Sunday, April 28, 2013

Opening Hymn was Hymn 239 “Choose the Right”

Announcements:       

              Relief Society Activity this Tuesday, April 30^th

*Mini-lessons with food storage ideas beyond cans of wheat and powdered milk.

*April 30

*7:00pm

*Cultural Hall

*Nursery provided

*Invite your visiting teaching sisters!

-May 3^rd Women’s Stake Basketball Tournament 6:00pm-9:00pm in the Cultural Hall.

-May 4^th Community Provident Living Expo in Marianna.  They will have 75+ booths and demos.  It will be from 10:00am-3:00pm. 3141 College Ave. Marianna, FL ( Across from the Chipola health Center & Pool) 

-May 4^th Single Adult BBQ from 4:00pm-6:00pm.  It will be held in Cherokee Park off of Covington Ave in Thomasville, GA.  If you have questions about the event, please contact Sister Whisnant at (850)-575-6880

-May 11^th Cycling Safety Course at the Lake Jackson Community Center 3840 N Monroe Street, Suite 301.  It will be held from 2:00 pm-6:00 pm for ages 12 and up.  The boys will also need a parent with them to attend the event.  **It will cover the Boy Scout Merit Badge for Cycling. The Cost is 3 dollars, and if you have any questions you may contact Sister Carol Gentry at (850)562-7448.

Practice Hymn 46 “Glorious Things to Thee Are Spoken”

Birthdays: Amber Thomas' B-Day on the 25th and Catherine Alldredges' B-Day on the 29th!

Lesson:

Sister Hollett gave a wonderful lesson on four different talks, and she gave it in record time!

“Learning with Our Hearts” By Elder Walter F. Gonzalez http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/learning-with-our-hearts?lang=eng

“Come Unto Me, O Ye House of Israel” By Elder Larry Echo Hawk http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/come-unto-me-o-ye-house-of-israel?lang=eng

“Blessings of the Sacrament” By Elder Don R. Clarke http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/blessings-of-the-sacrament?lang=eng

“Be Anxiously Engaged” By Elder M. Russell Ballard http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/be-anxiously-engaged?lang=eng

Sister Hollett began the lesson with the talk titled “Come Unto Me, O Ye House of Israel” By Elder Larry Echo Hawk. She shared one of his quotes “As we come unto our Savior, Jesus Christ, and purify our hearts, we will all be instruments in fulfilling the mighty promises of the Book of Mormon.”

In the talk “Learning with Our Hearts” By Elder Walter F. Gonzalez she shared the following quote “One way to come unto Christ is by seeking to learn essential truths with our hearts. As we do so, impressions that come from God will give us knowledge that we cannot get by any other means.”  She also spoke about the Holy Ghost.                                                                                                                                               She stated “We can access the Holy Ghost when we...”

• Read/study the Scriptures
• Hark unto the living Prophets
• Pray
• Take time to be still and feel and follow the Celestial Promptings.

She also shared this quote “Iniquity hampers our ability to see, feel, and love others. Being quick to remember the Lord by praying “with all the energy of heart”¹¹ and bringing to mind our spiritual experiences expands our ability to see and feel the things of Christ.”    

In the talk “Blessings of the Sacrament” By Elder Don R. Clarke Sister Hollett also shared the following.                                                                                                                     

“President David O. McKay said, “I feel impressed to emphasize what the Lord has designated as the most important meeting in the Church, and that is the sacrament meeting.”³ If we properly prepare for the sacrament, we can transform our lives. I would like to suggest five principles that can bless our lives as we partake of the sacrament worthily.”

What can we do to prepare ourselves and partake of the sacrament worthily?

• ·        Have a feeling of gratitude for the Atonement.
• ·        Remember that we are renewing our baptismal covenants.

In the talk “Anxiously Engaged” By Elder M. Russell Ballard Sister Hollett talked about the dedication and the importance of honey bees. “Honeybees are driven to pollinate, gather nectar, and condense the nectar into honey. It is their magnificent obsession imprinted into their genetic makeup by our Creator. It is estimated that to produce just one pound (0.45 kg) of honey, the average hive of 20,000 to 60,000 bees must collectively visit millions of flowers and travel the equivalent of two times around the world. Over its short lifetime of just a few weeks to four months, a single honeybee’s contribution of honey to its hive is a mere one-twelfth of one teaspoon.”

What do we need to do to be like the dedicated honeybees? How do we make that kind of dedication become part of our nature?

• ·        Be willing and open our eyes to opportunities to serve.
• ·        We are gentle, meek and long suffering.
• ·        We no longer desire to do evil.
• ·        We feel charity towards all men.
• ·        Our thoughts are always virtuous.

How do we make this change? How do we ingrain this love of Christ into our hearts?

• ·        In your morning prayer you can ask our Heavenly Father to guide you to recognize the opportunity to seek one of his precious children.  Then go throughout the day with your heart full of faith and love, looking for someone to help. Stay focused, just like the honeybees focus on the flowers from which to gather nectar and pollen. If you do this, your spiritual sensitivities will be enlarged and you will discover opportunities to serve that you never before realized were possible.  After continual practice it will become a wonderful habit of charity and love.

