Lesson Re-cap

 The Kingdom Of God Moves Forward

Lesson #20

Cherie Call 

"It is the business of those who profess to be engaged in (God's) work to move on, to go forward...so long as there remains a step forward to be taken, that step should be taken."

The Lesson talked about President Snow. Each time the presidents of the church died, He felt reassured that the church would move forward. However when it Wilford Woodruff became ill, President Snow needed that reassurance. He prayed for Wilford Woodruff's life to be spared, but promised he would serve faithfully, if that was asked of him. 

President Woodruff died shortly after that. President Snow Again went to the private room to pray. He acknowledged his feelings of inadequacies, but expressed his willingness to do the Lord's will. He asked for guidance, and waited for a while. Feeling nothing, he left the room. His told his granddaughter Alice Pond about what happened next. Alice recorded it "In the large corridor leading into the celestial room, I was walking several steps ahead of grandpa when he stopped me and said: wait a moment, Allie, I want to tell you something. It was right here that the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to me at the time of the death of President Woodruff. He instructed me to go right ahead and reorganize the first presidency of the church at once and not wait as had been done after the death of the previous presidents, and that I was to succeed President Woodruff. 

We talked about how President Snow was "changed" to be able to be in the presence of the savior. He needed this, to be able to know what needed to happen in the church after President Woodruff died. We need to seek for confirmation from the Lord during leadership changes, so that we can serve our leaders without hesitation.

Sister Call ended by saying "Were involved in amazing changes and church moving forward. its our job to proclaim truth regardless of our personal righteousness. we must have faith in God and move forward."

Super Saturday!

Family History Super Saturday!

 When: Saturday, November 9th 

Time: 10:00 A.M.-1 P.M. 

Where: Stake Center 

What: Photo Book 101 

class time 11:20-12:00 P.M.

(If you want to do a photo book go to mixbook.com and set up an account prior to Saturday)

 Family History 101 

class time 10:30-11:10 A.M. 

 Nest Necklace craft 

cost:$3.00 with chain $2.00 without chain

 Clothes pin nativity 

craft cost: $1.00

 Lunch will be from 12:15-1:00

 -Money for crafts due by Sunday, November 3rd

 -See Wendy Lawrence to sign-up if you have't already

With conference coming up, this can be a great missionary opportunity. Think of someone who can benefit from conference and open your home to them for at least one session. We will discuss some of your experiences for the RS lesson on the 13th of this month! For those in primary and young women if you would like to share please email me your experience! Hope all of you are well and can not wait to see you soon! Best Wishes, -- Kimberly Kersh

Lesson Recap Teachings of the prophet Lorenzo snow chapter 17: Priesthood "for the salvation of the human family."

Hello everyone! I just got set apart to be the new relief society information specialist. I will attempt to serve as Ably as Kim, though that might take years for me to master. Thanks Kim for your service in this capacity. Kim Kersh taught lesson 17. She shared with us the story of Lorenzo Snow's mission to Italy and his service to the "Waldenses." He felt inspired to teach them about the gospel but knew he had to wait for a time because of some anti-LDS literature that had been distributed among them. After much patience he had the opportunity to give a priesthood blessing to a little 3 year old boy named Joseph Guy. this blessing saved his life and opened doors for president Snow and his companion to preach the gospel in that area of the country. We also talked about women's role in the priesthood. Some of the thoughts shared about our roles were; to support husbands and encourage them to fulfill their responsibilities. To teach our children about the Priesthood. We, as women, work under the direction of the priesthood and we should help each other and support each other in callings. We should encourage priesthood leaders to live righteously. And encourage and give the younger generations opportunities to use their priesthood.

Finale!

Dear Sisters,

It has been a pleasure to serve under this calling.  I have loved every minute of it.  I have learned so much about the church, how to blog, and how to study the gospel online.  The new author will be great and I am sure she will love this calling just as much.  We are working out some kinks in changing over the author privileges from me to her and so we ask for your patience.

Thank you so much for allowing me to serve in this capacity.

