November 2014 Presidency Message

Joy in Thanks

Said the apostle John, “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” (John 13:17)  The month of November brings sweet feelings of appreciation for the blessings which the Lord continually showers upon us.  We are commanded to give thanks and have grateful hearts for the many blessings God has bestowed upon us.  But, have you ever stopped to notice the joy that a simple prayer of thanks opens up for you.  

     

Joseph F. Smith, sixth President of the Church, said: “The grateful man sees so much in the world to be thankful for, and with him the good outweighs the evil. Love overpowers jealousy, and light drives darkness out of his life.” He continued: “Pride destroys our gratitude and sets up selfishness in its place. How much happier we are in the presence of a grateful and loving soul, and how careful we should be to cultivate, through the medium of a prayerful life, a thankful attitude toward God and man!”  Every life has peaks and shadows and if we focus on those, we may fail to notice the blessings which surround us and become sullen and despondent.  Sisters, let a smile grace your beautiful faces.  And during this wonderful season of thanks, let your pray of thanks shine bright as the morning sun that joy may fill your soul.

With great love from,

The Stake Relief Society Presidency

Sister Patricia Young

Sister Leilani Parker
Sister Sandy Garrard
Sister Betsy McCreary

October 2014 Presidency Message

When Jesus Christ was on the earth, He showed us the way we should live. Sister Eliza R. Snow, the 2^nd Relief Society General President, said: “He marked the path and led the way. He showed us how to minister – how to watch over and strengthen one another. His was a ministry to individuals, one by one. He healed and taught individuals, even spending time with each person in a multitude of 2,500 people, allowing each to receive a personal witness of His divinity.” (3 N 11:14-15; 17: 9, 21)

The Savior calls His disciples to work with Him in His ministry, giving them the opportunity to serve others and become more like Him. In Relief Society each sister has the opportunity to watch over and strengthen sisters one by one through Visiting Teaching. Sister Julie B. Beck, 15^th Relief Society General President, said: “Because we follow the example and teachings of Jesus Christ, we value this sacred assignment to love, know, serve, understand, teach, and minister in His behalf.”

Sister Elaine L. Jack, 12^th General Relief Society President, said: “In visiting teaching we reach out to each other. Hands often speak as voices can’t. A warm embrace conveys volumes. A laugh together unites us. A moment of sharing refreshes our souls. We cannot always lift the burden of one who is troubled, but we can lift her so she can bear it well.”

It is our prayer that we will pledge an increased commitment to extend our arms of love and compassion to bless, help, and strengthen each other as we go about doing our visiting teaching with a willing and joyful heart.

With great love from,

The Stake Relief Society Presidency

Sister Patricia Young
Sister Leilani Parker
Sister Sandy Garrard
Sister Betsy McCreary

Message for August 2014

—Written on August 12, 2014

The other day my husband, Lauri, and I were at Deseret Book picking up some scriptures we had engraved for our granddaughter for her birthday. At the checkout stand we made one of those "impulse" purchases. It was a CD of the BYU Men's Chorus singing missionary hymns called, "Set Apart" and it was only $3.00! Wow! What a bargain! 

Last night we drove to Bountiful to visit my widowed mother–in–law for her birthday and we played it coming back home. It was wonderful! But one of the songs really hit a "note" of truth with me. It was the hymn by Carrie Rounsefell (music) and Mary Brown (lyrics) "I'll Go Where You Want me to Go." Lauri and I are planning to go on a mission for the Church when I retire in a couple of years, but the words of that hymn made me reflect on what President Boyd has said recently in a Ward Conference I attended. He said that every day he prays to Heavenly Father and asks Him for that day what His "will" is for him. He wants to do the Father's will–wherever that might direct him and in whatever path that might take him. And the hymn, "I'll Go Where You Want me to Go," reflects that admonition. Isn’t that what we all should be doing when we get on our knees, pray to Heavenly Father, and then go about our daily activities–not just when we are on an "official" mission for the Church, but in our everyday lives?

The words of the hymn say: "But if, by a still, small voice he calls, To paths that I do not know, I'll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in thine: I'll go where you want me to go." And then in the chorus it says: "I'll say what you want me to say, dear Lord; I'll be what you want me to be."

One of the interesting things to me about that verse of the hymn are the words "I'll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in thine." How comforting those words are and how true!  We never do anything righteous and of His will without Him being right there by our side–holding our hands and guiding our paths. That makes the words of the final verse even more special, "So trusting my all to thy tender care, And knowing thou lovest me, I'll do thy will with a heart sincere: I'll be what you want me to be.”

