uncivilized barbarians (a k a “babies”), who then gradually learn all these skills, along with acquiring gospel knowledge and a testimony. 

See all 8 skills in the article, Callings Help Us Learn Skills, by Orson Scott Card.

What mad skilz has u lurned in your callingz?

e

What Manner of Women Ought Ye to Be?

Reylyn Checketts has kindly agreed to share her talk with us again here on our blog.

It is based an article by President Uchtdorf from the Sep 2009, Liahona, The Influence of Righteous Women.

It gives us the opportunity to reflect on the influence that righteous women have had in our own lives.

Righteous women in the scriptures
He  begins:

As we look at the history of this earth and the history of the restored Church of Jesus Christ, it becomes obvious that women hold a special place in our Father’s plan for the eternal happiness and well-being of His children. He mentions Eve, the mother of all living.

Sister Tiller gave a great lesson in Relief Society last Sunday about the Fall of Adam and Eve.

Whereas much of the world blames Eve for the world’s problems, latter-day scriptures help us understand that their Fall was a necessary step in the plan of life and a great blessing to all of us. Because of the Fall, we are blessed with physical bodies, the right to choose between good and evil, and the opportunity to gain eternal life. None of these privileges would have been ours had Adam and Eve remained in the garden.

Among other great influential women is Mary, the mother of Jesus who brought forth the Savior of the world. When the angel Gabriel came in unto her he said, “Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.”. Mary’s response to her call was this. “For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.”

The scriptures also mention women whose names are unknown to us but who bless our lives through their example and teachings. Women such as the woman of Samaria whom Jesus met at the well of Sychar. Also, Martha, Rebekah, Sarah and there are many others.

In Gospel Doctrine class last week, Sister Hall mentioned “the midwives” during the lesson about Moses. Knowing that I would be speaking this week on righteous women, that piqued my interest. I looked it up in the Exodus to read for myself and while reading, I was so impressed at the courage of these women. 

Women’s nature to nurture
President Uchtdorf:

Through serving in the Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary organizations—not to mention their private acts of love and service—women have always played and will always play an important part in helping “bring forth and establish the cause of Zion”.

They care for the poor and the sick; serve proselytizing, welfare, humanitarian, and other missions; teach children, youth, and adults; and contribute to the temporal and spiritual welfare of the Saints in many other ways.

It’s these qualities that made me think of another talk by President Uchtdorf that he gave in the most recent General Conference.

You will recall the story he told of the bombing of a city during World War II where a large statue of Jesus Christ was severely damaged. When the townspeople found the statue among the rubble, they mourned because it had been a beloved symbol of their faith and of God's presence in their lives.

Experts were able to repair most of the statue, but its hands had been damaged so severely that they could not be restored. Some suggested that they hire a sculptor to make new hands, but others wanted to leave it as it was—a permanent reminder of the tragedy of war.

Ultimately, the statue remained without hands. However, the people of the city added on the base of the statue of Jesus Christ a sign with these words: “You are my hands.”

When I heard that story, I thought of women.

It’s women’s nature to nurture. Great deeds are done by men, but, when I think of being “God’s hands,” I think of righteous women.

Even as He is
So, in answer to “What manner of  Man or Woman ought ye to be,” the answer is “to be even as He is, and do as He would do.”

To encourage women in this effort, President Uchtdorf says:

As you live up to this mission, in whatever life circumstance you find yourself—as a wife, as a mother, as a single mother, as a divorced woman, as a widowed or a single woman—the Lord our God will open up responsibilities and blessings far beyond your ability to imagine.

He adds:

May I invite you to rise to the great potential within you. [and here is where women need to listen because we have a tendency to beat ourselves up] 

. . . But  don’t reach beyond your capacity. Don’t set goals beyond your capacity to achieve. 

Don’t feel guilty or dwell on thoughts of failure. 

Don’t compare yourself with others. 

Do the best you can, and the Lord will provide the rest. 

Have faith and confidence in Him and you will see miracles happen in your life and the lives of your loved ones. 

The virtue of your own life will be a light to those who sit in darkness, because you are a living witness of the fullness of the gospel. 

