January 2016 Relief Society Presidency Message

"Lord Cleanse me of anything that Breaks your Heart"

This humble supplication pierces my heart each time I read it much like the first time I pondered it.
It is similar to the theme of a favorite Book of Mormon account in Alma 22 when Aaron and his brethren were led to the land of Nephi and met the Chief Lamanite king, the father of Lamoni. The King's question to Aaron was this, "What is this that Aaron said "if ye will repent ye shall be saved, and if ye will not repent, ye shall be cast off at the day?" Aaron then teaches the king the surety that there is a God that created all things. He expounded the scriptures teaching him about the time from creation of Adam and the plan of redemption which was prepared from the foundation of the world, through Christ.14) "And since man had fallen he could not merit anything of himself; but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their sins, through faith and repentance, and so forth, and that he breaketh the bands of death, that the grave shall have no victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in the hopes of glory." 15) "After Aaron had expounded these things unto him, the king said: "What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy."

In this declaration the king states his desire. What is our desire? Have we longed for a closer relationship with our Savior that would cause us to consider giving up our favorite sin? In later verses the king humbly pleads "Oh God, Aaron hath told me there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all of my sins to know thee, that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day."

As we approach the beginning of a new year we are often inclined to take a self inventory. Do we really want to take old baggage with us into the new year? Can we consider leaving behind negative attitudes, grudges, judgements, recrimination, past mistakes, old addictions, misunderstandings or any other folly that causes us to lag behind a more joyful potential? Said Tyler Knott Gregeon:
"Oh what we could be if we stopped carrying the remains of who we were". Sometimes we have to let things go to make room for better things, to make room for a more divine self, a more glorious, more appreciative, more faithful, more devoted daughter of God, centered in Christ.

How do we recognize what we need to do in order to become the person God desires us to be? President Monson in October 2015 conference said "I reiterate what we have been told repeatedly, that in order to gain and keep the faith we need, it is essential that we read and study and ponder the scriptures. Communication with our Heavenly Father through prayer is vital. We cannot afford to neglect these things, for the adversary and his hosts are relentlessly seeking for a chink in our armor, a lapse in our faithfulness. Said the Lord, "Search diligently, pray always and be believing and all things shall work together for your good."

Paraphrasing Dieter F. Uchtdorf as he spoke in April 2015 General Conference "The Gift of Grace", "The grace of God is our great and everlasting hope. Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the plan of mercy appeases the demands of justice and brings about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance. Many people feel discouraged because they constantly fall short. They know firsthand that "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Our sins, though they may be as scarlet, can become white as snow. Because our beloved Savior gave himself a ransom for all. An entrance into His everlasting kingdom is provided unto us. The gate is unlocked! It leads to heights we can scarely comprehend! "The spirit of the Lord (Our God) brings about such a mighty change in us...that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually." Therefore, our obedience to God's commandments comes as a natural outgrowth of our endless love and gratitude for the goodness of God. This form of genuine love and gratitude will miraculously merge our works with God's grace. Virtue will garnish our thoughts unceasingly, and our confidence will wax strong in the presence of God." Enlightenment and understanding come to us when we do the will of the Father." "Today and forevermore God's grace is available to all whose hearts are broken and whose spirits are contrite. Jesus Christ has cleared the way for us to ascend to heights incomprehensible to mortal minds. I pray we will show our love for God and our gratitude for the gift of God's infinite grace by keeping his commandments and joyfully walking in a newness of life."

May we feel to say "Lord cleanse me of anything that breaks your heart." May we look to Him our Savior with clean hands, pure heart, peace of conscience and with loving gladness as we welcome the New Year before us. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Sister Addie Rushton Simper
Centralia Stake Relief Society President

