Lesson: When loved ones let go of "the iron rod"

 

Devon taught a good lesson on what we do when others don't accept our invitation to come to Christ, are numbered among the lost sheep or let go of the iron rod. Whatever metaphor makes sense to you for your situation, these ideas may help.

Devon's young son shared what he learned in Primary recently and the conversation went something like this.

He showed her a picture of a sheep.

When she asked what it meant he said, "We are all sheep!"

"And what happened to the sheep?"

"They were lost."

"Who is the shepherd?"

"Jesus"

"And what will he do?"

"He will find us!"

And He will! But we are asked to help "feed my sheep".

Mists of darkness

In another familiar story we feel with Lehi in his dream of the Tree of Life the heartache of seeing a family member get lost in the mists of darkness or let go the iron rod that leads to the fruit or love of God, that is "precious above all".
 
What are the mists of darkness generally? Nephi tells us in 1 Nephi 12:17,

And the mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost.

What are some "mists of darkness" in our day?

Philosophies of men, anti-mormon information especially on the internet, hurt feelings, hang-ups, doubts and unanswered questions, mental illness, time/schedules, just drifting away, abuse, crime, drugs, TV, pornography, social media, music, feelings of inadequacies, guilt, insecurities, individual personalities.

It's quite a range of distractions and out-and-out evil that we and our loved ones can choose.

The point is we don't need to judge. We often don't know what is going on in someone's life that causes or effects the decisions they make.

What should we do instead? Just love them.

What we can do

Elder Holland in a talk titled "Because She Is a Mother" encourages us as parents of wayward children:

President Joseph F. Smith pled, “Oh! God, let me not lose my own.” ⁸ That is every parent’s cry, and in it is something of every parent’s fear. But no one has failed who keeps trying and keeps praying. You have every right to receive encouragement and to know in the end your children will call your name blessed, just like those generations of foremothers before you who hoped your same hopes and felt your same fears.

What do you do, or have seen others do when worry or grief for our friends and family overcome us? What can we do to help ourselves and them?

• Respect their agency
• Turn to God, turn them over to Him
• Remember that they were God's before they were ours and He knows them best
• Show unconditional love
• Resist judging
• Absolve ourselves of guilt
• Take care of yourselves first
• Never give up hope
• Understand that temple covenants and promises will be fulfilled
• Bear testimony in unconventional ways
• Know that it's okay to grieve
• Remember that the atonement can heal you and them

We also need to trust that the Good Shepherd knows his sheep. And He will find them.

John K. Carmack in an excellent conference talk titled When Our Children Go Astray seeks to comfort and gives very practical steps we can take. [Well worth reading again!]. He reminds us:

In 1929 Elder Orson F. Whitney of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said: 

“You parents of the wilful and the wayward! Don’t give them up. Don’t cast them off. They are not utterly lost. The Shepherd will find his sheep. They were his before they were yours—long before he entrusted them to your care; and you cannot begin to love them as he loves them. They have but strayed in ignorance from the Path of Right, and God is merciful to ignorance. Only the fulness of knowledge brings the fulness of accountability. Our Heavenly Father is far more merciful, infinitely more charitable, than even the best of his servants, and the Everlasting Gospel is mightier in power to save than our narrow finite minds can comprehend” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1929, 110).

Don't give up. Don't cast them off
Heavenly Father is far more merciful...and mightier to save than we.

So yes, Maddox, He will find us, all of us!

e

Lesson: Service, Joy, Kindness

Flecks of gold

Margie combined two lessons into one this month. Kindness Begins with Me and Finding Joy Through Service. Both are conference talks given in April Conference and chosen as our lesson topic for the 4th Sunday of each month by the Bishop.

A simple math formula: 

Me + Service = Joy!

Being kind is an act of service
Our Savior taught us about and lived a benevolent life. Jesus loved all and He served all. Centering our lives on Jesus Christ will help us acquire this attribute of benevolence. For us to develop these same Christlike attributes, we must learn about the Savior and “follow in His ways.”

