Lesson #2 summary - manual

Sister Melow taught our lesson today - 

Our Savior Jesus Christ

 She read and briefly talked about the 4 main headings in the lesson but Sister Melow put her focus on the attributes of Christ. She reminded us how easy it is to see these attributes in others but not so easy in ourselves. She handed out this Attributes activity paper that can be found on LDS.org

It lists 9 different attributes with supporting "explanations" and scriptures. Instead of focusing where we lacked she asked us to set aside our humility for the reminder of the class and name one thing in each category that we are already doing that displays this attribute. 

Several sisters shared and it was a wonderful way of building ourselves up in a good way and a way to better our self talk. 

Print off the sheet - it would make a wonderful FHE!

2014 - Sending out an SOS - our theme for the year

Dear Adams Park Ward Sisters-

Welcome to 2014! A year we hope is filled with opportunities and blessings for your families!

As we reflect back on our Relief Society theme last year: "Find JOY in your journey", we felt 

like it was important to keep our focus on joy (because counting our blessings should always 

be important in our lives), but narrow our direction to the source of true joy -- Jesus Christ. So 

throughout this next year we hope to support one another in a more concentrated focus on a 

journey to Seek Our Savior. (SOS)

We encourage you to create a personal SOS plan to develop a closer relationship with the Savior this year. All of us face different life circumstances and situations. We all need strength in dealing with them. This strength comes from faith in the Savior's love and in the power of His atonement.If we truly Seek Our Savior -- daily, weekly, monthly, and let it become a part of us -- we will be happier, our testimony will increase, and we will draw closer in our relationship to our Savior.Remember: "When you choose to follow Christ, you choose to be changed." -Ezra Taft Benson

May we each feel of His loving guidance and influence-

Sister Snow

 

Windows of Heaven - teaching for our times lesson

Sis. Ashman taught our lesson today from the conference talk - Windows of Heavens

He mentions the small the significant blessings. 

What does that mean? What are the small yet significant things you have seen in your life? 

Elder Bednar says it's a simple plan that the Lords has for us. 

"Sometimes we may ask God for success, and He gives us physical and mental stamina. We might plead for prosperity, and we receive enlarged perspective and increased patience, or we petition for growth and are blessed with the gift of grace. He may bestow upon us conviction and confidence as we strive to achieve worthy goals. And when we plead for relief from physical, mental and spiritual difficulties, He may increase our resolve and resilience."

Lesson 22 snippets

Lesson 22 - Lorenzo Snow Manual
This lesson focused on making our heart and home a more heavenly place.
In this endeavor, everyday we should try

• To be a little more faithful
• To be a little better
• To have more love and affection for our neighbors
• To b e a friend to everyone, everywhere
• To extend our charity and labor in the interest of all mankind
• To be upright, just and merciful
• To exercise the spirit of nobility and goodness in all our act and dealings
• To cutlivate a spirit of charity
• To be ready to do for others more than we would expect from them
• To be ambitious to be great in the eyes of God
• To love the Lord they God with all our hear, mght, mind and strength
• To try to love mankind because they are our brethren
• To pray for the spiit of philanthophy

This looks like an overwhelming list, just try one thing a day, a week, or a month...progress is what's important
 
A person never can enjoy heaven until he learns how to get it and ac upon it's princples - President Lorenzo Snow

Snippets from Sundays lesson

Sister Amy Pressler gave the lesson, "The Kingdom of God Moves Forward" -- lesson 20 from the Lorenzo

Snow manual. What a wonderful lesson to go along with the emphasis our leaders are directing our

focus to in Hastening the Work.
President Lorenzo Snow said: "This work is built on a sure foundation, being founded on the rock of

ages….No matter who are lost by the way and make shipwreck of their faith, the Church will go on. This

Church will stand, because it is upon a firm basis….it has come directly from the Lord."

We discussed that with so many things in life that are unpredictable -- it is comforting to know we have

a gospel that is unchanging.

After being taught by our leaders this past general conference, may we feel the same desire that

President Snow felt after the October 1898 conference when he said: "Let us decree in our hearts,

let us inwardly testify to the Lord, that we will be a better people, a more united people at our next

Conference than we are today. This should be the feeling and determination of every man and woman

present in this solemn assembly. I feel in my heart that I will try to be more devoted than I have been in

the past to the interests of the kingdom of God and the carrying out of His purposes."

