Discipleship: Visiting Teaching

Today after sharing cookies with and singing to our June birthday sisters we had the opportunity to hear from Bishop Kim. He reminded us that Jesus our Savior  asked Peter to feed His sheep. He asked Peter 3 times if he loved Him to emphasize that if we truly love Jesus, then we will care and watch over His children. We may feel that we hear over and over again to do our visiting teaching, but sometimes like Peter we need to be asked more than once. Our message today was that ministering to our fellow sisters in the ward is a true calling to feed His sheep that the Lord has extended to us. There is no one who can take our place in fulfilling the Savior's beckoning to visit the sisters who we have been . The bishop reminded us that we are the Lord's eyes as we help the Bishop know what is going on with our ward members; he can't minister to all without our help, just as Jesus needs us to go and do what He would if He were physically here among us.

Bishop shared an experience from early in his marriage. He and his wife hadn't had a chance to find an apartment and the day was coming very soon that they had to move. He and his wife planned to go apartment hunting that night, when his home teaching companion called to remind him of their appointment for that night. Bishop recalled that he had a choice to make - to find an apartment for himself and his wife, or to go home teaching. He chose to fulfill his assignment and go home teaching. He was assigned to visit the ward bishop. During the visit the bishop shared that he was looking for someone to rent an apartment of his near BYU and for a cheap price. Bishop shared that he believes he was blessed for making the right decision. Bishop Kim bore his testimony that home teaching and visiting teaching blesses our lives and the lives of others. 

Bishop also shared about how it's not just important to do our visits, but to do it well. He recalls how his young family of children some years later didn't enjoy being home taught very much. They weren't interested and didn't really want to listen to the home teachers' lessons. Things changed when a new brother in the ward was assigned to visit them. The brother involved the children in the lessons and brought a gallon of ice cream on the kids' birthdays. The kids felt this man's interest in them and things changed for the kids. Ever since that time they enjoyed the home teachers' visits. When we show a genuine interest in those we visit it enriches their lives and our lives.

We all can become better visiting teachers.

Sister Liza Blank in our Relief Society Presidency shared that there are a lot of sisters that need help. Visiting teaching is a TRUE principle. 

We received this handout from our lovely presidency:

The way I see it is that either the Lord asked us to visit teach, or he did not. Either the Lords has spoken through His prophet that the He would have us minister to those in the ward through visiting teaching, or he has not. Either visiting teaching is what Jesus would have us do or it is not. I believe that it is and that He did. And if so, who am I not to fulfill the Lord's desire and request of me? Faithfully striving to fulfill our assignments is a reflection of our testimony and conversion.

Thanks for reading the blog and feel free to comment.

Come Unto Him

Today Sister Kate Livingstone blessed us with a wonderful lesson in Relief Society about President Eyring's talk"Come to Me."  This talk was given during April 2013 General Conference. Here we will share some quotes from the talk and an outline we made in class. 

"By His words and His example, Christ has shown us how to draw closer to Him"

Quotes from "Come Unto Me" President Eyring

HE INVITES US: This is His Church. We take His name upon us as we enter His kingdom. He is God, the Creator, and perfect. We are mortals subject to death and sin. Yet in His love for us and our families, He invites us to be close to Him. Here are His words: “Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

Class Notes

-we need to take a step in faith and Christ will reach out

-invite others to take a step

-if we need kindness show it first to others and we will feel the Saviors love

-leave the past in the past and move forward. The Savior will be there with open arms.

-have faith to put the Lord first

OBEDIENCE TO THE COMMANDMENTS: Attending a sacrament meeting: I experienced the joy of coming closer to the Savior and of His coming closer to me most often through simple acts of obedience to the commandments.

You have had such experiences. It may have been when you chose to attend a sacrament meeting. It was for me on a Sabbath when I was very young. In those days we received the sacrament during an evening meeting. The memory of one day more than 65 years ago, when I kept the commandment to gather with my family and with the Saints, still draws me closer to the Savior.

It was dark and cold outside. I remember feeling light and warmth in the chapel that evening with my parents. We partook of the sacrament, administered by Aaronic Priesthood holders, covenanting with our Heavenly Father to always remember His Son and keep His commandments.