Recap from Sunday Lesson:

Chapter 16 

"That We May Become One"

“Should there not be union in the family? ...Most assuredly there should…And in this matter the father…And the wife should make herself just as perfect as a woman can possibly do in this life.  And then they are prepared to make their children just as perfect as they are willing and are capable of being made perfect.  The wife should never in the presence of her children speak disrespectfully of her husband.  If she thinks her husband has done wrong (he might have done), she should never speak of it in the presence of her children.  She should take him out of the presence of her children and there tell him of his faults, in a pleasant way, but never in the presence of the children speak disrespectfully of the father.  And the father the same.  He has no right to speak disrespectfully of his wife in the presence of her children.  

And I pray God to give the husband and wife the spirit and the understanding to correct themselves in such matters.  I know that a great many of the difficulties that no appear, and the disrespect that we find in reference to the Priesthood, among young people, arises from this fact, that there have been difficulties in the home circle and there has been disrespect expressed in their presence, of the father by the mother, or of the mother by the father.  Now, I know these things are so.”

Follow the Prophet- he will lead you home!

On May 5, 2013 Elder Walker of the Quorum of the Seventy spoke in Rexburg during a CES Fireside.  During his talk he spoke of 5 ways individuals can follow the Savior by following the teachings of President Monson.

“President Monson has taught us the way to live our lives with his wonderful and inspiring messages at general conference,” he said.  “He ahs taught us how to be followers of Jesus Christ by his remarkable and wonderful personal example.  Truly, the Lord has given us  a pattern in all things, and one of the patterns that we should seek to follow is that of our beloved prophet.”  Elder Walker

1.     We can be positive, and we can be happy.

“We can choose to have a positive attitude.  We can’t direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.  In other words, we can choose to be happy and positive, regardless of what comes our way,”  President Monson

Remembering a time he was sitting outside the First Presidency’s boardroom waiting for a meeting he was invited to attend, Elder Walker recalled hearing a whistle coming from an unknown source around the corner.

“I thought to myself, ‘Someone doesn’t understand proper protocol. You don’t go walking around whistling outside the office of the President of the Church,’” he recalled.

A moment later, he saw the whistler walk around the corner; it was President Monson.

“He was happy, and he was positive,” he said. “He greeted me warmly.  … Even with the weight of the whole Church on his shoulders, he is an example of happiness and he always has a positive attitude. We should be that way.”

2.   Like President Monson, we can be kind and loving toward children.

Sharing his experiences of traveling with President Monson to different temple dedications, Elder Walker said that the prophet loves to include children in cornerstone ceremonies.

“He makes it fun for them,” he said. “He makes it memorable for them. He always has a big smile for them. He encourages and commends them. … His warm greetings to the children include high fives, wiggling of his ears, and encouragement to serve missions and marry in the temple. He really enjoys life—and shouldn’t we all.”

Christ set the perfect example of loving little children, and President Monson follows that supreme example by loving little children.

3.  We can follow the promptings of the Spirit, like President Monson.

“The sweetest experience I now in life is to feel a promptings and act upon it, and later find out that it was the fulfillment of someone’s prayer or someone’s need.  And I always want the Lord to know that if He needs an errand run, Tom Monson will run that errand for Him.  That is a pattern that each of us should want to follow”  President Monson

4.  We can love the temple, as President Monson loves the temple.

“May each of us live worthy lives, with clean hands and pure hearts, so that the temple may touch our lives and our families.”  President Monson

“I’ve heard President Monson tell young people who were too young to enter the temple to go up and touch the wall of the temple and then ‘let the temple touch you,’” Elder Walker said.  President Monson has promised that as Church members love and attend the temple, their lives will reflect their faith and they will be able to bear every trial and overcome each temptation.

“Let us follow the pattern that the prophet has set for us in loving the temple,” Elder Walker said.

5.  We can be kind and considerate and love others, as President Monson does.

 “President Monson is a wonderful example of loving others,” Elder Walker said. “His entire ministry has been filled with visits to homes, placing his hands on heads and giving blessings, making unexpected phone calls to comfort and encourage, sending letters of commendation and appreciation, visits to hospitals and care centers, and finding the time to go to funerals and viewings despite a very busy schedule.”

Just as the Savior would do, President Monson has gone about doing good, blessing and loving others as if that has been the driving force in his life, Elder Walker said.

Recap from Sunday's Lesson:

“It is true you may only be a hod-carrier {visiting teacher}, but remember you are an elder in Israel {a daughter of God}, you are an ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ.”  If you are in the line of your duty you are in possession of that which the world cannot give nor take away; and you are held accountable to God for the honest use of the talent over which he has made you steward, whether it be large or small.”

