Presidency Message August 2012

In THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS, one of the greatest blessings that we may enjoy is the opportunity to attend the temple. Currently, there are 137 temples in operation around the world, with several dozen more announced or under construction. With the number ever increasing, the geographical distance between our homes and the temples is growing closer, and we have little-or no-excuse to avoid attendance.

When we began our life on earth, a veil was placed before us, that dimmed the memory of who we are and what we learned before we came here. We must always remember that we are Daughters of a King, who loves us and wants us to reach our divine potential and fulfill all that we came to earth to do.
Sister Ardeth G. Kapp tells us, "The temple is the bridge between mortality and immortality. It is the place where we receive comfort, peace, vision, hope, and promise. In the temple we are reminded of our identity — who we are and who we are to become — and we prepare to fulfill our foreordained mission." (The Temple: Our Home Away from Home by Ardeth G. Kapp) Ezra Taft Benson has told us -"Temples are places of personal revelation. When I have been weighed down by a problem or a difficulty, I have gone to the House of the Lord with a prayer in my heart for answers. The answers have come in clear and unmistakable ways."
I echo his remarks. I love the temple. It is my refuge. It is where I find peace, solace and answers.
I love the sacred ordinances performed in Heavenly Father's house. How beautiful are these words by our Prophet Thomas S. Monson, "As a result of the sacred ordinances performed in the holy house of God, no light need be permanently extinguished, no voice permanently stilled, no place in our heart permanently left vacant." How comforting are his words when a loved one passes on beyond the veil.
I personally testify of the joyful feeling when seeking and finding information that enables my ancestors to have these saving ordinances completed. Their spirit reach out and touch mine. I attend the temple so much more often, and the veil is thinner, when I have cards with my family names on them. I love coming home and turning on the computer and putting their completed temple information in the database. Families are Forever. I encourage you to contact you family history consultant or go to the family history center to learn and discover how to do this marvelous work.
It is my prayer that when we feel "homesick" that we can find a way to our Heavenly Father's house to soothe, renew and fortify our aching spirits .
Let us continue onward and upward my kindred sisters
Love,
Sister Best

"Having the Vision to Do"

I’ve borrowed this thought from LDS Family Gems. I guess I related to it and hope that you do too.

"How do we, amidst the challenges of our lives, gain the vision necessary to do those things that will bring us closer to the Savior? Speaking of vision, the book of Proverbs teaches this truth: 'Where there is no vision, the people perish' (Proverbs 29:18). If we are to prosper rather than perish, we must gain a vision of ourselves as the Savior sees us."

—Elder O. Vincent Haleck, "Having the Vision to Do", 2012

As I’ve read Daughters of My Kingdom and listened to Sister Beck the past few months, I’ve marveled at the amazing vision sisters of the early church maintained even with confronted with constant adversity and trials. Growing wheat and silk and funding women to go to medical school…that just astounds me. We do good works like making quilts and hygiene kits but really, medical school and silk worms?!

It’s often hard to see ourselves as the Lord does, when bombarded with negative images and role models around us in the world, but I think we can do it, don’t you? I love our Relief Society statement as it starts, “We are BELOVED spirit daughters of God and our lives have meaning, purpose, and direction….”

WE can start in our homes and families, striving to make our homes heavenly and patterned after the temple. Making the temple our goal and working to get every family member to the temple is a vision that will bring us closer to the Savior.

Let us never fail, or perish but capture the vision the Savior has of us and carry on!

