Purposes of Relief Society:
Increase Faith and Personal Righteousness
Seek Out and Help Those in Need
Strengthen Families and Homes
FAITH
From Our History:
When the Prophet Joseph Smith met with Relief Society sisters in Nauvoo, he taught that in addition to giving temporal service, they were to strengthen people spiritually. With this counsel as a foundation, Relief Society sisters have found love and safety from the storms of life as they have served together. They have shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with each other and with those around them. Relief Society has become a shelter from the world--a place of refuge--and a center of light to the world--a place of influence.
In a Relief Society meeting in Ogden, Utah, Sister Eliza R. Snow, the second Relief Society general president, gratefully acknowledged sisters’ efforts to strengthen one another temporally and spiritually. She told them that although the Church did not keep a record of every donation they made to help those in need, the Lord kept a perfect record of their saving work:
“I am well aware that a great deal is donated that never reaches the [record] books. President Joseph Smith said this society was organized to save souls. What have the sisters done to win back those who have gone astray?--to warm up the hearts of those who have grown cold in the gospel?--Another book is kept of your faith, your kindness, your good works, and words. Another record is kept. Nothing is lost.”1
Daughters in my Kingdom, page 83
Lesson Review: Obedience and Sacrifice taught by Bishop Gee
Doctrine:
*"When we enter the temple, we make a voluntary covenant to keep the law of obedience and sacrifice." President Ezra Taft Benson*In keeping this covenant we need to "live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God"
D&C 84:44.
*The Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. Richard G. Scott said, "He cannot because he knows what it takes to be like Him."
Invitation to Action:
Am I keeping my covenants or am I rationalizing disobedience?
Promised Blessings:
The Bishop says that as we go to the temple and listen, we will hear what the promised blessings are for keeping the covenant of obedience and sacrifice. (He wasn't sure how to state them without stating what is said there.)April Lesson Schedule:
April 6 - General Conference
April 13 - Ward Conference
April 20 - Joseph Fielding Smith Lesson #7 - Joseph and Hyrum Smith Witnesses of Jesus Christ
April 27 - Joseph Fielding Smith Lesson #8 and #29
FAMILY
What can you do within your family to best prepare your family members for General Conference this weekend?
RELIEF
A visiting teaching message from one of our Visiting Teaching Supervisors, Tara Clark:
When we had Luke and he was in the NICU for so long one of my visiting teachers was incredible.The service she gave to us in so many ways was invaluable, from helping with babysitting so I could go to the NICU or providing meals. When we brought Luke home she was able to realize the importance we had placed on keeping him healthy and needing to quarantine him so she just dropped notes to the door that were very inspiring and uplifting. I learned so much from her selfless service to me and my family.
Being a great Visiting Teacher is about so much more than the actual visit!