At the end of the meeting we sang the hymn “Abide with Me; ’Tis Eventide,” with the words in it “O Savior, stay this night with me.”3

I felt the Savior’s love and closeness that evening. And I felt the comfort of the Holy Ghost.

Class Notes:

-keep the commandments

-attend sacrament meeting

-keep the word of wisdom

SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES:I wanted to rekindle once again the feelings of the love of the Savior and His closeness I felt during that sacrament meeting in my youth. So recently I kept another commandment. I searched in the scriptures. In them, I knew I could go back again to have the Holy Ghost let me feel what two disciples of the risen Lord had felt when He accepted their invitation to come into their home and to abide with them.

I read of the third day after His Crucifixion and burial. Faithful women and others found the stone rolled away from the tomb and saw that His body was not there. They had come out of love for Him to anoint His body.

Two angels stood by and asked why they were afraid, saying:

“Why seek ye the living among the dead?

“He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

“Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”4

The Gospel of Mark adds the direction from one of the angels: “But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.

The Apostles and disciples had gathered in Jerusalem. As we might have been, they were afraid and wondered as they spoke together about what death and reports of His being resurrected meant for them.

Two of the disciples walked that afternoon from Jerusalem on the road to Emmaus. The resurrected Christ appeared on the road and walked with them. The Lord had come to them.

Class Notes

-search the scriptures

-music

SURRENDER & REPENT: “Indifference to the Savior or failure to keep the commandments of God brings about insecurity, inner turmoil, and contention. These are the opposite of peace. Peace can come to an individual only by an unconditional surrender—surrender to him who is the Prince of Peace, who has power to confer peace. One may live in beautiful and peaceful surroundings but, because of inner dissension and discord, be in a state of constant turmoil. On the other hand, one may be in the midst of utter destruction and the bloodshed of war and yet have the serenity of unspeakable peace. If we look to man and the ways of the world, we will find turmoil and confusion. If we will but turn to God, we will find peace for the restless soul."

When we face stormy seas and high winds, we may be tempted to ask, “Carest thou not that [I] perish?” (Mark 4:38). We know that the Savior has power to calm our storms, but sometimes He calms our souls instead. As the hymn says, “He answers privately.”

(Elder Paul V. Johnson)

BE WITNESSES: We are under covenant both to lift up those in need and to be witnesses of the Savior as long as we live.

We will be able to do it without fail only as we feel love for the Savior and His love for us. As we are faithful to the promises we have made, we will feel our love for Him. It will increase because we will feel His power and His drawing near to us in His service.

President Thomas S. Monson has reminded us often of the promise of the Lord to His faithful disciples: “And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.”

Class Note
-be worthy

DEVOTED SERVICE: 

There is another way you and I have felt Him grow closer to us. As we give devoted service to Him, He draws closer to those we love in our families. Every time I have been called in the Lord’s service to move or to leave my family, I have come to see that the Lord was blessing my wife and my children. He prepared loving servants of His and opportunities to draw my family closer to Him.

You have felt that same blessing in your lives. Many of you have loved ones who are wandering off the path to eternal life. You wonder what more you can do to bring them back. You can depend on the Lord to draw closer to them as you serve Him in faith.

There is a glorious homecoming prepared for us. We will then see fulfilled the promise of the Lord we have loved. It is He who welcomes us into eternal life with Him and our Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ described it this way:

“Seek to bring forth and establish my Zion. Keep my commandments in all things.

“And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.”

“For those that live shall inherit the earth, and those that die shall rest from all their labors, and their works shall follow them; and they shall receive a crown in the mansions of my Father, which I have prepared for them.”

I testify that we can by the Spirit follow the invitation of Heavenly Father: “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!”