Wherever you have been planted on this beautiful but often troubled earth of ours, you can be the one to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.”

President Uchtdorf concludes, “My dear sisters, as you live your daily life with all its blessings and challenges, let me assure you that the Lord loves you. He knows you. He listens to your prayers, and He answers those prayers, wherever on this world you may be. He wants you to succeed in this life and in eternity.”

President Uchtdorf is much like President Hinckley in that he offers encouragement and makes us feel like we can do it. I love that.

Thanks Reylyn. We love that too.

e

Lesson: The Holy Ghost

Sunday lesson taught by Margie Clark

Gospel Principles, Lesson 7, The Holy Ghost

 After Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden, they began to till the earth and work at other tasks for their living. They had many children, and their sons and daughters also married and had children. ...our Father did not shut them away from His influence. He sent the Holy Ghost to comfort and help and guide all of His spirit children.

Attributes

The Holy Ghost is a member of the Godhead.

He is a “personage of Spirit”. He can be in only one place at a time, but His influence can be everywhere at the same time.

Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are called the Godhead. They are unified in purpose. Each has an important assignment in the plan of salvation.

Our Heavenly Father is our Father and ruler. Jesus Christ is our Savior. The Holy Ghost is the revealer and testifier of all truth.

The Holy Ghost is our Heavenly Father’s messenger and is a special gift to us.

His Mission
The mission of the Holy Ghost is to bear witness of the Father and the Son and of the truth of all things.

The Holy Ghost will witness to us that Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer.

He will reveal to us that our Heavenly Father is the Father of our spirits. He will help us understand that we can become exalted like our Heavenly Father.

The prophets of the Lord have promised, “By the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things”.

Recognizing His Influence

Elder Scott:

I am convinced that there is no simple formula or technique that would immediately allow you to master the ability to be guided by the voice of the Spirit.

Our Father expects you to learn how to obtain that divine help by exercising faith in Him and His Holy Son, Jesus Christ.

Were you to receive inspired guidance just for the asking, you would become weak and ever more dependent on Them. They know that essential personal growth will come as you struggle to learn how to be led by the Spirit.

What may appear initially to be a daunting task will be much easier to manage over time as you consistently strive to recognize and follow feelings prompted by the Spirit.

Your confidence in the direction you receive from the Holy Ghost will also become stronger. I witness that as you gain experience and success in being guided by the Spirit, your confidence in the impressions you feel can become more certain than your dependence on what you see or hear.

To Acquire Spiritual Guidance, Ensign, Nov 2009. Read the whole talk!

How has the Holy Ghost guided you in your life? When has He kept you from danger or harm? When has He born witness of the truth? When did He first testify of Jesus Christ to you. Share your stories with us in the comments.

Thanks, Margie, for helping us think about how the Holy Ghost speaks to us and for encouraging us to remember the times when we have felt His influence in our lives.

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Baby Carr Is Here!

Here’s Greg’s facebook message:

Julianne Carr was born yesterday (4/16/10). My sweet wife and baby are doing great. She had to have a C-section because the baby was breech. Everything went great.

You can see Julianne at www.bellababyphotography.com. Click on “view photos”. Password is 0416juliannecarr.

I love being a daddy!

Congratulations to Jenna and Greg!

[We’ll post a pic or two when they become available.]

Are we there yet?

By Devon Linn

This probably won’t come as too much of shock to anyone, but I’m a still quite a few blocks away from perfection. I'm not expecting to be even close to perfect yet, but I keep hoping that I’ll see a sign somewhere that will tell me I’m at least getting a little closer on my journey (actually, something like the sign up above would be very helpful.) And luckily I don’t have to do it all on my own. The Lord helps continually by sending the Holy Ghost to let me know the ways I can improve in my life. But what can be frustrating at times is that I so often fail to follow these wonderful, divine promptings I receive that tell me what I need to fix. These promptings sometimes come to me while listening to General Conference, or a lesson in church on Sunday, or reading my scriptures, and then I usually do try to be better for at least a few days but then….*poof* they're just gone and I've forgotten the prompting and moved onto something else I need to work on. And I don’t think I forget because I’m lazy or don’t really want to be better, but it’s more because life just seems to get too darn busy and my brain just has too much going on to remember everything (or sometimes anything at all!)