An invitation
I would like to invite each of you to do at least one Samaritan-like act this coming week. It may require that you reach beyond your usual friends or overcome your shyness. You may courageously choose to serve someone who doesn’t treat you well.

I promise that if you will extend yourself beyond what is easy to do, you will feel so good inside that kindness will start to become a part of your everyday life.

You’ll see that benevolence can bring joy and unity to your home, your class, your ward, and your school. “Remember this: kindness begins with me.”

Sometimes we don't believe serving will make us happy...why?

Often we feel helpless in dealing with our lives and that leads to depression. Sometimes we want to fix everything and just can't. We forget that faith enables and fear disables. We give into our fears. Sometimes we just love our self-will and agency too much and forget that if we let go and let God direct our days and lives we'll be happier. Sometimes we get too busy and too caught up in so many things.

Simplify, focus
Elder Ballard counsels us:

Brothers and sisters, the gospel of Jesus Christ is simple, no matter how much we try to make it complicated. We should strive to keep our lives similarly simple, unencumbered by extraneous influences, focused on those things that matter most.

What are the precious, simple things of the gospel that bring clarity and purpose to our lives? What are the flecks of gospel gold whose patient accumulation over the course of our lifetime will reward us with the ultimate treasure—the precious gift of eternal life?

I believe there is one simple but profound—even sublime—principle that encompasses the entirety of the gospel of Jesus Christ. If we wholeheartedly embrace this principle and make it the focus of our lives, it will purify and sanctify us so we can live once again in the presence of God. ...

It is only when we love God and Christ with all of our hearts, souls, and minds that we are able to share this love with our neighbors through acts of kindness and service—the way that the Savior would love and serve all of us if He were among us today.

When this pure love of Christ—or charity—envelops us, we think, feel, and act more like Heavenly Father and Jesus would think, feel, and act.

First, charity begins at home. 

The single most important principle that should govern every home is to practice the Golden Rule—the Lord’s admonition that “all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them” (Matthew 7:12).

Another place where we have ample opportunity to serve is in the Church.

Our wards and branches should be places where the Golden Rule always guides our words and actions toward each other. By treating each other kindly, speaking words of support and encouragement, and being sensitive to each other’s needs, we can create loving unity among ward members. Where charity exists, there is no place for gossip or unkind words.

A third area where we can serve is in our communities.
As a pure expression of our love and concern, we can reach out to those who have need of our help.

Great things are wrought through simple and small things. Like the small flecks of gold that accumulate over time into a large treasure, our small and simple acts of kindness and service will accumulate into a life filled with love for Heavenly Father, devotion to the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and a sense of peace and joy each time we reach out to one another.

e

Photo credit

Civility Experiment

Learn how civility and kindness go much deeper than appearances and quick judgments.



"It doesn't cost a penny to be polite!"

e

Quotes - more Oil for our Lamps

This past Sunday Owenna shared a couple of wonderful, thought-provoking quotes as comments to the Relief Society & Sunday School lessons, and I've asked her to send them to us all for the blog.  They really made me think and ponder, as some of the best quotes are known to do!  Here they are in Owenna's own words:

I e-mailed my sister (Kathleen Bahr; retired BYU prof) to ask for her exact words. She told me I was actually quoting her paraphrase of Kiekegaard. Since I like hers better, I've included it as well as the original. I am grateful that these quotes that I have repeated to myself so often might be of help to someone else as well -- even though over time I have managed to garble them from the original.

"To the Christian, love is the works of love. To say that love is a feeling or anything of the kind is really an un-Christian conception of love. That is the aesthetic definition and therefore fits the erotic and everything of that nature. But to the Christian, love is the works of love. Christ's love was not an inner feeling, a full heart and what-not: it was the work of love which was his life." —Søren Kierkegaard on Christianity

Owenna's version of Kathleen's version of Kierkegaard:

"When Christ commanded us to love one another, I do not believe he was commanding our emotions, because they cannot, in fact, be commanded. I believe he was commanding our behavior. Love is an action verb. He was commanding us to behave in loving ways toward each other, even when love, as an emotion, is weak or absent."