By His words and His example, Christ has shown us how to draw closer to Him. Every child of Heavenly Father who has chosen to enter through the gate of baptism into His Church will have the opportunity in this life to be taught His gospel and to hear from His called servants His invitation, “Come unto me.”
Class Notes

-accept your callings

-do what the Lord has asked and your family and loved ones will be watched over

The outline we created during the lesson:

WAYS TO DRAW CLOSER TO HIM

1. HE INVITES US- reach back, invite others

2. OBEDIENCE TO THE COMMANDMENTS- attend church meetings, keep word of wisdom, search the scriptures

3. INVITING THE SPIRIT- prayer, music

4. SURREND & REPENT

5. BE WITNESSES- be worthy

6. DEVOTED SERVICE- Lord will watch over our loved ones

Tithing - a Law for our Protection and Advancement

Happy fathers day!

Today sister Jenya Stroh taught our lesson from the Teachings of the President Lorenzo Snow,  Lesson 12  - Tithing, a Law for our Protection and Advancement.

Jenya's favorite quote from the lesson is:

"Tithing is not a difficult law..."

Tithing is simple to understand. If you earn $100, you give $10. You can choose to give it today. It can be this simple if we are determined to obey; we can be perfect tithe payers :) Lacy pointed out that it's good to know there is at least one thing we can be perfect at!

President Snow traveled to visit the saints in Saint George in 1899 to give this message to the saints:

"The word of the Lord to you is not anything new; it is simply this: THE TIME HAS NOW COME FOR EVERY LATTER-DAY SAINT, WHO CALCULATES TO BE PREPARED FOR THE FUTURE AND TO HOLD HIS FEET STRONG UPON A PROPER FOUNDATION, TO DO THE WILL OF THE LORD AND TO PAY HIS TITHING IN FULL." 

He later said, “I never had a more perfect revelation,” he later said, “than [the revelation] I received on this subject of tithing.”

We talked about how the church is in fantastic financial standing and that we have been able to purchase lands and build temples with no debt thanks to all the faithful tithe payers. Tithing is a law that brings spiritual and temporal blessings.

Here is a quick jot of out class comments:

Church is growing, self insured, and ~170 planned/operating temples because of tithing.

Without tithing, can't receive the blessings of the temple because the church wouldn't be able to build temples.

Easy to understand - It is an easy law that we can be Perfect in following because it is simple

Never hear of anyone going in to debt because of tithing. There are always miracles that follow

Giving makes you richer, data shows it. People who make money a priority seem to be worse at keeping it. Those who aren't so focused on money are better at keeping it and bring smarter with it.

Amazing thing about tithing is that you can go to the bishop and ask for help. The gospel will take care of you (bishop note: don't necessarily need to pay tithing for help in certain situations)

Used to build stake centers through member work. Used to have ward budgets. Used to fundraise for temples. Evolved so that members know if we pay our tithing, we'll be blessed and temples, stake centers will be built for us.

Utah is the most charitable state. Ranked as one of the lowest incomes, but gives so much more

God does not care about the amount, just where our heart is and our intentions

Easy law to keep up, hard law to postpone. There are consequences.

Once you stop paying tithing, then it is easier to stop doing the next thing. It only takes a little effort for tithing, and if you stop that, then it's easier to stop the harder ones

So much harder when you start saving it up instead of paying it every time you gain, then it's easier than that bigger lump sum

Much bigger taxes nowadays, but if stay faithful with tithes and fast offerings, then can have peace that you'll be taken care of by the Lord

There is no debt with tithing. Don't have to pay back what you missed, just start over and pay full tithe. You will be forgiven

Build ourselves up by focusing on tithing and it being a simple law that we can follow. And keep Satan's influence away.

Broken into house over break. Only thing they took was little sister's tithing envelope. Ward helped out little girl and donated money to her so she could pay her tithing.

We hope if we missed you this week you can come next week <3 

New RS Presidency and Relief Society Moto

Today we had the privledge to hear from our new Relief Society Presidency. They are sister Lacee Jiminez, President, with sisters Shelly Butler and Liza Blank as counselors and sister Cassidy Tuttle as secretary.

They are very eager to learn each of our names, though this will take some time! We (each sister) all stood and said our name and favorite treat. Then a basket of candy went around the room to satisfy our cravings after hearing about 30 different desserts :) We all have something in common - we like treats (even though many of us like different kinds of food - sweet, salty, even avacados was mentioned). 