Great council from this lesson:

It is time for us to humble ourselves before God and accomplish the work He has entrusted to us.

"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."

Be of good Cheer - lesson summary

Sis. Murdock taught the lesson last week for the Teachings for our Times. Here's a few "nuggets" from it: 

- In the world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world. 

 - Difficult times may lie ahead but you can still have joy.

- Sometimes we concentrate to much on our trials. 

Here's a great video she shared as well. It really helps put things in perspective.

Quote from Lesson 18

Sis. Laraway gave todays lesson from Chapter 18 of the manual - Church Leadership and Selfless Service. Such a fitting lesson the same day we get a new bishopric. 

We talked a little bit about characteristics that a good leader has and also the contrast between what a gospel leader and leader in the worlds eyes. 

A favorite quote from the lesson was this: 

"The Lord has not chosen the great and learned of the world to perform His work on the earth. It is not those who have been trained and educated in the colleges and seminaries of learning, but humble men devoted to His cause whom He has chosen to take charge of the affairs of His Church, men who are willing to be led and guided by the Holy Spirit, and who will of necessity give the glory until Him, knowing that of themselves they can do nothing."

Ensign Peak RS Activity

Last month our RS Activity was to hike to Ensign Peak. It was a memorable night for sure. As the activity started I had the idea to create this video to capture the moments along the way. Thank you Marilyn for sharing your photos as well. The video wouldn't be complete without them. And thanks to the RS committee for the organizing the night! 

Presidency Message from Sis. Snow

Sis. Snow taught the lesson this Sunday and the message for this months newsletter coincides right along with it! 

September is here marking another change in the season and the beginning of a new school year for our families. As we see the children going back to school, I would ask each of us what we are doing to obtain our "higher education." Along with our scripture study and attending church, I would also encourage making temple attendance a top priority to obtain greater understanding and learning. What a blessing this resource is that is just waiting for us to explore, yet often gets overlooked because of busy schedules filling up our time.

 Elder Perry spoke on the need for finding balance in life and emphasized the need to provide time for family, time for work, time for study, time for service, time for self, and especially time for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Why do you think he emphasized "especially time for the gospel of Jesus Christ?" I know that when you put that first, everything else that is needful will work out for your good.

I loved the example Elder Ballard shared in his conference address of the wilted tomato plant. (see April 2013 "This is My Work and Glory")

"Her small tomato plant, so full of potential but so weakened and wilted from unintentional neglect, was strengthened and revived through the simple ministration of water and light by the little girl's loving and caring hands."

"Brothers and sisters, as the literal spirit children of our loving Heavenly Father, we have unlimited, divine potential. But if we are not careful, we can become like the wilted tomato plant. We can drift away from the true doctrine and gospel of Christ and become spiritually undernourished and wilted, having removed ourselves from the divine light and living

waters of the Savior's eternal love and priesthood power.

 "What a powerful lesson -- through unintentional neglect we will drift and become spiritually distanced from our Savior's influence in our lives. Please take time to the check the condition of your testimony of Jesus Christ. Let us be ever diligent to provide the nurturing of divine light and living water to strengthen our devotion to hold fast to His principles and follow in His footsteps.

I am so excited about the news in the current September Ensign where it was announced that beginning in October the Relief Society Visiting Teaching Messages will focus on the divine mission of Jesus Christ and His many roles and attributes. How wonderful it will be to focus on the teachings and examples of our Savior and discuss this with the sisters we visit. Individuals and families will be strengthened as we invite the influence of the Savior into our lives.

Thank you for all you do to watch over, serve and love one another!

Sister Snow

Obedience Lesson Nugget

Sis Murdock taught today and pulled her lesson from 2 different conference talks in obedience. Here's a few nuggets from her lesson: 

3 Reasons why people don't obey the commandments - 

1) We convince ourselves the commandments don't apply to us

2) We don't believe they are important

3) It's too difficult to obey

I loved this quote she shared: 

You can't ask the Lord to guide your footsteps if you aren't willing to move your feet