February Stake Relief Society Newsletter

As I have been reflecting on our play, “The Eternal Legacy of Relief Society,” my thoughts have continued to be filled with deep gratitude for everyone in our stake who helped or supported us in this endeavor. We all felt so blessed and filled with the Spirit throughout that night, and we also felt that this was what our Heavenly Father wanted to have happen. 

Since that evening, I have thought about all of the things I am thankful for that Relief Society teaches me…such as: We ARE beloved daughters of our Heavenly Father and He DOES love us and watch over us. He has given us the gift of the Holy Ghost, scriptures, prophets, temples, the ability to communicate to Him through prayer, opportunities to serve and to learn and grow. He has given us this incredible organization of Relief Society and opportunities to grow in our sisterhood if we so choose. He has given us the blessings of the priesthood, and family, friends and neighbors to watch over and care for…
What it all comes down to is this: 

What will I do in my life to show my love and gratitude to 

Heavenly Father for everything He has given me? 

When Elder Jeffery R. Holland spoke in General Conference, he reminded us about how the Savior asked Peter several times, “Do you love me?” Peter answered on the third time, “Lord…thou knowest that I love thee.” Elder Holland in his own words describes what he felt the Savior was trying to say when he said, “Then Peter, why are you here? Why are we back on this same shore by these same nets, having this same conversation?

Wasn’t it obvious then and isn’t it obvious now that if I want fish, I can get fish? 

What I need, Peter, are disciples – and I need them forever. I need someone to feed my sheep and save lambs. I need someone to preach my gospel and defend my faith. I need someone who loves me, truly, truly loves me, and loves what our Father in Heaven has commissioned me to do….Peter, for the second and presumably the last time, I am asking you to leave all this and to go teach, labor and serve…loyally.” 

In my mind, I can hear the Savior speaking to each of us Relief Society sisters…

’what I need is for each of you to feed my sheep and to save lambs… to teach,
labor and to serve… loyally through this great organization of Relief Society.’ 

And so, what I have learned from Relief Society, and will continue to learn is just what Sister Nicki Hunter’s message was in our play…it really is all about Love! It is all about that first and great commandment, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind.”
And then to remember that if we love Him we will keep His commandments…
if we love Him, we will love and serve one another.

As a stake Relief Society, we want you to know of our love for you and how blessed we have felt to have this opportunity to serve you and to serve with you in this great organization of Relief Society!  May our Heavenly Father bless each of you in your lives.

With much love, 

Lisa, Barbara, Jocelyn, Kay

RELIEF SOCIETY NEWSLETTER

JANUARY 2013

  It is hard to believe that we are starting another year!  We hope that each of you had a wonderful Christmas Season with your families and we wish you the best in this New Year.  Your service and efforts don’t go unnoticed and we appreciate all that you do.

This month, in January we will be visiting the 2^nd  ward for their ward conference, as we will with all of you through the year.  When your conference is scheduled you won’t have to worry about a lesson, our Stake Presidency will teach on those Sundays.  We always enjoy hearing from them and we look forward to having them in our meetings.  How grateful we are for their Priesthood and leadership.

We hope that each ward is striving to use the manual, Daughters In My Kingdom, in your teaching opportunities.  You can just quote or read a little from it in your lessons, it seems like no matter what your subject is, you can find an experience or a teaching on the subject you prepare.

We as a stake will be coming to each of your Relief Societies this month to tell your sisters about our play to celebrate the 170 years of Relief Society.  We will also be bringing you invitations to give to the sisters.  We will be coming to your wards on the 13^th and will only take a few moments of your class time.  A lot of hard work and inspiration has been put in this production by many people and we hope that you will stress the importance of attending to those in your ward.  We feel that your time will be well spent for coming.

   

   

CALENDAR:

    Jan. 20^th        2^nd Ward Conference

   

Jan. 26^th       “THE ETERNAL LEGACY OF RELIEF  SOCIETY” 

                                  A Play Celebrating 170 years of Relief  Society.

                                    

“We are ordinary women accomplishing extraordinary things

through faith in Jesus Christ. This is our Eternal Legacy”  

We feel that each of you are ordinary sisters accomplishing extraordinary things through the small and special things you do in your wards.

