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 3rd 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?