Gale, visiting our RS from Kansas, also asked for the definition of faith that I attributed to Elder Gene R. Cook in SS. Well, I was wrong again - with my memory it is a wonder that I remembered the quote at all. It is properly attributed to Elder Stephen Nadault (Ensign, Dec. 95), not Elder Cook.

Elder Nadault pointed out that "when Joseph Smith re-translated parts of the Bible, he changed the word "substance" to "assurance," the way it is in Greek. So we could re-word the scripture to read 'Faith is having or accepting an assurance of things hoped for, and accepting evidence of things not seen.'"

When I read this years ago, it really turned on a light for me. My own paraphrase is: "Faith is a willingness to accept the assurances our Heavenly Father has given us as being sufficient."
Owenna

Thanks Owenna for these great morsels to savor and ponder.  We can always use more oil to put in our spiritual lamps!

Lesson: Charity

Gospel Principles, Lesson 30, Charity 

Taught by Margie Clark

What is charity? 

 In Choosing Charity: That Good Part, Bonnie Parkin, October Conference 2003:

Mormon teaches us that “charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever.”

The pure love of Christ. Let’s look at that. What does this phrase mean?

We find part of the answer in Joshua: “Take diligent heed … to love the Lord your God … and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Charity is our love for the Lord, shown through our acts of service, patience, compassion, and understanding for one another.

Charity is the greatest of all virtues

The prophet Mormon tells us, “Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—but charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever” (Moroni 7:46–47

Charity includes giving to the sick, afflicted, and poor

Mosiah 4: 16-18, 22 tells us:

And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.

Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just—

But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.

For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?

And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy.

And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another.

President Thomas S. Monson reminded us that there are those who need more than material goods:

“Let us ask ourselves the questions: ‘Have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need?’ [Hymns, no. 223].

What a formula for happiness! What a prescription for contentment, for inner peace—to have inspired gratitude in another human being.

Our opportunities to give of ourselves are indeed limitless, but they are also perishable. There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved.

Charity is a condition of the heart

Anne Pingree, Charity: One Family, One Home at a Time, October 2002 General Conference said:

“Many small people in many small places doing many small things can alter the face of the earth.” To me that phrase speaks of what each of us—as covenant women—can do to make a difference as we step forward offering our hearts and hands to the Lord by lifting and loving others.

...Elder Dallin H. Oaks teaches us that charity “is not an act but a condition or state of being [one becomes].” Our day-to-day offerings of charity are “written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; … in [the] fleshy tables of [our] heart[s].”

Little by little our charitable acts change our natures, define our characters, and ultimately make us women with the courage and commitment to say to the Lord, “Here am I; send me.”

Developing the virtue of charity

Gene R. Cook, Charity: Perfect and Everlasting Love, October 2002 General Conference said:

1. Recognize His love. “Pray … with all the energy of heart” for this gift. Do so in meekness with a broken heart, and you will be filled with hope and love from the Holy Ghost Himself. He will reveal Christ to you.

It is part of the gift of charity to be able to recognize the Lord’s hand and feel His love in all that surrounds us. At times it will not be easy to discover the Lord’s love for us in all that we experience, because He is a perfect, anonymous giver. You will search all your life to uncover His hand and the gifts He has bestowed upon you because of His intimate, modest, humble way of granting such wonderful gifts.

Ponder with me a moment the following majestic gifts: the glories of all creation, the earth, the heavens; your feelings of love and joy; His responses of mercy, forgiveness, and innumerable answers to prayer; the gift of loved ones; and finally the greatest gift of all—the Father’s gift of His atoning Son, the perfect one in charity, even the God of love.

2. Receive His love in humility. Be grateful for the gift and especially for the giver of the gift. True gratitude is the ability to humbly see, feel, and even receive love. Gratitude is a form of returning love to God. Recognize His hand, tell Him so, express your love to Him.  As you come to truly know the Lord, you will find an intimate, sacred relationship built on trust. You will come to know He understands your anguish and will, in compassion, always respond to you in love.