I’m sure everyone has failed at least once or twice to follow a prompting (but just once or twice, right?). Usually for me, it begins with listening to a lesson or a talk and thinking, “Yes! I can do that and be better! I can improve in my efforts to ______________ (fill in the blank: pray more, work on family history, judge less, prioritize my time better, study my scriptures, etc etc etc).” But when it comes time to actually and consistently IMPLEMENT the change, I find myself too busy wiping peanut butter and jelly out of a 2 year old’s hair and simultaneously trying not to yell at my 3 year old who has just broken another lamp (true story) and I’m just so busy and exhausted that I’ve totally forgotten the prompting I received in the first place. Does this happen to everyone? Luckily the Lord knows and loves us, so he sends a lot of “reminder” promptings, because He just won't give up on us.

So when my wonderful visiting teachers came this week and read this quote from General Conference, it really hit home for me. It is from Sister Beck’s talk, and she said,

Good women always have a desire to know if they are succeeding. In a world where the measures of success are often distorted, it is important to seek appreciation and affirmation from proper sources. To paraphrase a list found in Preach My Gospel, we are doing well when we develop attributes of Christ and strive to obey His gospel with exactness. We are doing well when we seek to improve ourselves and do our best. We are doing well when we increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and seek out and help others who are in need. We know we are successful if we live so that we qualify for, receive, and know how to follow the Spirit. When we have done our very best, we may still experience disappointments, but we will not be disappointed in ourselves. We can feel certain that the Lord is pleased when we feel the Spirit working through us. Peace, joy, and hope are available to those who measure success properly.

Oh, if I could only read this quote every day! Sister Beck’s words were exactly what I needed to hear to re-commit myself to try harder and keep working in the right direction. It’s not important to be hard on ourselves if we aren't perfect already, but it is important that we are trying to improve ourselves every day. I love that Sister Beck specifically mentions trying to develop attributes of Christ, because that goal seems to encompass all the other promptings I receive. I also love that she pointed out that doing our best still won’t keep disappointments away, because that’s just not how the plan works, but at least we won’t be disappointed in ourselves when we’ve followed the Spirit and done our best. I have felt the peace and hope that comes when we feel the Spirit working through us, and it is worth every effort I make to strive to feel that love and joy as often as I can while on this earth.

I love having the Gospel in my life, and I am truly grateful for promptings from the Spirit because I know I need to keep trying to be better. It can be hard to not let the world define success for us, but rather to let the Holy Ghost tell us when we have succeeded in our efforts to become more like Christ. I know that I won’t be able to reach perfection tomorrow or follow every good intention and good desire that I have, (in fact, probably by next General Conference time I’ll need another big kick in the pants to re-commit myself to implementing the promptings I receive again!), but I will keep pushing forward on my journey. Our Heavenly Father loves each of us, and He also NEEDS each of us to keep working hard to improve ourselves so that we can also help lift those around us. Women have the capacity to do so much good, and I am grateful to be surrounded by so many amazing women in the church, all who are on the same “road” so we can help each other on the journey!

If any of you has a suggestion on how you remember to implement changes you receive from promptings, feel free to use the comments portion to share your experiences. I'd love to hear other sisters' ideas on how we can be more successful in our efforts!

Repentance can never come until one has bared his soul and admitted his actions without excuses and rationalizations. ...Those persons who choose to meet the issue and transform their lives will find it the infinitely more desirable path as they taste of its fruits.

~President Spencer W. Kimball

Lesson: The Fall of Adam and Eve

Taught by Marie Tiller

Gospel Principles, Lesson 6, The Fall of Adam & Eve

What evidence helps us know that Adam and Eve were valiant spirits?
Adam and Eve were among our Father’s noblest children.

In the spirit world Adam was called Michael the archangel. He was chosen by our Heavenly Father to lead the righteous in the battle against Satan.