We Love You All,

             Lisa, Barbara, Jocelyn, Kay

Stake Women’s Conference

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Curtain time - 6:00 pm

“The Eternal Legacy of Relief Society”

We are excited to extend to each sister within our stake, a personal invitation to join with us as we celebrate on stage…

The Eternal Legacy of Relief Society!

The time is  “quickly at hand,” only seven weeks until our production will be presented on stage at the Lehi Stake Center.

The last few months have found many women spending countless hours memorizing lines, practicing instruments, rehearsing songs, researching the lives of the women they will be portraying, attending rehearsals, preparing props, working on sound and lighting, etc. etc. etc  

We are hoping that everyone will use this play as a missionary tool and as a great learning experience about Relief Society and the great roll that we as women play in our Father in Heavens Kingdom. 

Please invite your neighbors, friends, and everyone you know that would benefit from learning more about God’s plan for His daughters in Relief Society, to join with you this coming January.

A child was born ......

Two thousand years ago, in the tiny city of Bethlehem, the event that would forever change the world unfolded quietly in the most humble of circumstances.  In all of history, Christ’s birth was unique.  Similarly, of all the holidays we celebrate, nothing can compare to the holiday that celebrates His Birth

Holly and pine boughs, candles and ornaments, peace, love, and tradition all remind us of the ties that bind us to each other and to our Savior.  Because of Christ’s divine birth, family ties can literally become eternal.

May our families feel loved this year, more because of our presence not simply because of our presents.

Merry Christmas.

With great love and admiration,  Lisa, Barbara, Jocelyn, Kay

May we all be thankful for our many blessings.

Relief Society Newletter

November 2012

At this Thanksgiving time we all need to make sure that we take time to stop and make a list of all the things we are grateful for…a gratitude list and then share it with family and friends. I know of a family that always goes around the dinner table before they eat that wonderful Thanksgiving dinner and have everyone express their gratitude for the blessings of the past year. What a wonderful tradition. We as a Presidency would hope that we don’t get so caught up in the busyness of the day that we don’t take time to reflect on the blessings that we have been given.

“This is a wonderful time to be living here on earth,” said President Monson. He went on to say, “Our opportunities are limitless. While there are some things wrong in the world today, there are many things right, such as teachers who teach, ministers who minister, marriages that make it, parents who sacrifice, and friends who help and children who obey.”

“Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings but it also unlocks the doors of heaven and helps us feel God’s love,” President Monson said. Do we remember to give thanks for the blessings we receive? Regardless of our circumstances, each of us has much for which to be grateful, if we but pause and contemplate our blessings.

May we ever reflect our gratitude for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He taught us how to pray. He taught us how to live. He taught us how to die. His life is a legacy of love. Let us follow Him. Let us emulate His example. Let us obey His words. By so doing, we give Him the divine Gift of gratitude.

May each of you and your families enjoy this wonderful holiday season by giving thanks for all that has been given to each of us.

Much Love,                                                                                                                         
Lisa, Barbara, Jocelyn, Kay

November 2012 Relief Society Newsletter

As a stake Relief Society presidency, we enjoyed meeting with each of our ward Relief Society presidencies at our Stake Leadership meeting a couple of weeks ago. We are very blessed to have such dedicated, kind and thoughtful women serving within each of our wards! Our stake is truly strengthened by your service. We have also felt and witnessed the many kind acts of love and care that the Relief Society sisters in our stake take part in all of the time. Once again, we are blessed to have that kind of ministering happening here!

During General Conference, Sister Linda K. Burton, our General Relief Society president said, “One of the greatest evidences we have that our beloved prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, is the Lord’s servant is that he has learned to follow the Savior’s example – serving individually, one by one. Those of us who have entered the waters of baptism have covenanted to ‘always remember (the Savior) and keep his commandments.’ and He has said, ‘This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.’

During this month of November as our minds turn to the numerous blessings we have, I think that we can best show our gratitude to our loving Father in Heaven by following the counsel of our General Relief Society President, (Sister Burton) to remember 4 words…

“First Observe, Then Serve.”

As I have thought about the countless acts of kindness given to my family and to me, my heart is filled with gratitude for those Christ like acts of service. Thank you for observing a need and serving in the Lord’s way!

I know that we are all invited to follow Jesus’ teachings to minister and to love one another…we can do this by first observing and then serving each other.

May you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, enjoying the many blessing we have been given!

Much Love,                                                                                                                        
Lisa, Barbara, Jocelyn, Kay