Receive it. Feel it. It is not enough just to know that God loves you. The gift is to be felt continually day by day. It will then be a divine motivator throughout your life. Repent. Remove any worldliness from your life, including anger. Receive a continual remission of your sins, and you will bridle all your passions and be filled with love.

3. Convey His love. The Lord’s response to us is always filled with love. Should not our response to Him be in kind, with real feelings of love? He gives grace (or goodness) for grace, attribute for attribute. As our obedience increases, we receive more grace (or goodness) for the grace we return to Him. Offer Him the refinement of your attributes, so that when He does appear you will be like Him.

As a man first immerses his thoughts in love and conveys those feelings to God, man, or self, a magnified portion of that attribute will surely follow from the Spirit. That is true of all godly attributes. Righteous feelings generated by a man seem to precede the increase of those feelings from the Spirit. Unless you are feeling love, you cannot convey true love to others. The Lord has told us to love one another as He loves us, so remember: to be loved, truly love.

Sisters, let charity start with ourselves and our sisters in our ward this day.

In Choosing Charity: That Good Part, Bonnie Parkin, October Conference 2003 says:

Do we judge one another? Do we criticize each other for individual choices, thinking we know better, when in fact we rarely understand another’s unique circumstance or individual inspiration? Have we ever said, “She works outside the home.” Or, “Her son didn’t serve a mission.” Or, “She’s too old for a calling.” Or, “She can’t—she’s single.” Such judgments, and so many others like them, rob us of the good part, that pure love of Christ.

We also lose sight of that good part when we compare ourselves to others. Her hair is cuter, my legs are fatter, her children are more talented, or her garden’s more productive—sisters, you know the drill. We just can’t do that. We cannot allow ourselves to feel inadequate by focusing on who we aren’t instead of on who we are! We are all sisters in Relief Society. We simply cannot criticize, gossip, or judge and keep the pure love of Christ. Can’t you hear the Lord’s sweet injunction: “Martha, Martha … ?”

Elder Marvin J. Ashton beautifully observed: “Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other.”

In exercising charity, we come to know a sister’s heart. When we know a sister’s heart, we are different. We won’t judge her. We will simply love her. I invite you to not only love each other more but love each other better.

As we do this we will come to know with a surety that “charity never faileth.”

 ^e

Church Humanitarian Aid, Japanese Church Members Helping People Suffering From Disaster

 

From the church news room, this about our efforts to help the people of Japan. This story is a couple of weeks old so the numbers may be different. Could be a topic of conversation with coworkers or family members. Church Humanitarian Aid, Japanese Church Members Helping People Suffering From Disaster

The Church has provided more than 135,000 pounds of food, water and supplies, 10,000 liters of fuel and 15,000 blankets and is working with the local prefectural governments to coordinate their distribution.

These items are being purchased in Japan and shipped to Sendai and surrounding areas where they are most needed. The blankets have been purchased in China and are now being distributed in Japan.

... 40,000 hours of service...plans to assemble hygiene and cleaning kits...delivering aid by scooters.

Related articles
President Monson: Our hearts go out
Another Church news story: Church Responds to Japan Disaster
Desert News: Jeffrey Holland Media Conference
Donate to the Church Humanitarian fund

e

Serving in the Vineyard: New Opportunities

The church has a new website that lets you serve in many small ways...Vineyard.lds.org .

Tweets:

• Be among the first to share your time and talents on the new church website: http://vineyard.lds.org. #lds #mormon
• 3,700 small and simple things to do on The Vineyard. Visit http://vineyard.lds.org. #lds #mormon
• 2,000 members are currently completing work on the church's new volunteer site. Visit http://vineyard.lds.org to begin. #lds #mormon
• Three minutes equals three completed tasks on The Vineyard. Visit http://vineyard.lds.org to begin today. #lds #mormon

At LDS Media Talk

By simply creating a personal profile, anyone can access a number of tasks such as updating Church publications, media tagging, document translation, and video editing.  The great part about it is that it only takes about 5 minutes to complete one task. All you need is an Internet connection, computer, or web-capable phone to get started.