Lacee and Shelley gave their testimonies.

This is what Lacee would like to share with you: "The lesson today was on the RS motto and theme. Therein are some amazing statements that teach us to be a little better and a little kinder. To work a little more steadily. I just wanted to bear my testimony that as we strive each day to do these things, no matter how small. The Lord helps our worldliness drop off piece by piece. If we choose to let go of things that hold us back or bring us down. That is when we truly become converted. It is just as the man in the scriptures when he asks Jesus Christ "help though my unbelief" we all have things that we have a hard time believing but the savior can help us if we choose to let him. Let us all learn to serve and help each other as we know we should. In order to be unified we need to start by knowing people's names, then visiting them and saying hello to them in the store. Lets start on this journey together, I know we can do it, if we all strive to do it together."

Shelly would like to share this with you: 


"Because of His love for us, Heavenly Father teaches us how to be happy. He then provides a way for us to do what he has asked of us. The same is true for us now as it was for those of old. We can choose to follow Him so we can be happy. Jesus Christ is our Savior. He is the way. He loves each of us. And so He teaches us. Heavenly Father has provided for our success. Through being involved in the Church and seeking the fellowship and strengthening of each other, His spirit will increase in our lives and we will be strengthened. There are means provided in the Church to help us keep the commandments. As we do so, we are strengthened to overcome our challenges. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. I say that in His holy name, even Jesus Christ, Amen."

We then broke out into groups to talk about some of the purposes and blessings of Relief Society which are listed on this book mark we all recieved:

We also got the following bookmark:

If you doubt the potential strength and value of RS in your life, try reading this talk by sister Sylvia Allred, first counselor in the General RS Presidency. You can also ask those you love who have been in RS for many years how they have seen their lives blessed for being a part of RS.

Although Young Womens was a good place to be when we were girls, now as women we are blessed as we stick together and love each other. Meeting together as sisters has been a wonderful blessing in my life and has strengthened my testimony greatly. If we did not see you this week in RS, we want to see you next week - come be happy together with us!

Priesthood Power as a Blessing in our Lives

Sunday, June 2nd marked Sister Healther Thompsan's last lesson as Releief Society President of our ward. Heather has loved and cared for us all and has been a wonderful servant of the Lord.

Heather left a link on our ward RS Facebook Group to a lovely blog post about her time as our president. Read it here. We will miss her, but are happy that she and her husband will be moving into a new home and starting a new chapter of their life together. 

Her lesson focused on how the priesthood blesses our lives.
She said:
Since it is June, and Father’s Day I wanted our lesson to be about something to do with the men in our lives. But then that didn’t feel quite so right. So instead we are going to talk about the priesthood in our lives and our marriages. However—and this is very important—the priesthood and the men are two completely separate things. I want to talk about how we can use the power of the priesthood to bless our marriages and how it can be one of the spiritual landmarks so we do not wander or despair that we are lost.

President Uchdorf's First Presidency Message for June says,
If you want something to last forever you treat it differently. You shield it and protect it. You never abuse it. You don’t expose it to the elements. You don’t make it common or ordinary. If it ever becomes tarnished you lovingly polish it until it gleams like new. It becomes special because you have made it so, and it grows more beautiful and precious as time goes by.” —F. Burton Howard.

They made it across the Ocean, and then across the plains to the North Platte River where they met the blizzard of 1856. George Paddley spent most of the day in the river helping the people of his company dodge huge chunks of ice as they tried to get to the other side and continue their journey to Salt Lake. He got chilled and came down with hypothermia but he recovered and went on to Martin’s Cove—another 150 to 160 miles. There the terrible conditions overcame him and he gave up his mortal life. 

They dug trenches in the snow to bury the dead because the ground was too frozen. They did the best they could with the bodies. You can read about the snapping and growling of the wolves as they fought over and carried off the bodies. Sarah didn’t want George to be eaten by the wolves. She took what was probably one of the only things she had to stay warm, her shawl, and asked the brethren to wrap him in it and hang his body in the trees. When she got to Salt Lake and learned that in the spring the brethren were going back to retrieve supplies left behind she asked them to find George’s body and give him a proper burial. But, when they went back to Martin’s Cove the only thing they found was the shawl. They brought it back to her and her family has it still today.