2016 Relief Society Lessons

2016			Teachings of Living Prophets
3-Jan		Presidency Instruction
10-Jan		Howard W. Hunter #1 P. 39	Jesus Christ Our Only Way
17-Jan		Howard W. Hunter #2 p. 49	"My Peace I Give To You"
24-Jan		TFOT  Ensign 11/15	Why the Church Christofferson
31-Jan	5th Sunday	Determined by Bishop
7-Feb		Presidency Instruction
14-Feb		HW Hunter #3 p. 61	Adversity
21-Feb	Stake Conference
28-Feb		TFOT Ensign 11/15	Yielding Hearts Marriott
6-Mar		Presidency Instruction
13-Mar		HW Hunter #4 p. 75	Help From On High
20-Mar		HW Hunter #5&6 p.87 & 99	JSmith…The Atonement..
27-Mar		Pres. Inst./TFOT Ensign	What Lack I Yet? Lawrence
3-Apr	General Conference
10-Apr		HW Hunter #7 p.111	Continuous Revelation…
17-Apr		HW Hunter #8p.121	Taking the Gospel to All…
24-Apr		TFOT Ensign 11/15	Behold Thy Mother Holland
1-May		Presidency Instruction
8-May		HW Hunter #9 p.133	The Law of Tithing
15-May		HW Hunter #10 p. 143	The Scriptures…..
22-May		TFOT Ensign 5/16	TBA
29-May	5th Sunday	Determined by Bishop
5-Jun		Presidency Instruction
12-Jun		HW Hunter #11 p. 155	True Greatness
19-Jun		HW Hunter #12 p.169	Come Back and Feast...
26-Jun		TFOT Ensign 5/16	TBA
3-Jul		Presidency Instruction
10-Jul		HW Hunter #13 p.177	The Temple-The Great….
17-Jul		HW Hunter #14 p. 187	Hastening Family History
24-Jul		TFOT Ensign 5/16	TBA
31-Jul	5th Sunday	Determined by Bishop
7-Aug		Presidency Instruction
14-Aug		HW Hunter #15 p. 197	The Sacrament of the Lord's..
21-Aug	Stake Conf?
28-Aug		TFOT Ensign 5/16	TBA
4-Sep		Presidency Instruction
11-Sep		HW Hunter #16 p. 207..	Marriage an Eternal Patrner..
18-Sep		HW Hunter #17 p. 219	Preserve & Protect Family
25-Sep		Pres. Inst./TFOT	TBA
2-Oct	General Conference
9-Oct		HW Hunter #18 p.233	We Believe In Being Honest
16-Oct		HW Hunter #19 p.243	Our Commitment To God
23-Oct		TFOT	TBA
30-Oct	5th Sunday	Determined by Bishop
6-Nov		Presidency Instruction
13-Nov		HW Hunter #20 p. 255	Walking the Savior's Path
20-Nov		HW Hunter #21 p.267	Faith & Testimony
27-Nov		TFOT Ensign 11/16	TBA
4-Dec		Presidency Instruction
11-Dec		HW Hunter # 22 p.279	Teaching The Gospel
18-Dec		HW Hunter #23 & 24 p.291 & 305	No Less Serviceable & Following
25-Dec		TFOT	TBA

December 2015 Relief Society Presidency Message

“Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” (Luke 1:38.). This was Mary’s faithful and obedient response when the angel declared unto her that she was to be the earthly mother of the Son of God - Jesus the Christ, the Savior of all mankind. She acknowledged and accepted and accomplished her divine roll with gratitude and humility. 

In her October General Conference talk, Sister Rosemary M. Wixom, Primary General President stated:

“ We come into this world “trailing clouds of glory.”² “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” teaches that each one of us “is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents” and “each has a divine nature and destiny.”³ Heavenly Father generously shares a portion of His divinity within us. That divine nature comes as a gift from Him with a love that only a parent can feel.

We come to this earth to nurture and discover the seeds of divine nature that are within us.

We have come to this earth to help build His kingdom and to prepare for the Second Coming of His Son, Jesus Christ. With every breath we take, we strive to follow Him. The divine nature within each one of us is refined and magnified by the effort we make to draw nearer to our Father and His Son.

Our divine nature has nothing to do with our personal accomplishments, the status we achieve, the number of marathons we run, or our popularity and self-esteem. Our divine nature comes from God. It was established in an existence that preceded our birth and will continue on into eternity.”

Elder Jeffrey R Holland, of the First Presidency, paid this tribute ,” To all of our mothers everywhere, past, present, or future, I say, “Thank you. Thank you for giving birth, for shaping souls, for forming character, and for demonstrating the pure love of Christ.” To Mother Eve, to Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel, to Mary of Nazareth, and to a Mother in Heaven, I say, “Thank you for your crucial role in fulfilling the purposes of eternity.” To all mothers in every circumstance, including those who struggle—and all will—I say, “Be peaceful. Believe in God and yourself. You are doing better than you think you are. In fact, you are saviors on Mount Zion,¹³ and like the Master you follow, your love ‘never faileth.’¹⁴ ” I can pay no higher tribute to anyone. 

Today I declare from this pulpit what has been said here before: that no love in mortality comes closer to approximating the pure love of Jesus Christ than the selfless love a devoted mother has for her child. “

Dear Sisters, you are each priceless and precious daughters of a God who loves you dearly; who know us and our divine potential. Let us, as Mary, fulfill our lives as handmaids of the Lord.