Adam and Eve were foreordained to become our first parents. The Lord promised Adam great blessings: “I have set thee to be at the head; a multitude of nations shall come of thee, and thou art a prince over them forever”.

Eve was “the mother of all living”. God brought Adam and Eve together in marriage because “it was not good that the man should be alone”. She shared Adam’s responsibility and will also share his eternal blessings.

What can you learn from the examples of Adam and Eve?
When Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden, they were not yet mortal. In this state, “they would have had no children” (2 Nephi 2:23). There was no death.

They had physical life because their spirits were housed in physical bodies made from the dust of the earth (see Moses 6:59; Abraham 5:7).

They had spiritual life because they were in the presence of God. They had not yet made a choice between good and evil.

God commanded them to have children. He said, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over … every living thing that moveth upon the earth” (Moses 2:28). God told them they could freely eat of every tree in the garden except one, the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Of that tree God said, “In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Moses 3:17).

Satan, not knowing the mind of God but seeking to destroy God’s plan, came to Eve in the Garden of Eden. He tempted her to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He assured her that she and Adam would not die, but that they would “be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Moses 4:11). Eve yielded to the temptation and ate the fruit.

When Adam learned what had happened, he chose to partake also. The changes that came upon Adam and Eve because they ate the fruit are called the Fall.

What great blessings resulted from the transgression?
Some people believe Adam and Eve committed a serious sin when they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. However, latter-day scriptures help us understand that their Fall was a necessary step in the plan of life and a great blessing to all of us.

Because of the Fall, we are blessed with physical bodies, the right to choose between good and evil, and the opportunity to gain eternal life.

None of these privileges would have been ours had Adam and Eve remained in the garden.

After the Fall, Eve said, “Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed [children], and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient” (Moses 5:11).

How can we honor Eve?
Some Christians condemn Eve for her act, concluding that she and her daughters are somehow flawed by it. Not the Latter-day Saints! Informed by revelation, we celebrate Eve’s act and honor her wisdom and courage in the great episode called the Fall.

Joseph Smith taught that it was not a “sin,” because God had decreed it.

Brigham Young declared, “We should never blame Mother Eve, not the least”.

Elder Joseph Fielding Smith said: “I never speak of the part Eve took in this fall as a sin, nor do I accuse Adam of a sin. … This was a transgression of the law, but not a sin … for it was something that Adam and Eve had to do!”

From Dallin Oakes, The Great Plan of Happiness, Nov 1993, Ensign

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Stake Singles Fireside

Mark your calendar for the 

Stake Singles Fireside:

Personal Revelation

Sunday, April 25, 2010

7 - 9 pm

The Downingtown & West Chester Ward Singles invite all Valley Forge Stake Single Adults (age 31+) to attend a fireside with Patriarch Brown, Valley Forge Stake Patriarch entitled: "Personal Revelation". 

Fireside will be held at the Downingtown & West Chester Ward Chapel: 1443 Telegraph Rd, West Chester, PA 19380 on Sunday April 25, 2010 at 7:00 PM. 

 Friends and Visitors Welcome!

Hey, We're Famous!

Check it out! Our service activity is featured on the Stake website.

On Being Single in the Church

In our family-oriented church being single can be a challenge. At least one-third of adult Church members are single.

Here are several articles that may help you or a loved one:

Christopher P. Halloran, who was single until he married at age 49:

Finding a compatible spouse is a little miracle and miracles, by definition are beyond our capacity to effect. Have faith, try to behave well, then relax and be open to the miracle.

And remember, too, that the odds are in your favor. p. 30

Read another excerpt and download his free e-book Sailing Single-Handedly, A Navigation Guide for Single Latter-day Saints


Elder Wickham:

Throughout our lives, we face...significant confidence tests.

...These are not so much tests of confidence in oneself but of confidence in what we receive by the Spirit of God. Prophet after prophet has counseled us to remember what we know—to maintain confidence in the Lord.

As he attempted to rekindle faith in his people, Jacob repeatedly declared unto them, “I know that ye know” (2 Nephi 9:4, 5).

Paul was even more direct: “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward” (Hebrews 10:35).

