Strengthening and Preserving the Family

PURPOSES OF RELIEF SOCIETY

*Increase Faith and Personal Righteousness

*Strengthen home and families

*Seek out and help those in need

FAITH

Lesson Review: "Strengthening and Preserving the Family" by Joseph Fielding Smith

Doctrine: "It is the will of the Lord to strengthen and preserve the family unit"

(Just as a side-note, the scripture references found at the end of the lesson, make it very apparent that the Lord is most concerned about families.  Even as the church was being restored-something that we know was of utmost importance -  He was telling the new church leaders to be more concerned at home.)

Invitation to Action: "Do you spend as much time making your family and home successful as you do in pursuing social and professional success?"

"Are you devoting your best creative energy to the most important unit in society - the family?"

"Or is your relationship with your family merely a routine, unrewarding part of life?"

Promised Blessings: Our homes can be "a heaven on earth, a place where the Spirit of the Lord may dwell and where righteousness may be enthroned in the heart of each member."

LESSON SCHEDULE:

February 23 - Teachings For Our Time

March 2 - President's instruction

March 9 - Joseph Fielding Smith lesson 5

March 16-Joseph Fielding Smith lesson 6

FAMILIES

The Youth and Primary are still studying about The Plan of Salvation.  The previous post has a link if you are interested in seeing their curriculum or would like ideas on what to be teaching at home.

RELIEF

Many times, I think that we forget to pray for and put on our "spiritual eyes" for the day and by so doing, we miss a lot of great opportunities to serve and bring relief to others.  Have you ever been at a church meeting or activity and noticed that there was an unfamiliar face or maybe even a familiar face that you don't see very often? 

I once heard a story about a Relief Society sister who was in charge of compassionate service, that needed someone to bring in a meal for a sister.  She called a sister in the ward to ask her to take care of bringing a meal in.  Before she extended the request, she asked the sister how she was doing.  I don't remember all the details, but the sister started telling her all of her problems - problems which would also merit a meal to be brought into HER home!  Well, the Compassionate Service Leader appeared to listen and extended sympathy but then asked the woman to bring a meal in to this other sister.  She was more concerned about fulfilling her calling and hadn't really LISTENED.

When we are seeing with our spiritual eyes, we do something about important things that we see or hear during the day. Our power to notice and fulfill needs is magnified.  Some of my most treasured and wonderful moments and memories have come to me as I have seen with spiritual eyes. May we all work to strengthen our spiritual vision!

"Often, the answer to our prayer does not come while we’re on our knees but while we’re on our feet serving the Lord and serving those around us. Selfless acts of service and consecration refine our spirits, remove the scales from our spiritual eyes, and open the windows of heaven. By becoming the answer to someone’s prayer, we often find the answer to our own." - President Uchtdorf

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

March 20 - Relief Society Activity

This will be a great event!  As part of the celebration of the Relief Society's 172nd birthday, we will be serving a delicious dinner and a wonderful guest speaker will be addressing us.

*March 23rd -  Relief Society Sisters sing in Sacrament Meeting

Warm up your singing voices!  The Relief Society sisters have been invited to sing in Sacrament Meeting on March 23rd.

March 29th - General Women's Broadcast

In November, the First Presidency announced some exciting new changes for the women of the Church.  A semiannual general women's meeting will replace the general Relief Society and general Young Women meetings held annually since 1993.  All women, young women, and girls age eight years old and older are invited to attend.

“As the women of the Church gather together—sisters, mothers, and daughters—they, their families, and the Church will be strengthened and blessed.” —The First Presidency

*Service Opportunities:

There is a need for Sisters to do sealings on Wednesday mornings from 8 – 9 a.m. Sealers serve in the temple throughout the day beginning at 6:00 a.m. and depend mostly on walk-in patrons to do sealings.  Lately, there have been too few sisters to do sealings between  8 – 9 a.m. on Wednesday mornings.  If you are available on Wednesday mornings for an hour, there us a need for you.

Who:  Any endowed sister.  You do not have to be married to participate in sealings.

Where:  The third floor of the Rexburg Temple.  There will be a Coordinator at the desk on the 3^rd floor to direct you to a Sealing Room.