On Mormon Times

You can also be a part of this awesome beta experiment by registering. Then you click into the opportunities to peruse what’s available. Once you find an activity to start, save it to your workspace and work on it whenever it is convenient. Cool! So go forth into the vineyard and serve.

Yes, go forth and serve. It only takes a few minutes.

e

Guest Blogger: On Unity in RS, from Our Prophet

The October theme for the blog is Prophets, A Sign of the Living Church. And September's theme was on unity and supporting one another in our righteous choices. 

Mary Hood speaks to both themes, in response to the question of "What recent words of our prophets have struck home with you?"

My thoughts will tie in with last month's topic, that of building unity within the Relief Society. 

How can we do this?

In answering this question, I refer to two separate talks recently given by President Monson.

The first is President Monson's talk on charity for the Women's Conference on September 26th, 2010. 

He spoke specifically to us to not back-bite, criticize, or speak ill of one another. 

Can we all work on that? How about focusing on this topic in a Family Home Evening where we, as a family, can work on this together? If we were to slip, our spouse or child can kindly remind us of this goal we should work toward. Wouldn't this be a great way towards building unity in the Relief Society where sisters can feel safe?

Second, in last week's General Conference, President Monson also spoke of being thankful and the Divine Gift of Gratitude. 

While his talk was more focused on giving thanks to the Lord, might I suggest that we show thanks to one another.

Can we acknowledge a good deed? Can we compliment a talent? How hard is it to say, "thank you" or "good job!"? We all have different strengths, abilities, and talents. Can we appreciate each other's gifts? Wouldn't this promote unity among the sisters in the Relief Society? 

Mary Hood

General Relief Society Broadcast

Our RS history teaches us what we should do

We had a nice get-together with the 2nd ward Relief Society before the broadcast began. It was nice to see old friends and hopefully you were able to meet as least one new sister. That is always my goal at such gatherings. The food was good too. Thank you to all who came and contributed.

Watch it here! Broadcast in 82 languages to over 100 countries!!!

Get meeting highlights here.

Now for some thoughts from the speakers...

Sister Julie Beck:
This meeting is a gift to all his daughters who long to know God's mind and will and to understand their responsibilities as Relief Society sisters.

Be watchful, prayerful and inspired...not "silly" women.

Do the essential things everyday - prayer and scripture study.

Know and learn from the history of Relief Society. A new history will be available next year. Our history is valuable because it teaches us principles, purposes and patterns. It elevates and validates the value of women. It demonstrates how we work with the Priesthood brethren.

Sister Allred:
What helps you be steadfast and immovable?
- Knowledge of His love
- Hope of fulfilled blessings
- Knowledge of truth

4 things you can do:
1. Prayer
2. Scripture study
3. Obedience
4. Service

Sister Thompson:
Early sisters of the Relief Society traveled from house to house, moved with compassion, love, mercy, to succor, teach, minister, know and serve. Making a difference.

The beauty of visiting teaching is seeing lives change...having our hearts knit together in love.

To be a better visiting teacher...just LISTEN. Know that it is never "done".

President Monson:
Judge not.

Do no judge another's actions, inaction, words or appearance.

We don't know another's heart or circumstances.

Appearances can be so deceiving.

Charity is the opposite of judging. Charity manifests itself when we are tolerant of others and lenient toward their actions; the kind of charity that forgives; the kind of charity that is patient.

Mother Theresa said, "If you judge people you have no time to love them."

Each one of us is doing the best we can with the challenges that come our way.

e

Hi, my friends! 

We are having our service group meeting.  Can I hear a woot-woot?!?!

Service Group

Wednesday

September 29
11:00 am
@ the church

We will have a pot luck lunch - kids welcome.

Items needed for donation:

• New Infant layette gown or sleeper
• New Receiving blanket
• New Infant booties or socks

If you can't donate anything this time, please come anyway!  We need help assembling the kits.

See you! 