“Without spiritual landmarks, mankind wanders. Without the word of God, we walk in circles. The instructions given at general conference are another landmark that can help us know if we are on course. Maybe while you were listening or reading, you jotted down a note or two. Perhaps you made a commitment to do some things better or differently. Just think about the messages of last general conference. Many encouraged us to strengthen our families and improve our marriages. Are we noting and applying this worthwhile counsel? Are we recognizing and walking toward these real and valuable landmarks? Spiritual landmarks are indispensable for keeping us on the straight and narrow path. They give clear direction as to the way we should travel—but only if we recognize them and walk toward them. In this way, we will not wander in circles but walk with confidence and certainty toward that great heavenly blessing that is the birthright of all who walk in the straight and narrow way of Christ’s discipleship.”

The Priesthood is the power and authority given to act in God's name for the salvation and blessing of His children.

Elder Oaks 2005

Priesthood authority function in both the family and the Church. The priesthood is the power of God used to bless all of His children, male and female. Some of our abbreviated expressions, like “the women and the priesthood,” convey an erroneous idea. Men are not “the priesthood.” Priesthood meeting is a meeting of those who hold and exercise the priesthood. The blessings of the priesthood, such as baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, the temple endowment, and eternal marriage, are available to men and women alike. The authority of the priesthood functions in the family and in the Church according to the principles the Lord has established.”

What are ways that we can treat our marriages and the priesthood more special in our lives?

Elder Oaks said, “The family proclamation gives this beautiful explanation of the relationship between a husband and a wife: While they have separate responsibilities, “in these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners.”

The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles seems like the ultimate example of how to use the priesthood well and have a good example for our marriages to follow after. Here are quotes three of them state as how they work together in their marriage as partners.

Virginia Lee Perry (1947-1974, her death),

in the words of her husband, L. Tom Perry

“There’s no way that you can compensate for that balance of a companion aiding you in the assignment you’re given. The combination of husband and wife working together is more than one and one makes two; it grows in geometric proportions as she magnifies you and your assignment.”

Robert D. Hales

“Mary has never held me back. We follow the Quaker proverb ‘Thee lift me and I’ll lift thee, and we will ascend together.’ A lot of what we have done would not have happened without a team relationship. We always have been a team and always will be. I think listening to my wife, next to listening to the Holy Ghost, has been the most important influence in my life.”

David A. Bednar

Many years ago, Sister Bednar and I were busy trying to meet the countless competing demands of a young and energetic family—and of Church, career, and community responsibilities. One evening after the children were asleep, we talked at length about how effectively we were attending to all of our important priorities. We realized that we would not receive the promised blessings in eternity if we did not honor more fully the covenant we had made in mortality. We resolved together to do and to be better as a husband and a wife. That lesson learned so many years ago has made a tremendous difference in our marriage.

When we work together and have the same landmarks we will be able to have the spirit guide us.

When President James E. Faust heard this story he called it the greatest love story of our time. Sarah and George were in their early 20’s. They met because some missionaries came to England to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. They were each baptized, they attended church, met and fell in love. The wanted to be married. They had been taught about the temple and the sealing ordinances they could receive there. They chose to come to America, to Utah, to be married and sealed in the Endowment House for all eternity. 

When President Faust heard about this story he gave special permission for Sarah and George to be sealed for all eternity. (source: http://lakemeadtrek.blogspot.com/2011/07/sarah-anne-franks-george-paddley.html)

It is incredible that these two endured so much because of their testimony of the priesthood. And it is all worth it! Even after 150 years their love is able to continue because of the restored power of the priesthood. We can overcome everything that life throws at us if we rely on the priesthood to strengthen and sustain us as a couple. No matter where we are in our marriages—newly married and blissful, down the road a few years and struggling, or married for 30 years with a realistic view on life, and whether with active priesthood holders in our home or those who aren't as active—we can all be blessed by the power of the priesthood as we study, revere, and seek opportunities to have it in our lives.