Each of us faces an uncertain future. But when we face it, remembering what we already know, we face it with faith. We face it with good cheer. We face it with confidence.

Confidence Tests, April 2010 Ensign


President Faust:

Please remember that we have all been single, are now single, or at some time may again be single; so being single in the Church is not extraordinary.

...Although many single adult members are well-adjusted to life and its problems, they still need loving attention from the Church and its members to reaffirm their usefulness and the love that God has for each of them.

...What can we do as individuals to reach out to singles? One way is to make an effort to be more inclusive. When we see someone sitting by him or herself in a Church meeting, we can either go and sit with him or her or invite him or her to sit with us. We can all offer the hand of friendship.

...my advice to those of you who are single is to pray often because our Heavenly Father, who knows you best of all, knows your talents and strengths as well as your weaknesses. He has placed you here on the earth at this time to develop and refine these characteristics. I promise you He will help you. He is aware of your needs, and by and by those promised blessings of companionship will come to you.

Welcoming Every Single One, August 2007, Ensign

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Photo credit

Spring Inspiration

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers today;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
To which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends he will,
But which it only needs that we fulfill.

Robert Frost

Photo Credit

Reminders and Invitations

Hi, my friends!

We will be holding our next Service Group on: Wednesday, April 14, 11am, @ the church.

Bring a dish for the potluck lunch. Kids are welcome. Bring bikes, balls, etc. to keep them happy!  :)

Items needed for donation (new please):
- Newborn layette gowns or sleepers
- Receiving blankets
- Booties or socks

Thanks!
Margie
____________________

Hello Sisters,

I just wanted to invite all who are interested to come and join our Mentoring Moms group. We meet the first Wednesday of each month at my home: 4022 Runnymead Dr., Collegeville.

We are starting the program afresh TOMORROW at 10am. It is a great time to jump in, as is any time.

Mentoring Moms is a goal setting program for women. The name "mentoring moms" is mostly eye-catching. The program applies to all women at all stages of life. We set monthly goals and support each other as we strive to complete them.

Think Personal Progress for YOU!

We have had many great experiences sharing and learning from each other as sisters in the gospel.

Children are welcome.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Aubrey Behunin
_____________________

Sisters,

I am going to the temple on Saturday, April 24, leaving a little before 7 am, and staying for two sessions.

I am meeting my sister-in-law (from western PA) there so we can do family file work.

I'm always looking for riders. It makes the trip so much more pleasant!

Please let me know if you are interested.

Owenna Nagy

April Theme: Empowerment

As some of you know I'm always talking about the power we can feel in our lives through our testimonies and the knowledge of the gospel, through knowing who we are, through Christ's atonement, and through feeling the Spirit.

There are so many ways we are empowered.

This month I want to hear from you about empowerment.  

How are you as a woman empowered in the Church?

Here are a few articles and stories to get you thinking:

Understanding Christ's Love Empowers 
Understanding who we are and that Christ loves us can empower us to do good and strive for perfection. It can be liberating as well as encouraging to realize Christ’s love for individual souls

The Empowerment of Humility
Humility can bring empowerment. ...as we learn about the workings of God, the power of a humble and submissive spirit becomes apparent. In the kingdom of God, greatness begins with humility and submissiveness. These companion virtues are the first critical steps to opening the doors to the blessings of God and the power of the priesthood. It matters not who we are or how lofty our credentials appear. Humility and submissiveness to the Lord, coupled with a grateful heart, are our strength and our hope.

How to Be a Good Missionary
When missionaries first come into the field, they usually lack self-confidence. So we put them with good companions, and those companions teach them the way of missionary work. In a few months they are filled with the Spirit. They are filled with the joy that comes from bringing souls to Christ. They understand that they are helping Heavenly Father and the Savior in the great work of redemption. When they realize that, they are on fire.

This empowerment comes from their obedience, dedication, hard work, and enthusiasm. If they are not obedient, if they are not working hard doing the best they know how every day, they won’t have the same impact as those who radiate the spirit of the gospel.


There are so many good things about being a woman in the Church today. Please share with us a few of your thoughts. How are you as a woman empowered in the Church?