Margie


Photo Credit

Lesson Recap: Righteous Choices and Unity

Based on a talk, Coming Together and Sustaining Each Other in Righteous Choices
By Renata Forste, BYU Women’s Conference 2010. Watch video

Sister Forste starts her talk quoting Paul in 1st Corinthians 1:10

Now I beseech you, [sisters], by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Sister Forste breaks her talk into three parts.

First, she says: Paul admonishes the saints, that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you.

When Paul directed the saints to speak the same thing, I do not believe that he was suggesting that we all think and be the same, but that we speak the same testimony. It is our testimony of Jesus Christ and the restoration that is the same—that is what unites us.

I was a graduate student at the University of Chicago back in the late 1980s, early 1990s. Mike and I lived in student housing on the south side of Chicago and attended the Hyde Park Ward. My first visiting teaching companion was Sister Cathy Stokes. She was the Relief Society president and a long-time south side resident. One of the first things Cathy had to teach me was how to parallel park!

Later, my companion was Sister Nancy Johnson, a new convert to the church. I remember sitting with Nancy in the humble home of Sister Susan Walker as we visit taught her. Susan was an older, very gracious woman and had grown up in the South during segregation.

Both my companion and sister Walker were African American, older, single sisters with whom – at least demographically—I had very little in common. Yet, as we sat and shared testimony of Joseph Smith and the restoration, I felt very close to these sisters. We spoke the same thing – the same spiritual language. I loved them, and I knew that they loved me.

In contrast, I didn’t feel the same connection with my fellow students at the university—even though we were very similar in terms of race, age, education, and socio-economic background.

We didn’t share or speak the same faith and testimony.

Sister Forste says: As covenant women, we come from all walks of life, all ages, marital statuses, incomes, education levels, race and ethnic backgrounds—but together, we speak the same simple testimony, we comfort each other and sustain each other in our mutual faith. Our testimony of Jesus Christ crosses all boundaries—political, racial, economic, and national. We are the same, as covenant daughters of God. That doesn’t mean we are the same in all of our life decisions, or even in how we live the principles of the gospel. Lord wants us all to return to him, but not in a straight line—meaning that the Lord doesn’t expect us to all be exactly alike.

We should come together as one.

To illustrate, here is a page from a phone book.

By itself, it is very weak and easy to tear. But on the Discovery Channel it was shown that if you interlock the pages from a phone book with those of another book it is almost impossible to separate the two books. On Myth Busters they drilled holes and put brackets and chains to secure the ends of the two interlocked books.

Amazingly it took 8000 pounds of pressure to pull the books apart!

This interlocking is similar to the command Alma gave the priests he ordained to minister to the people at the waters of Mormon: And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.

Sister Forste says: Now think about the force of millions of Relief Society sisters from all over the world, perfectly joined together—their hearts knit together in unity. To be perfectly joined together—we are unstoppable. Satan won’t have Sheridan tanks big enough to pull us apart.

So how do we then become perfectly joined together?

Sister Forste explained: This is the second part of what Paul asked us to do.

She says to be perfectly joined together in the same mind, means that we willingly conform (or sustain each other) in humility. We become one in the body of Christ and if one member suffers, we suffer with them. If one member is honored, we rejoice with them.

Elder Pace, in an Ensign address said:

I am convinced that when we obtain a witness of who we really are and possess healthy feelings of self-worth because of it, our joy in the accomplishments of others is magnified. When that joy is felt, we should share it.

Being humble and rejoicing in the accomplishments of others does not mean we should lack confidence in ourselves.

One woman writer, in her article, Why Can’t Women Get Along?, noted that...

...secretly, we all have ideas of what the perfect woman is like; and when we see another woman possibly attaining even one of these attributes, outcome the claws.

But, she asks, is it jealousy of each other or a lack of confidence in ourselves?

She relates the story of talking with a couple of her friends about the perfect woman—each describing what they thought the perfect woman was like. What she realized was that they were each describing someone the complete opposite of themselves.

She said it’s us!

It’s not about what some other woman has that is stopping us from getting along with them. It’s what we feel we don’t have that is getting in the way.