Love,

Chris Jackson

Dear Sisters,
     What a blessing it is to be a Daughter of God ! The blessings that come into our lives as a daughter of royalty are many. One of the blessings that come to us in this life is that one day of  becoming a wife and then at the appointed time a mother. What a wonderful opportunity to learn through the experience of motherhood and fatherhood. I would like to share a personal experience with each of you. Growing up in a family of five children I watched my mother and did the things that she did. My sister and I would play house, pretend to be married and be mothers. When I grew up I wanted to be a wife and a mother. I assumed that would happen. I met a wonderful man and we were married in the Salt Lake Temple and life was wonderful. I assumed the next thing would be that we would have a family and I would be a mother. There were other couples that married about the same time as my husband and I  and they were having babies. Well that didn't happen for  my husband and I as soon as we thought it should. I became concerned and worried about it and wondered why we weren't being blessed in our home with a child. Each Mother's Day when mothers were presented the plant  at church in honor of being a mother I  wanted to have one in the worst way.
     After being married for a couple years I reread my patriarchical blessing and my blessing indicated that I would be a mother in Zion. Upon reading that I received comfort to know that at sometime and in some way I would be a mother. The next Mother's Day came and the young deacons were directed to pass out the plants to the mothers in the ward. On this day I was presented a red geranium plant and I reached out to receive it from the young deacon. I put my hands around the plant and started to draw it to me and I met resistance from the young deacon as he pulled the plant back towards him, and I more forcefully pulled the plant toward me. It became a wrestling match between that young deacon and myself and I am sure entertainment for those sitting around me.  He said to me, " Oh, you're not a mother." as he tugged to get possession of the plant. I continued to pull the plant toward me and through all of this exchange the poor plant was shaken loose from the dirt and there was dirt on my lap and on the floor as my response to him was, " But I am going to be a mother someday." Well, I won out and had in my possession this red shaken geranium with most of the dirt on the floor in the chapel, which I picked up and packed around the plant once again. I am sure it was a sight to behold. I am sure every Mother's Day that this young man who has since grown up remembers that young sister "a mother to be" with a chuckle.
      Eventually my husband I did become parents of three wonderful children that came to bless our lives. They each came at their appointed time with three years in between our two sons and six years after our second son our daughter was sent to us. During those years of not knowing if I would ever be a mother, I taught Junior Sunday School, the four and five year olds. I was blessed to teach someone elses children and I loved it. We all can be an influence on helping children learn and in so doing can receive blessings, even if we are not blessed in this life to be mothers. We can help mother nieces and nephews and others. Our children are grown and gone from home and have children of their own and we are grandparents. Mothering continues on as does parenting. What a wonderful plan to be in families.
     As we think of the month of May as a time we honor mothers, we can all reflect on the influence that our own mothers have had on us. When I think of my own mother I remember that she always had complete faith in me. She had a strong testimony, great faith, and was always active in Church organizations. She was always kind, gentle, thoughtful, understanding, one to whom I could always turn, and one whom I could always trust, willing to sacrifice for her children. She has set for me the perfect example of clean living. She taught me a love, appreciation,, and understanding the Gospel while very young. She always gave me encouragement, inspiration, and a desire to live life in its fullness through love and service to others. May each of us during this month reflect on the blessings that we enjoy because of mothers, from Mother Eve through all generations of time to our own mothers. May we also remember of our royalty in being daughters of a kind and loving Heavenly Father and Mother. May we live our lives in a manner to bring honor to them  as we recognize that Motherhood is an Eternal Partnership with God is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ , Amen.
Love,
Sister Sallye Johnston
Stake Relief Society President

Stake Relief Society Presidency Message for April

   If you have been inside any store or watched television in the past six weeks, you are well aware that Easter is being celebrated this month. Since Valentine's ended in February, the merchandisers have touted woven baskets, artificial grass, chocolate bunnies, marshmallow chicks, jelly beans, the proverbial Easter bonnet, and many other items they believe denotes Easter. The financial experts allege that the Easter season is a multi-million dollar merchandising event.
   Easter is equivalent to Springtime being official, new life, Church services, family dinners, even colored eggs and childhood fun. BUT, in the words of President David O. McKay: " It is a sacred day, a day of divine worship". It is a time when we commemorate the most important event ever to have occurred in human history.
   Historians agree that the greatest events are those that effect the largest number of people for the longest periods. By this standard, no event could be more important to individuals or nations than the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
   The fall of Adam brought two kinds of death into the world: spiritual death and physical death. Spiritual death is separation from God. Physical death is separation of the body and spirit. Redemption from death-that is, resurrection-is, therefore, crucial to our future happiness.
   Since Adam-and all those born after him-would now be subject to death and could not raise body from grave, there had to be "...an infinite and eternal sacrifice" (see Alma 34:10). Jesus came to Earth and voluntarily gave His life to atone for the fall of Adam. He was qualified to be the Savior because He is the only person who will ever live on the earth without sin; thus, a worthy sacrifice to pay for the sins of others.

Stake Relief Society Presidency Message for March

 

Olde Irish Saying
"Ní neart go le chéile."- Unity is strength.

When the Prophet Joseph Smith organized the first Relief Society on 17th March 1842, 18 women were present. Three were teenagers. Lucy Mack Smith, mother of the Prophet, later gave profound instructions for Relief Society sisters of any age when she admonished them to "cherish one another, watch over one another, comfort one another and gain instruction, that we may all sit down in heaven together" (minutes of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo, 24 Mar. 1842).
As Centralia Stake Relief Society sisters, we have an opportunity each month to strengthen and unite one another. Never underestimate how much your visit can affect someone each month. Especially never forget how much joy it brings to our Heavenly Father as he sees us "having [our] hearts knit together in unity and in love" (Mosiah 18:21).

"I'm just a visiting teacher,"
I said to my friend today.
And my Father in Heaven heard me,
And I seemed to hear him say:
"Not just a visiting teacher,
A disciple with work to do,
And wherever you carry my message
My spirit goes with you."

"Some daughters of mine with burdens
Some seem to have lost the way
Go take them my love and my gospel
To strengthen them day by day."
"Never say you're just a visiting teacher,
Have faith and you'll understand
When you enter a home with love and prayer

~I take you by the hand."

Author Unknown

It is my prayer that we be the best Visiting Teachers we can be. Don't forget...... 
"Ní neart go le chéile."
I am excited that we are celebrating 170 years of Relief Society in March. I look forward to attending as many Ward Celebrations as I can.
Love, Sister Best