Wishing you a Christmas filled with Love
  "Love, without Love there would be no Christmas. Every person in the Christmas story acted out of love: Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the wise men and especially our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Because of their love for us, God's own son "descended below all things" (D&C 88:6). First as a baby in Bethlehem and throughout his mortal life, He was the embodiment of love. In Gethsemane and Golgotha, the Lord exemplified pure and perfect love. And because of Him, we can return to our Heavenly Father's presence and feel a fullness of love. Christmas is a time for rekindling love, for expressing love, and certainly for feeling an abundance of love. The beloved Primary song says it so well: "How could the Father tell the world of Love and tenderness? He sent His son, a newborn babe, with peace and holiness."
  Virginia Pearce, daughter of President Gordon B. Hinckley said "One of the remarkable qualities about God's love for us is that not only do we experience it as validating and affirming, but it also produces growth and change in us. It literally moves us forward, toward Him and our own eventual exaltation. It is a sculpting, correcting and purposeful kind of love.
  We don't have to be perfect to love one another. In fact, our love for each other enlarges when we give each other room to grow, to make mistakes, to repent, and to forgive.
Jesus said, "a new commandment I give unto you. That ye love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. John 13:34
  President Gordon B. Hinckley said "Christmas is more than trees and twinkling lights, more than toys and gifts and baubles of a hundred varieties. It is love. It is the love of the Son of God for all mankind. It reaches beyond our power to comprehend. It is magnificent and beautiful."
  The Prophet Joseph Smith said: Love is one of the chief characteristics of Deity and ought to be manifested by those who aspire to be the Sons of God. A man filled with the love of God is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race."
  The last verse of "Oh Holy Night" sweetly sings of love: "Truly he taught us to love one another, His law is love and His gospel is peace." (from a Christmas treasury by Lloyd and Karmel Newell)

May the love you feel for, and the love you feel from our Savior fill your heart and abode this Christmas. May we each search this new year for opportunities to share the love that our Savior has offered us. Let it renew and restore our faith in each other, our faith in ourselves to endure and most especially our faith in Him. He is able to carry our burdens. He is able to show us the way to a fullness of joy. It is through Him we can do all that is required of us in this life.                                                 "So blessed that moment of wonder,,,,,,when love was born on earth."
This Christmas may your heart rejoice knowing you've received from Him the greatest gift of all. And  "Let all that you do be done with Love"
Love from,
Addie Simper President Centralia Stake Relief Society
Sally Montgomery 1st Counselor
BJ Barnes 2nd Counselor
Heidi Simper Secretary

2017 Relief Society Course of Study Schedule

Jan 1     (Presidency) The Life and Ministry of Gordon B. Hinkley
Jan 8     G.B. Hinckley #1 page 43 The Restoration- Dawning of a Brighter Day
Jan 15   G.B. Hinckley #2 page 55  An Ensign- A Light to the World
Jan 22   Elder D. Renlund "Repentance: A Joyful Choice" Oct. Gen. Conf. 2016
Jan 29   5th Sunday Instruction determined by Bishop

Feb 5    Presidency Instruction
Feb 12  G.B. Hinckley #3 Pg.69 Cultivating an attitude of Happiness and Optimism
Feb 19  Stake Conference
Feb 26  Elder Q. L. Cook "Valiant in the testimony of Jesus" Oct. Gen. Conf. 2016

Mar 5     Presidency Instruction
Mar 12   G.B. Hinckley #4 Page 81 The Pioneer Heritage of Faith and Sacrifice
Mar 19   G.B. Hinckley #5 Page 95 Daughters of God
Mar 26   Elder L. G. Robbins "The Righteous Judge" October Gen. Conf. 2016

Apr 2      General Conference
Apr 9      G.B. Hinckley #6 Page 107 How Mighty a Thing is Prayer
Apr 16    G.B. Hinckley #7 Page 117 The Whisperings of The Spirit
Apr 23    Elder E. Schmutz "God Shall Wipe Away All Tears" Oct. Gen.Conf. -16
Apr 30    5th Sunday Instruction determined by Bishop

May 7      Presidency Instruction
May 14    G.B. Hinckley #8 Page 127 We Look to Christ
May 21    G.B. Hinckley #9 Page 141 The Precious Gift of Testimony
May 28   2017 General Conference message to be announced

Jun 4      Presidency Instruction
Jun 11    G.B. Hinckley #10 Pg.153 Nurture Eternal Partnership of Marriage
Jun 18    G.B. Hinckley #11 Page 165 Home-The Basis of  Righteous Life
Jun 25    2017 General Conference message to be announced

Jul 2      Presidency Instruction
Jul 9      G.B. Hinckley #12 Page 177 Obedience: Simply live the Gospel
Jul 16    G.B. Hinckley #13 Pg.189 Peace and Contentment Through Self-Reliance
Jul 23    2017 General Conference message to be announced
Jul 30    5th Sunday Instruction determined by Bishop