She writes: What women need to learn is how to truly appreciate themselves for who they are and what makes them truly beautiful. Until we get there, we’ll never get to appreciating each other and building real friendships among ourselves.

In his talk, The Other Prodigal, Elder Holland said:

Who is it that whispers so subtly in our ear that a gift given to another somehow diminishes the blessings we have received?

Who makes us feel that if God is smiling on another, then He surely must somehow be frowning on us?

You and I both know who does this—it is the father of all lies.

It is Lucifer, our common enemy, whose cry down through the corridors of time is always and to everyone, “Give me thine honor.”

. . . As others seem to grow larger in our sight, we think we must therefore be smaller. So, unfortunately, we occasionally act that way.

Finally, Paul instructs us to be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

To illustrate this, Sister Forste shares a very personal story.

Everyone who interviews for a faculty position at BYU has an interview with a general authority of the church. Over fifteen years ago in my interview, I raised the question about me, a mother, being employed at BYU. The general authority who interviewed me did two very important things. First, he reaffirmed the principles laid out in the Proclamation on the Family. Then he said, “You and your husband need to pray to Father in Heaven and decide what is best for your kingdom – that is your family.” And then he said, “I am happy to recommend you to teach at BYU.”

I came away from that experience with a testimony that we each must individually keep the commandments. As we are obedient, keep our covenants, pray and read the scriptures—we will receive personal revelation regarding how we, individually, should apply the principles of the gospel in our lives.

Remember sisters’ it is the friction or tension between the phone book pages that creates a force that holds the pages together.

As sisters in the gospel, our uniqueness as individuals can be a force binding us together or, can create contention that eventually pulls us apart. Being of the same mind does not mean we all make the exact same choices, but it does mean that we sustain each other in our decisions as individuals.

As covenant women, we should be as the Nephites after the coming of Christ as recorded in 4th Nephi, among whom there were not any manner of –ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God… and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.

We may not have it all together but together we have it all!

I love the sisters who are young and just joining us in Relief Society as they bring a fresh perspective to me and my testimony.

I love the sisters who are older and have substantial life experience. They testify that even in the darkest hour of our trials, “this too shall pass.” Their examples help me keep anchored in the Lord.

I love the sisters who worry over everything; it reminds me that only the Savior can bring peace in my life so I will go to my knees more often. My Grandpa used to say “worrying is like a rocking chair, you can do it all day and never get anywhere.”

I love the sisters who have raised children who have stayed true to the faith because they give me hope as I look at my children. They also give me ideas that I can use in my own home.

I love the sisters whose children are wayward, because they know and testify that the covenant will follow after these children and the Lord will bring about miracles in our lives. These Sisters get life experiences that our Heavenly Father has all the time.

I love the sisters who think they have perfect children because it reminds me to relax and know that image is not everything.

I love the sisters who have children that are wild and run all over. They remind me of the time my children were little and the sweet experiences I gained pouring out my heart to the Lord expressing feelings of inadequacy. He was with me during this time.

I love the sisters who don’t have children because they have taken the time to help me raise my children. I get to know mine, and have helped me to riven my children experiences that I have not. In our ward we have a couple of these wonderful couples and my boys love to spend time with them.

I love the sisters who have judged me; they remind me how it feels to be judged and that forgiveness is action not a thought.

I love the sisters who have forgiven me when I have judged them. They allow me to go back to the basics, feel sorry, say sorry and do better.

I love the sisters who feel they are obligated to speak their mind.

I love the sisters who forgive me when I speak my mind.

I love the sisters who have lost someone they dearly love; they understand when I cry over my losses and they testify to me that I will see my loved ones again. Through the sharing of their testimony, mine testimony is strengthened.

I love the sisters whose sing beautifully they bring a special spirit to our meetings that I really cannot.

I love the sisters who work outside of the home as they bring knowledge to our meetings and help to bridge a gap to the world that some of us don’t experience.

I love the sisters that serve me. They understand the true meaning of the pure love of Christ and seek to live His Gospel.