Let's all try to do His will with a "heart sincere" knowing that He will be right by our sides, guiding and directing us for good not only for ourselves but for others as well.

I bear you my testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I feel privileged to be a member of His Kingdom here on the earth.

With great love from,
Betsy McCreary,
Lehi Stake R.S. Presidency, Secretary

Clothing Exchange will be held at the Lehi Stake Center

Church Blessings of Living in the Computer Age

Have you noticed lately how “hastening the work” has been encouraged by the use of computers? It is amazing to watch. I can think of several big things that the average member does differently now than we did even two or three years ago.

1. We read our church magazines on line. It is amazing how much we can read during moments of down–time. We have more freedom to partake wherever we are, whenever we have a few minutes to spare. Conference talks from years ago are stored in memory on the church web site, so we can refer to earlier discourses that we particularly enjoyed in the past. We have more resources to study and they are so easily accessed at home on our laptops or iPads or smart phones. Entire libraries are at our fingertips, literally!
2. And not just church magazines—ditto for our standard works! So much easier to pack our tote bags for meetings with one computer device! They follow us around all day long. Hurray!
3. The worldwide training is now online. Last year when we were first called to the stake Relief Society presidency we enjoyed going to the tabernacle to watch our general leadership present training in person. It was a great experience to sit in that historic balcony and simmer in the spirit of shared testimonies from such outstanding leaders. This March there were no live meetings but we were directed to our computers and can watch and re–watch Sister Burton, Elder Ballard, and all the auxiliary presidents as they teach us how to teach and how to learn. It is nice to hit the replay button if we miss a word or two or if we need to copy the interesting material, thought and questions for later pondering. We are directed to share this information and discuss it in our councils and presidency meetings. That way we still feel the shared spirit from others. We no longer have travel time to worry about or traffic jams and road stress! And this training is open for everyone in the church—we are all leaders.
4. Family history has never been easier. Do you remember the days of submitting names through the mail for temple work? It took months to research even one name, waiting patiently for vital records to arrive back from court houses and relatives. Now there are lots of computer sites you can use to get the information you need for submissions. The newest and best is www.puzilla.org. Not very many people are aware of it, and we would encourage you to “fiddle around” there (as President Bruce Webb used to say). This site is a church site with lots of bonuses! It is connected to Family Tree, and as you enter your own name in the site and sign on, it calculates your descendants for as many generations as you desire, filling the screen with a growing “flower” with the blossoms becoming each ancestor in your tree. As you click on any ancestor, then you have the choice to see that ancestor “in the tree” (their personal data), the descendants of that person, or their ancestors. By clicking on the descendants of your great–great–great grandfather, for example, it shows not only YOU but all of your cousins—the children, grandchildren, great–greats, etc of that ancestor. It also reveals the gaps in your work and leads you to do the temple work where it is needed. It even has a link for research helps that will allow you to view birth certificates, military records, death and marriage records, census records, etc. This website has saved innumerable hours in names submission, because at this site (linked to Family Tree) you submit and then print off the paperwork to take directly to the temple to do the saving ordinances for your relatives. There is even a great tutorial here! 

It is true that we live in an incredible age and we are so grateful for the way our leaders have embraced the technology of the computer to help us. Let us all abandon our fears when dealing with this new world and freely participate with joy!

With great love from,

your Stake Relief Society Presidency

Happy Pioneer Day!

My Heart Sings

  In response to the advise of doctors and health experts, I spend hours training and exercising to keep my heart healthy and strong. And as expected, my heart has strengthened over the years and my efforts seem to have paid off. It is a great feeling to be able to run up a flight of stairs without standing there drooling and panting like an overheated sheepdog. Fitness helps me to lessen the stress and strife that life chucks at me.

 But, you know, I have found there are many challenges, which cannot be fixed with a few barbell lifts. There are those unseen struggles and questions that lurk like thieves in the chilly caverns of my soul and they insist on popping up like weeds on a sunny day. How do I rip those up and build spiritual strength to block their effect? Ah, there’s the rub.

 It must be something both effective and quick. The answer was easy. Hymns. Their message is scripture carried effortlessly into the soul with soothing sounds. Music speaks gently and opens the heart to the spirit. Sing at church, sing in your car, sing at home. You will be amazed at the change in your heart and mind. Think that you cannot sing. Think again. No one says you have to be Whitney Houston to obtain every benefit the hymns offer. If nothing else, try singing in the shower. It will lift up your day. And, if your kids think you have lost your mind, maybe just maybe, they will make you a chocolate cake. Worth it, no?

with love,

The Stake Relief Society Presidency