Feeble knees:  Many patrons have knee problems and use a chair at the altar.  Just tell the Sealer that you need to use a chair and they will accommodate you.

FYI:  Did you know that typically 15 – 30 sealings can be performed in one hour?  

February 9

Purposes of Relief Society:

Increase Faith and Personal Righteousness

Strengthen Families and Homes

Seek Out and Help Those in Need

FAITH

Lesson Review: Joseph Fielding Smith "The Plan of Salvation"

Doctrine: "Our Father in Heaven established a plan of salvation for his spirit children...to enable them to advance and progress until they obtain eternal life."

Invitation to action: "Let us live so that we will be assured of our place, and so that we will know, through the lives we live, that we shall enter into His presence and dwell with Him."

Promised Blessings: "The faithful will inherit eternal life with their families in the presence of Heavenly Father."

February lesson schedule:

16th - Joseph Fielding Smith #4 - Strengthening and Preserving the Family

23rd - True Shepherds - President Monson October General Conference

FAMILY

Primary curriculum:

February - Heavenly Father has a plan for his children

http://www.lds.org/manual/2014-outline-for-sharing-time-families-are-forever?lang=eng

Youth curriculum:

February: The plan of salvation

https://www.lds.org/youth/learn/yw?lang=eng

RELIEF

Suddenly there are a lot of up-coming events in our ward!  This month as you go visiting teaching, or even if you have already been, please let your sisters know about them.  It would be great to have everyone there that can possibly make it! You can direct them to this blog, or let them know that they are as follows:

Upcoming Events: 

*February 18- Blue and Gold Banquet and Pinewood Derby

The whole Ward is invited to celebrate scouting by attending the Blue and Gold Banquet and submitting an entry for the Pinewood Derby!

*March 20 - Relief Society Activity

This will be a great event!  As part of the celebration of the Relief Society's 172nd birthday, we will be serving a delicious dinner and a wonderful guest speaker will be addressing us.

*March 23rd -  Relief Society Sisters sing in Sacrament Meeting

Warm up your singing voices!  The Relief Society sisters have been invited to sing in Sacrament Meeting on March 23rd.

March 29th - General Women's Broadcast

In November, the First Presidency announced some exciting new changes for the women of the Church.  A semiannual general women's meeting will replace the general Relief Society and general Young Women meetings held annually since 1993.  All women, young women, and girls age eight years old and older are invited to attend.

“As the women of the Church gather together—sisters, mothers, and daughters—they, their families, and the Church will be strengthened and blessed.” —The First Presidency

*Service Opportunities:

There is a need for Sisters to do sealings on Wednesday mornings from 8 – 9 a.m. Sealers serve in the temple throughout the day beginning at 6:00 a.m. and depend mostly on walk-in patrons to do sealings.  Lately, there have been too few sisters to do sealings between  8 – 9 a.m. on Wednesday mornings.  If you are available on Wednesday mornings for an hour, there us a need for you.

Who:  Any endowed sister.  You do not have to be married to participate in sealings.

Where:  The third floor of the Rexburg Temple.  There will be a Coordinator at the desk on the 3^rd floor to direct you to a Sealing Room.

Feeble knees:  Many patrons have knee problems and use a chair at the altar.  Just tell the Sealer that you need to use a chair and they will accommodate you.

FYI:  Did you know that typically 15 – 30 sealings can be performed in one hour?  

Feb. 3, 2014

Relief Society Purposes:

*Increase faith and personal righteousness

*Strengthen families and homes

*Seek out and help those in need

FAITH

Lesson Review: "Put Your Trust In The Lord" by Elder M. Russell Ballard

Doctrine: The Prophet Joseph Smith declared that, "after all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the gospel".

Invitation to Action: "Become engaged in doing what you can in sharing the great message of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ."

Promised Blessings: "He (the Lord) will assist us in our labors if we will act in faith to fulfill His work."

"And it shall be given you....in the very moment, what ye shall say."