I love the sisters that allow me to serve them. Because of that service I am able to forget the problems in my life and allow the Savior to carry the burden and focus on the way he would have me live.

I love the sisters that are confident in the Lord. They have been bathed in the Atonement and know the sweet fruit therein. When Satan tries to remind them of their past, they boldly remind him of his future.

These are the sisters of our ward. I love you. Your Heavenly Father loves you; he testified that to me this past week.

I saw so many of your faces as I wrote these words.

We are the yellow pages unique in our lives, experiences, and application but we all have favor in our Heavenly Father's sight.

Please take time to learn this, know this, and treat yourself and your sister like the precious daughters of God you are.

Charity

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4th Purpose of the Church?

In the upcoming handbook, caring for the poor and the needy will be stated as one of the church's purposes, along with its well-recognized, three-fold mission statement.

"Caring for the poor and needy has always been a basic tenet of the Church," said LDS Church spokesman Scott Trotter. "The language reference is simply a description of the purposes of the church to be included in the next edition of the Church Handbook."

The first three are well-known:

• To proclaim the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to every nation, kindred, tongue and people.
  
• To perfect the Saints by preparing them to receive the ordinances of the gospel and by instruction and discipline to gain exaltation.
  
• To redeem the dead by performing vicarious ordinances of the gospel for those who have lived on the earth.

The fourth is...caring for the poor and needy.

References:
MormonTimes article,  LDS to boost emphasis on helping the needy
Keepapitchin' article,  Origin of the “Threefold Mission of the Church” Statement

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Thanks to All

Thanks to all who pitched in this last week to help Blakes pack and clean, and make trips to their storage shed and Goodwill. I can imagine them echoing the words of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s sonnet #44.

I thank all who have loved me in their hearts, 

With thanks and love from mine.

Deep thanks to all 

Who paused a little near the prison-wall

To hear my music in its louder parts 

Ere they went onward, each one to the mart's 

Or temple’s occupation, beyond call.

I know I learned a lot about love, charity, and “pure religion undefiled” from you all. What we learned in Sacrament meeting last week was put into action.

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Compassionate Service Meals

Often to show our love and kindness we volunteer or ask to help take a meal to a family in need.

Here are some tips to remember when providing a meal, courtesy of Mormon Times, Putting Care into Compassionate Service. (See the recipe for Turkey casserole too.)

• Be prompt and reliable when it comes to bringing in meals. Don't delay or forget.

• Do your homework on the family or individuals you are attempting to serve. Find out how many are in the household, who has strong likes and dislikes, who has allergies to what. ·

• Keep it clean. This is not the time to taste the soup or sneeze on the salad. Don't let little Johnny taste the spaghetti or poke the cake.

• Keep it simple and recognizable. A fancy French dinner is less likely to please than something familiar and comforting like a roast and potatoes.

• Make it easy. Put the dinner in disposable containers that don't need to be returned.

• Deliver instructions with the meals. How long does it need to cook and at what temperature? Is there ice cream in the dessert that needs to stay frozen? 

Related article: Freezer Meals Are Frozen Assets

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Donations Needed in May

Apryl Martin is collecting the following items for members of the Philadelphia Ward in the city. Please call her and drop your donations by at her house.

Jan – Coats, hats, gloves, scarves, boots for all sizes
Feb – Pants, sweaters, winter skirts, winter dresses for all sizes
Mar – All sizes children’s
April – All sizes men’s pants, shirts, ties, suits, shoes, socks, etc.
May – All sizes women’s pants, dresses, skirts, blouses, suits, shoes, etc.
Jun – Furniture and Appliances
Jul – All teenage boys
Aug – All teenage girls
Sep – All children’s
Oct – Coats, hats, gloves, scarves, boots for all sizes
Nov – Pants, sweaters, winter skirts, winter dresses for all sizes
Dec – Used bicycles, rollerblades, skateboards, basketballs, baseball bats, footballs, tennis rackets, etc. (all used sporting equipment) and used computers, calculators, etc.

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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.

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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)

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Hey, We're Famous!

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

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
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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
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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