Aug 6      Presidency Instruction
Aug 13   G.B. Hinckley #14 Page 201 Losing Ourselves in the Service of Others
Aug 20   G.B. Hinckley #15 Page 213 The Holy Priesthood
Aug 27   Stake Conference

Sept 3    Presidency Instruction
Sept 10  G.B. Hinckley #16 Page 225 The Power of the Book of Mormon
Sept 17  G.B. Hinckley #17 Pg.235 Continue in the Great Process of Learning
Sept 24  2017 General Conference message to be announced

Oct 1     General Conference
Oct 8     G.B. Hinckley #18 Page 249 Virtue-A Cornerstone on Which to Build
Oct 15   G.B. Hinckley #19 Page 259 Priesthood Leadership in the Church
Oct 22   2017 General Conference message to be announced
Oct 29   5th Sunday Instruction determined by Bishop

Nov 5    Presidency Instruction
Nov 12  G.B.Hinckley #20 Pg. 273 Fellowship With Those Not of Our Faith
Nov 19  G.B.Hinckley #21 Pg. 283 The Latter day Miracle of Missionary work
Nov 26  2017 General Conference message to be announced

Dec 3    Presidency Instruction
Dec 10  G.B.Hinckley #22 Pg. 295 Reaching Out with Love to New Converts
Dec 17  G.B.Hinckley #23 Pg. 309 The Blessings of The Holy Temple
Dec 24  2017 General Conference message to be announced
Dec 31  5th Sunday Instruction determined by Bishop

Additional Lessons from the manual not presently scheduled may be used at the
discretion of the ward Relief Society Presidency during Presidency Instruction
weeks.

                                   Emulating Christ at Christmas

  President Ezra Taft Benson said "Without Christ there would be no Christmas, and without Christ there would be no fullness of Joy. It is my testimony that the babe of Bethlehem, Jesus the Christ, is
the one perfect Guide, the one perfect Example. Only by emulating Him and adhering to His eternal truth can we realize peace on earth and good will toward all."

  If we look to the world this season we will find a commercialized holiday. A holiday which can induce raw emotion, stress, anxiety, feelings of inadequacy, depression etc. It is unfortunate that so many lose sight of Christ during the Christmas season.
  As we enter this Christmas season let us all focus on Christ and in turn focus our efforts on emulating his perfect life.
  To emulate Christ we must follow the virtues of the Savior's character as outlined by Peter:
"Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue: and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness; charity."
  Emulating Christ takes commitment and action on our part. That is action we can control! Rather than focusing on outside influences which can cause negative feelings or behaviors, let us look to the Savior's pure example and commit to living  life modeled after His. In doing so we will be more patient, kind and charitable this Christmas.

Heidi Simper Centralia Stake Relief Society Secretary

  Dear Sisters of the Centralia Stake,

  "Every woman is special, a somebody of intrinsic worth who has been a somebody for a very long time, indeed, forever. Every daughter of God born of divine heritage in the spirit before this world was formed, enters mortality already a special, eternal person. Each has proved herself in demanding periods of trial and has chosen the right course, pursued it with faith and courage and comes here with credentials earned in action elsewhere. Every girl, every woman is a somebody apart and aside from anyone else, husband or family or otherwise."  Elder Marion D. Hanks "Equality of Esteem"
  As we know a big part of our Centralia Stake is made up of many single sisters. We may not know their circumstances or how they meet the challenges of life but they are admired for their resiliency, faith, and motivation to endure to the end. Many sisters have strong and enduring marriages, while some are unmarried, divorced or widowed. Some sisters live on a fixed income struggling from one paycheck to another. Some sisters work outside of the home while others through choice or circumstance stay at home. Some are in wonderful health while others have serious health issues. Many sisters have difficulty sitting for three hours of church meetings, some cannot drive at night. Some struggle with the needs of their children while others enjoy what seems to be an ideal home life. Some of our sisters are challenged with feelings of loneliness each day. Sometimes I sit in sacrament meeting and recognize sisters that never seem to use their smile muscles and wonder if they are one step away from despair.
 Paul taught in Galatians 6:2 "Bear ye one another's burden and so fulfill the law of Christ."
Elder Holland stated during a recent conference, "Don't you quit, you keep walking, you keep trying, there is help and happiness ahead. Some blessings come sooner, some come later, some don't come until heaven, but those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come."
  It is my prayer that we might fill our hearts with compassion and charity and be sensitive to each other. Let's encourage each other, lets love each other and let's smile at each other. Let's bear each others burdens. You are a daughter of our Heavenly Father, you are special, you are somebody with divine potential and infinite worth.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Sally Montgomery Centralia Stake Relief Society 1st Counselor