We love you and wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

 Sister Cathy Bentley

1st Counselor Centralia Stake Relief Society

Presidency Message

     A family decided to spend a hot summer afternoon floating down a river on inner tubes. A river guide gave them clear instructions to make their trip enjoyable and safe. In particular, he warned them about a stretch of river where a bridge produced a strong undercurrent. He instructed them to get out of the river at that point and carry their tubes to the next launching area.
     All went well, until one adult family member decided to ignore the river guide's warning. The detour seemed like an unnecessary limitation. Besides, he had floated the river before, and he knew what he was doing.
     It was a mistake. the violent undercurrent flipped his tube over and plunged him into the water. luckily his life jacket kept him afloat, and all he lost were some of his belongings. It could have been much more tragic. He quickly realized how much better off it would have been to avoid the danger zone altogether.
     The counsel to avoid dangers at first seem like an unnecessary and unwanted restriction. sooner or later, however, we realize that such counsel does not restrict us; it protects us. It is not enough to simply "go with the flow". The safe course is rarely a path of least resistance; rather, it requires deliberate choices, willingness to learn, and humble recognition that we don't know everything.
     Although we can choose to rationalize, reject, or ignore good counsel and divine commandment, the choices we make-though they may seem small and unimportant at the time-have lasting consequences. Often the best course is to heed the advice of those who have foreseen the dangers or who are wiser and better informed-such as a parent, teacher, bishop,prophet, or God speaking in the scriptures. Our choices determine our safety, our happiness, and our destiny to make it home to Our Heavenly Father.

Sister Val Walsh
Centralia Stake Relief Society Secretary

October Presidency Message "The Empty Pickle Jar, Relief Society Style"

Dear Sisters,

We hope that you enjoy this video titles" The Empty Pickle Jar, Relief Society Style" as a remembrances of the things that are essential and important in our lives and what order they should be placed. In the busy world that we live in with many conveniences and such at our fingertips it is very easy to overload ourselves with many things that keep us from focusing on the most essential and important  things. The hustling and bustling we do as young mothers and grandmothers sometimes wears us out and then we get overwhelmed with many things that take us away from the essential and important things. We are approaching the holiday season within the next month or two and our families and lives will be filled with many fun and enjoyable opportunities. Let us choose wisely and be sure that we include the essential and important things as a focus.

http://youtu.be/hekYUf87cao

Love to Each of You,
Sister Sallye Johnston
Centralia Stake Relief Society President

September Presidency Message

 We look forward to seeing each of you at the first session of General Conference on Saturday September 26, 2015 at 4:45 at the Centralia Stake Center.

September 1^st, 2015

I just love new beginnings, don’t you? The first day of September, first day of school, and so on. I’ve personally launched a new effort toward healthier living today. I’m sixteen hours into it and I’m doing great ;)

It’s easy to become discouraged with life’s adversities, isn’t it?  But, thanks to the Lord, we have new beginnings and hope for better days ahead. I just wanted to encourage you sisters to look on the bright side of things and keep on trying. As President Monson said, “Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family.” " And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day." Alma 36:3

In hard times she had learned three things-

She was stronger....than she ever imagined,

Jesus was closer...than she ever realized,

and

She was loved...more than she ever knew.

Wishing you joy as continue you journey!

 

Love,

Sister Chris Jackson

1st Counselor

 

August Presidency Message

Dear Sisters,
     In Robert Lewis Stevenson's "A Child's Garden of Verses", he writes a very simple poem entitled "Happy Thoughts" where he says "The world is so full of a number of things. I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings."
     Summer brings with it many happy things; swimming, biking, vacations, family time, and for many growing and harvesting a garden, and sharing the harvest with others. The First Presidency offered this message (as stated in "All is Safely Gathered In...Family Home Storage" pamphlet)
"Dear Brothers and Sisters: Our Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth, with all its abundance, for our benefit and use. His purpose is to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to "prepare every needful thing" (see D&C 109:8) so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors and support bishops as they care for others.We encourage Church members worldwide to prepare for adversity in life by having a basic supply of food and water and some money in savings. We ask that you be wise as you store food and water and build your savings..."
     There are an abundance of opportunities for preparing for adverse conditions no matter what your circumstances. Contact your ward Preparedness Specialist, Relief Society President, Bishop, or access lds.org for additional guidance and ideas. Share your home preparedness ideas, skill and talents with others, helping them in turn to be more self sufficient.

"Come, ye thankful people, come,
Raise the song of harvest home!
All is safely gathered in,
Ere the winter storms begin;
god, our Maker, doth provide
for our wants to be supplied..."

In Doctrine and covenants 38:30, the Lord Himself promises us that "...if ye are prepared, ye shall not fear."

We love you and pray for you and your families.
Sister Cathy Bentley
Second Counselor Stake Relief Society