February lesson schedule:

9th - Joseph Fielding Smith #3 - The Plan of Salvation

16th - Joseph Fielding Smith #4 - Strengthening and Preserving the Family

23rd - True Shepherds - President Monson October General Conference

FAMILY

This is what your children will be learning about in church this month!  Following are also some links so that you can plan lessons around as you teach these topics at home:

Primary curriculum:

February - Heavenly Father has a plan for his children

http://www.lds.org/manual/2014-outline-for-sharing-time-families-are-forever?lang=eng

Youth curriculum:

February: The plan of salvation

https://www.lds.org/youth/learn/yw?lang=eng

RELIEF

A couple of Sundays ago Sister Spencer spoke in sacrament meeting and shared eight ideas to consider as we strive to be more spiritually and temporally prepared.  Knowing that we need to take care of ourselves before we can adequately take care of others, I thought I would share her ideas here. (It is quite lengthy, so I think I will put an abbreviated version here, for something to be thinking about, and then get a side link up soon that you can refer to for more details.)
#1: Become committed to becoming self reliant, and set a time frame to work on it.
#2: Learn what it takes and what you need to become self reliant. (Sister Spencer has many books on this topic that she is willing to let people borrow.)
#3: Put together a 72 hour kit for home, car, office and school.
#4: Water - store one gallon per day per person for drinking. Two weeks minimum supply recommended.
#5: Put food storage together - 3-6 month supply of foods you already eat, and a years supply of long-term storage items.
#6: Get a supply of non-food items (cooking, heating, light, shelter, 1st aid, tools, communication, sanitation, camping equipment, fuel, clothing and garden supplies.
#7: Put together a library of helpful books
#8: After completing #1-7, get other items you have become accustomed to in life. Coloring books, games, any comfort things for the family.

NEW SISTER SPOTLIGHT:

We would like everyone to meet Morgan Hartman who is new to our Relief Society!! Morgan, and her husband Brooks have been married for one month and are currently living in the Jonson's basement apartment.  Morgan is from North Carolina, so they were married in the Raleigh, North Carolina temple.  Morgan loves music and plays the guitar.  She and Brooks enjoy outdoor activities like hiking and biking, and also like to read and watch movies. Brooks went on a mission to Hungary and is finished with college here, but will continue his education somewhere else - probably BYU Provo - in history education. Morgan only has two more semesters of college here at BYU-I and is still trying to decide exactly what she is going to graduate in, but it will be something that has to do with communications.  Currently she is working on campus as a producer for videos. We are excited to get to know you better, Morgan!

Upcoming Events: 

*February 18- Blue and Gold Banquet and Pinewood Derby
The whole Ward is invited to celebrate scouting by attending the Blue and Gold Banquet and submitting an entry for the Pinewood Derby!

*March 20 - Relief Society Activity
This will be a great event!  As part of the celebration of the Relief Society's 172nd birthday, we will be serving a delicious dinner and having a guest speaker.

*March 23rd -  Relief Society Sisters sing in Sacrament Meeting
Warm up your singing voices!  The Relief Society sisters have been invited to sing in Sacrament Meeting on March 23rd.

March 29th - General Women's Broadcast

In November, the First Presidency announced some exciting new changes for the women of the Church.  A semiannual general women's meeting will replace the general Relief Society and general Young Women meetings held annually since 1993.  All women, young women, and girls age eight years old and older are invited to attend.

“As the women of the Church gather together—sisters, mothers, and daughters—they, their families, and the Church will be strengthened and blessed.” —The First Presidency

*Service Opportunities:

There is a need for Sisters to do sealings on Wednesday mornings from 8 – 9 a.m. Sealers serve in the temple throughout the day beginning at 6:00 a.m. and depend mostly on walk-in patrons to do sealings.  Lately, there have been too few sisters to do sealings between  8 – 9 a.m. on Wednesday mornings.  If you are available on Wednesday mornings for an hour, there us a need for you.

Who:  Any endowed sister.  You do not have to be married to participate in sealings.

Where:  The third floor of the Rexburg Temple.  There will be a Coordinator at the desk on the 3^rd floor to direct you to a Sealing Room.

Feeble knees:  Many patrons have knee problems and use a chair at the altar.  Just tell the Sealer that you need to use a chair and they will accommodate you.

FYI:  Did you know that typically 15 – 30 sealings can be performed in one hour?