CENTRALIA STAKE RELIEF SOCIETY ANNOUNCES "EVENING OF EXCELLENCE"
  We are excited and delighted to announce a cultural Evening of Excellence sponsored by the
Centralia Stake Relief Society. All Adults 18 years old and above are invited to attend this very
special evening Thursday July 20, 2017 at 7:00 pm.
  Our keynote speaker for this exceptional evening will be the well known author of numerous
books and audio CD's Brad Wilcox. Brad is a Professor of Education at Brigham Young University
and author of several books as well as a popular speaker for the Church. Brother Wilcox grew up
in Provo Utah but lived several years with his family in Ethiopia. He and his wife served as Mission President in Chili and later served as a member of the Sunday School General Board. He and his wife Debi have four children and are Grandparents. Brad loves reading, writing, teaching, peanut M&M's, pepperoni pizza and is trying to learn to love salad.

  Other activities will include presentations of original award winning poetry and musical talent
from the Centralia Stake, including a cultural hall display of various talents contributed by
SISTERS throughout the Centralia Stake. Refreshments will be served.

Announcing: EVENING OF EXCELLENCE TALENT SEARCH
  We invite all Relief Society Sisters age 18 and above to participate by submitting original works
of creativity and art. Items submitted will be judged prior to the event and will later be displayed
in the cultural hall during the "Evening of Excellence."
                            The Theme for entries will be centered on JESUS CHRIST
                        "THE HEALING GIFT AND POWER OF THE ATONEMENT"
  Please submit authentic original works only. The following categories will be judged by an
impartial committee of judges who reside outside of our Centralia Stake.
  We acknowledge that talent exists and is expressed in far more numerous ways than can be
highlighted in one evening. The categories for original works that we encourage for submission
to be showcased for this event are as follows.
POETRY
WRITINGS
ART all types IN ANY MEDIUM
LYRICS WITH MUSIC
MUSIC for Piano, Violin, Cello, Harp, Flute
SEWING
PHOTOGRAPHY
CALLIGRAPHY

  ALL APPROPRIATE ART AND CREATIVE SUBMISSIONS WILL BE DISPLAYED. In addition
one submission from each category will be highlighted and showcased on the "Award of Excellence"
table. Chosen submissions WHICH QUALIFY FOR "THE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE" may be used in the creation of that evening's printed program and may be asked to be performed during that
evenings event. Original Authors and Lyricists may, but need not be the performer, singer or reader.
  We reserve the privilege of holding an audition to assist in acquiring an excellent presenter for your
original musical or vocal number.
  We encourage all Relief Society Sisters and non member Sisters within the Centralia Stake
boundaries to participate. We may accept entries from outside the Centralia Stake boundaries
for display purposes only. Entries from without the Centrlia Stake boundaries will not qualify
for the "Award of Excellence" table. College Students away at college whose primary address
during holidays and breaks resides within the Centralia Stake boundaries will qualify as being
members of the Centralia Stake for this event. All sisters that reach the age of 18 years of age
 by July 20, 2017 may qualify to enter.
  Every effort will be made to return original submissions with the understanding that the
Centralia Washington Stake and/or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints members and
participants are not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged entries.
  Instructions for Submissions are as follows:
  To submit original works please use a legal size manila envelope. DO NOT include your name.
On a blank cover sheet please put the name of your WARD, the FIRST LETTER ONLY of your
MAIDEN name and the FIRST FOUR DIGITS of your BIRTH DATE.
For example (Cowlitz Falls R0515) THE LAST DAY FOR ENTRIES WILL BE THURSDAY
JUNE 1, 2017 at 9:00 pm
Please submit your original works to a member of The Centralia Stake Relief Society Presidency.
  We encourage ALL Sisters to participate.
We very much anticipate a wonderful evening of creativity, cultural art and spiritual enrichment.

  Creatively Yours,
Addie Simper Centralia Stake Relief Society President
Sally Montgomery 1st Counselor
BJ Barnes 2nd Counselor
Heidi Simper Secretary

A Message of Thanks from Sallye Johnston

Dear Sisters of the Centralia Stake,
Words cannot alone express my grateful heart for all of
the beautiful notes and the gorgeous silver serving trays.
You are all above and beyond generous with your words,
thoughts and thoughtful gift. I will use them often and
each time I do I will be thinking of each of you!
It has been a pure joy and learning experience to serve
the sisters of the Centralia Stake. I have learned much
through this wonderful opportunity. It has been a pleasure
to get to know so many in the Stake, so many gifted and
talented daughters of God all in our midst.
The Lord gives us many opportunities for growth if we
will trust and say "Yes".
May each of you continue to be blessed as you serve.
My love to each of you dear sisters. I am thankful for each
and every one of you. I love you!
Love, Sallye Johnston

Stand as a Light - Kizoa Video Editor - Movie Maker