Thoughts of Today

My thoughts have been on our heritage and the legacy left us by our fathers and mothers that came before us and paved the way for us.  But what is the legacy that we are leaving for those that come after us?   Will my descendants look back on my life with pride and admiration?  Am I doing my part to further the work or am I content to just hold the line?  What will the family histories and stories have to say about me?

Lesson Notes

Our lesson today was a talk given by Elder Russell M. Nelson from the last General Conference entitled "Lessons from the Lord's Prayer".  Elder Nelson reminded us of the importance of prayer when he said, "When should we pray?  Whenever we desire!  Alma taught, 'Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good...'  Jesus reminded his disciples 'that they should not cease to pray in their hearts.'"

Elder Nelson taught that we can enhance our prayers by:

1.  fasting.  The Lord has said, 'I give unto you a commandment that you shall continue in prayer and fasting from this time forth.'

2.  Use the 'right words'.  We use special pronouns in reference to deity.  We have been asked to protect the formal, proper language of prayer.  In our prayers we use the respectful pronouns Thee, Thou, Thy and Thine instead of You, Your and Yours.  Doing so helps us be humble.

"Prayer begins with individual initiative.  'Behold,' saith the Lord, 'I stand at the door, and knock:  if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me.'  That door is opened when we pray to our Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ."

My Thoughts

In July our thoughts turn to the past and those who paved the way for the restoration of the gospel, first by their brave act of making this country free through fighting the Revolutionary War and second by those of the early church who fought against persecution and were driven from place to place until they could settle in the far west where they could be free to worship.

I think it is important that we remember the sacrifice of these good people.  They paved the way for us.  We also remember and see the hand of the Lord in these events.  He is the creator of this earth and He still watches over us.   He is in control   Let us remember and show gratitude for those who went before us.  We can show gratitude by following in their footsteps and carrying their work forward.

Lesson Notes

Today we discussed the importance of temples and receiving the Ordinances and Blessings of the Temple.    The temple is a place where God can "reveal unto His people the ordinances of His house and the glories of His kingdom, and teach the people the way of salvation.

In April 1842, the Prophet Joseph Smith said "The Church is not fully organized, in its proper order, and cannot be until the Temple is completed, where places will be provided for the administration of the ordinances of the Priesthood."  

In the temple, we learn the things of eternity and receive ordinances of salvation for ourselves and our ancestors.  The Lord started gathering His people for the purpose of receiving the ordinances, the blessings, and the glories that God has in store for His Saints.  He wants all of His children to receive these blessings and the power of the Spirit we can receive by attending the temple.

Announcements:

We are gathering school supplies of colored pencils, erasers, rulers and safety scissors to make school kits for those in need.  Items should be brought to Relief Society by Aug. 9

Aug 13  Book Club

Lesson Notes

Redemption for the Dead
In January 1836, many years after his brother Alvin's death, and before Joseph had even obtained the plates of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith received a vision of the celestial kingdom. Joseph "marveled how it was that [Alvin] had obtained an inheritance in that kingdom, seeing that he had departed this life before the Lord had set his hand to gather Israel the second time, and had not been baptized for the remission of sins" (D&C 137:6). The voice of the Lord then came to Joseph, declaring:
"All who died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God; also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom; for I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts." (D&C 137:7-9)

The Savior, Jesus Christ, offers the opportunity for forgiveness and deliverance to both the living and the dead. 1 Peter 3:19-20 tells of the Savior visiting the spirits in prison after his death. What did he preach to them? They they were to stay there? Certainly not! Christ said "He hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives..." Isaiah testified that Christ came "To bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness from the prison house."

It is our duty and privilege to be baptized and confirmed for those who have died without the gospel. "And now the purposes of God are hastening to their accomplishment, and the things spoken of in the Prophets are fulfilling, as the kingdom of God is established on the earth, and the ancient order of things restored, the Lord has manifested to us this duty and privelege, and we are commanded to be baptized for our dead, thus fulfilling the words of Obadiah, 'And saviors shall come upon Mount Zion to judge the remnant of Esau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord's,'"


Announcements:

July 18 Stake Pioneer Commemoration at the Stake Center Activities will be going on all day.

Nobility in Motherhood and Joy in Womanhood

Part of the Relief Society Declaration states that "We are women... who find nobility in motherhood and joy in womanhood." We live in a time of great opportunity for women.  We can have much influence on the world around us, particularly the youth.  We can use the nurturing instincts that our Heavenly Father gave us to help the world around us and to further His work.

Mary Ellen Smoot, former Relief Society General President said, "Each of us has a vital role, even a sacred mission to perform as a daughter in Zion...It is our destiny to rejoice as we fill the earth with greater kindness and gentleness, greater love and compassion, greater sympathy and empathy than have ever been known before.  It is time to give ourselves to the Master and allow Him to lead us into fruitful fields where we can enrich a world filled with darkness and misery." (Rejoice, Daughter of Zion,"  Ensign, Nov. 1994, 94)

"I suggest that you...humbly ask the Lord what he would have you do and why you are uniquely suited to serve.  Ask yourself  questions like these:   'What can I contribute?'  'Why was I chosen to be the mother of these children?'  'What can I do to strengthen  [others]? and so forth.  We each have a purpose and reason for being.  Every sister has a thread to weave in the tapestry of time.  Discover your thread and begin to weave." (Relief Society, The Possible Dream [address delivers at the 1998 Brigham Young University women's conference.)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Book Club meets this Thursday, July 9 at Margaret Williams' home at 7 p.m.  We are discussing the book "The Little Prince"

Friday, July 10  Ward Temple Trip  7 p.m. session

The temple is closed for cleaning July 13 through July 26.

The Stake is holding a Pioneer  celebration on Saturday, July 18.  Check with Clayton Bolz for more information.