That’s our theme for April.

Send me an e-mail and I'll post it for discussion.
egkmail [at] verizon [dot] net.

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Visiting Teaching: Joy in the Lord's Errand

I talked with a Relief Society member about a visit she had made.

It was to a woman who would soon lose her husband suddenly and tragically. In recent years the woman had only intermittent contact with Relief Society.

The visitor prepared by stopping at a shop to buy flowers. It was a season when the tulips were stacked for sale in many colors. She chose one color, her favorite, but then felt impressed to try another.

She didn’t know why she selected yellow, but she did.

When she presented the yellow tulips at the door, the woman smiled and said, “Come. See my backyard garden.” It was filled with yellow tulips in full bloom.

The woman said, “I was just wondering if I should cut some for the house. But now I can leave them and enjoy them a little longer in my garden because you brought me these.” They chatted pleasantly as if they were old friends.

From that impression to bring some flowers and to choose yellow tulips, that visiting teacher had evidence that she was on the Lord’s errand.

When she told me, I could hear the joy in her voice.

When she spoke with me, she didn’t know what the widow felt after the visit. But if the widow felt that God loved her and that He had sent an angel to her, the visiting teacher had helped her move down the road to success in the Lord’s eyes. That visitor may verify success from her faithful effort only in the world to come.

Elder Eyring, The Enduring Legacy of Relief Society

Photo credit

The Prophets Reflect on the Resurrection

What a beautiful weekend...the weather is delightful, it's Easter and we hear from our modern-day prophets. With the arrival of spring and the out-pouring of the Spirit during General Conference, it's a good time to have our faith reborn and our commitment to Jesus Christ and his gospel renewed.

President Monson:
The empty tomb that first Easter morning was the answer to Job's question, “If a man die, shall he live again?” To all within the sound of my voice I declare: If a man die, he shall live again.

...In our hour of deepest sorrow, we can receive profound peace from the words of the angel that first Easter morning, “He is not here: for he is risen. ”

Elder Uchtdorf:
On this Easter Sunday, and every day, as we contemplate with reverence and awe how our Savior embraces us, comforts us and heals us, let us commit to become his hands, that others through us may feel his loving embrace.

Elder Scott:
He Lives! All Glory to His Name! ..This Easter resolve to make the Lord Jesus Christ the living center of your home.

Elder Cook:
While we rejoice in the supernal significance of Gethsemane and Calvary, our focus has always been in the resurrected Lord.

Elder Hallstrom:
As we commemorate this Easter morning, let us turn to the Lord, our  “Bright and Morning Star.” Turn to the Lord.

Elder Martino:
On this Easter Sunday, we remember the life of the Savior. It is he whom we desire to emulate in all our actions.


Want to carry the spirit of this conference into your week and into your lives? Visit the new church website General Conference to listen or watch again, download an MP3 for your ipod or read the proceedings. Search by topic, search by speaker, search by session.

Take moment now to tell us in the comments what your favorite part of Conference was or what you felt the general theme was.

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He Lives!

See and hear modern-day Apostles testify that Jesus Christ is the Savior and that He lives today.

New Church Website: Combating Pornography

The Church has just released a new anti-porn website: Combating Pornography: Replacing darkness with light

If you or someone you love is struggling with pornography, there is hope. You’ll find articles and resources for five audiences: Individuals, Spouses, Parents, Youth and Leaders.

Each of those main categories carries four subcategories: Prevent, Recognize, Overcome and Support. Thus, each group gets individualized attention.

There is also a list of books and articles as suggested reading for pornography users and their spouses or family members.

In whatever way pornography or addiction to pornography may touch your lives now or in the future, I encourage you to take a few minutes to visit this new website and learn more about how to avoid it, how to heal from it or how to help others.

I'll post a permanent link to it in the right column of the blog.

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P.S. If you or someone you know is addicted to pornography. Please join us on Sunday evenings for the Addiction Recovery Support group. Call Evone Pope, Deb Chiapelli or Ellen King.

Save the Date: Stake Women's Conference

Invite your visiting teaching sisters and make it a fun girl's day off!

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