For 35 years my aunt has lived in the same home.  Her husband died of cancer when her youngest of 7 was only 7.  She has never had visiting teachers or home teachers in the home.  She has never had the support from the members in her ward and had the strength to move ahead. 

In my home growing up, we never had visiting teachers growing up.  My mom was a single working mother of 3.  Mothers and women often feel like they have to do things on their own.   They do not want to be a burden and so often they do not ask for things that they need.  Visiting Teaching is the eyes and ears of the Relief Society presidency as well as the Bishop’s.  When visiting teaching is done properly all can and will be blessed and their burdens will become lighter.  This is the most important calling without it all others would not be successful.

“If we could get the brethren and sisters to see the importance  of acting honestly and faithfully in their respective callings, much of the annoyances and troubles we now experience would be averted, and the work of God would roll on with redoubled rapidity, and all his purposes would be more rapidly and speedily accomplished; and besides, as a people, we would be better prepared than we now are for the dispensation of his will…  May God bless you, my… sisters, and enable you to act always as wise stewards over that with which you have been entrusted.”

Sisters let us link our hands and our hearts and serve the Lord with all our might, mind, strength, and give it ALL for the Him who gave us ALL!

 

Challenge:  Do your visiting teaching this month and for the next three months faithfully.  Do not look at it as a chore but a blessing to get to know your sisters.  Access their needs and pray for them.  After the 4^th month evaluate and see the difference you have made not only in their life but your own as well!

I am only the puppet as the Spirit is the True teacher

Sunday will be my first time teaching in the Relief Society in my new calling.  I am so excited!  I am anxiously watching the days count down to Sunday so I can hopefully magnify my calling and serve the Lord in this capacity. 

I ask that each of you bring your lesson manual, your scriptures, and something to make notes with and highlight messages and scriptures that apply to your life.  I encourage you to read the lesson before you come to class.  When we are prepared for a discussion we invite the Spirit to be in our classroom.  When impelled, please, raise your hand, act on the promptings you receive from the Holy Ghost-others will be prompted and discussions about gospel principles will be successfully taught by the Spirit.

 

I also ask that you ask questions if there is something that you don’t understand or are pondering about.  I may not always have the answer but I have faith that someone attending will be able to direct you to find the answer you are searching for.

Something Powerful!

There is something powerful when men of the Priesthood lays their hands upon your head and gives you a blessing.  The tender mercy of hearing of the Lord's plan for you at that time and hearing that He is grateful for all that you do, is pleased with the work you are doing, and to hear that He loves you-is something that is so sacred and personal that it is hard to find the words to describe.  

I am so grateful for the fullness of the Priesthood and the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Christ has made it possible for all to return unto Him and Heavenly Father.  May we do all we can to get to know our Redeemer, our Savior, and our Brother.  May we serve Him with everything we have and rejoice in the blessings of His gospel.

Worldwide Leadership: This is His work

Worldwide Leadership: The Family and the Priesthood

The Power of the Priesthood in the Family

Blessings of the Priesthood in Every Home

Bringing Up Children In Light and Truth

Preparing Future Missionaries

Temple Experience

“In the temple we are taught, we make covenants, and we are promised blessings.  We receive ordinances that enable us to live in the presence of God.

One ordinance we receive in the temple is the endowment.  The word endowment means ‘gift’ or ‘bestowal’.  As part of this ordinance, we are taught about the purpose of life, the mission and Atonement of Jesus Christ, and Heavenly Father’s plan for His children.  We gain a glimpse of what it will be like to live in His presence as we feel the peaceful atmosphere of the temple.”

Lds.org

If you haven't been to the temple this week...Go!  Do a session.  What a wonderful blessing of having the Lord's house so close to us!

Worldwide Leadership 2013: Ministering

Our Heritage

Whether we are first generation or come from a background of LDS pioneers, we come from a great heritage.  The earlier Saints risked everything that all may be able to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ.  May we remember the choices we make today mold the future for generations to come.

Worldwide Leadership 2013: Priesthood Keys

Worldwide Leadership 2013: Introduction

Worldwide Leadership Training 2013: How to use this training

Pics from the Ward Breakfast

Brother Jorgensen asked me to post these pics on the blog.  

The ward breakfast was fun and we all had a great time.  Thanks to all that served and helped!