Our Closing Hymn was Hymn 229 “Today While the Sun Shines” 

Closing Prayer by Sister Grey. 

This Sunday was Fast Sunday.  Many beautiful testimonies were shared during sacrament meeting.

Announcements:

We received a new Relief Society Presidency!

Sister Amanda Carroll as Relief Society President, Sister Jennifer Porter as 1^st Councilor, Sister Lori Fairbanks as 2^nd Councilor and Sister Alisha Bell as Secretary.

Birthdays!! 
Camisha Hodge & Patricia Rozier's B-day on the 16th.  
Diane Ayer's B-day on the 17th.
Pat Maurer's B-day on the 18th.
We hope you ladies have a wonderful day of your birth!! 

Hats: If you are still making hats, you are welcome to continue.  They are not due until Girls Camp.  When you are ready to turn your hats in, you would turn them in to Sister Reynolds.

Service: Sister Pitts is in need of some assistance.  She just needs a ride to the grocery store.  She says she is very flexible with schedules.  (850) 508-1419

Temple: This weekend is the Relief Society Temple Trip.  Drivers and cars are needed.  We will be meeting on Friday at the Wal-Mart on I-10 and North Monroe at 6:15am. Please bring breakfast and snacks for yourself for the way down.
                                

Lesson: We began Relief Society with the Hymn 227 “There is Sunshine in My Soul Today”

Sister Liz Roberts gave our lesson in Relief Society.  Her lesson was from chapter 7: Faithfulness in times of trial: “From the shadows into the glorious sunshine Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow”.

Sister Roberts began her lesson with a story from President Snow’s life. 
“Several months after arriving in Mount Pisgah, Lorenzo was called to preside over the settlement. “By this time,” he later recorded, “the Saints in Pisgah were in a very destitute condition, not only for food and clothing, but also for teams and wagons to proceed on their journey. Several families were entirely out of provision, and dependent on the charity of their neighbors, who, in most cases, were illy prepared to exercise that virtue. But, above all this, a sweeping sickness had visited the settlement, when there were not sufficient well ones to nurse the sick; and death followed in the wake, and fathers, mothers, children, brothers, sisters and dearest friends fell victims to the destroyer, and were buried with little ceremony, and some destitute of proper burial clothes. Thus were sorrow and mourning added to destitution.”

Lorenzo knew these trials firsthand. He and his family experienced sickness, disappointments, and heartache, including the death of his newborn daughter Leonora. He wrote, “Little Leonora was taken sick and died, and with deep sorrow we bore her remains to their silent resting place, to be left alone, far from her father and the mother who gave her birth.”

She went on to tell about how President Snow helped the saints.

“During the long winter months,” he said, “I sought to keep up the spirits and courage of the Saints in Pisgah, not only by inaugurating meetings for religious worship and exercises, in different parts of the settlement, but also by making provisions for, and encouraging proper amusements of various kinds. …”

Sister Roberts described the party that President Snow had to uplift the saints.

“As a sample, I will attempt a description of one, which I improvised for the entertainment of as many as I could reasonably crowd together in my humble family mansion, which was a one-story edifice, about fifteen by thirty [about four and one-half meters by nine meters], constructed of logs, with a dirt roof and ground floor, displaying at one end a chimney of modest height, made of turf cut from the bosom of Mother Earth. Expressly for the occasion we carpeted the floor with a thin coating of clean straw, and draped the walls with white sheets drawn from our featherless beds.

“How to light our hall suitably for the coming event was a consideration of no small moment, and one which levied a generous contribution on our ingenuity. But we succeeded. From the pit where they were buried, we selected the largest and fairest turnips—scooped out the interior, andfixed short candles in them, placing them at intervals around the walls, suspending others to the ceiling above, which was formed of earth and cane. Those lights imparted a very peaceable, quiet … influence, and the light reflected through those turnip rinds imparted a very picturesque appearance.

“During the evening exercises, several of my friends, in the warmest expressions possible, complimented me and my family for the peculiar taste and ingenuity displayed in those unique and inexpensive arrangements.”

Lorenzo recalled that “the hours were enlivened, and happily passed.” He and his guests entertained one another with speeches, songs, and recitations. He said, “At the close, all seemed perfectly satisfied, and withdrew, feeling as happy as though they were not homeless.”

She shared the scripture Mosiah 23: 21-22

 21. Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.

 22. Nevertheless whosoever putteth his trust in him the sameshall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with  this people.

We can be lifted by those around us.

Trials and tribulations help us improve spiritually and prepare for celestial glory. It is impossible for us to work out our salvation and accomplish the purposes of God without trials or without sacrifices.² Trials and tribulations have been the experience of the Latterday Saints.God so designed that it should beI daresay that in the [premortal] spiritworld, when it was proposed to us to come into this probation, and pass through the experience that we are now receiving, it was not altogether pleasant and agreeable; the prospects were not so delightful in all respects as might have been desired. Yet there is no doubt that we saw and understood clearly there that, in order to accomplish our exaltation and glory, this was a necessary experience; and however disagreeable it might have appeared to us, we were willing to conform to the will of God, and consequently we are here.³ The Lord has determined in His heart that He will try us until He knows what He can do with us.

Sister Roberts shared the difficulties she faced when she learned that her 1^st child was breech and what she learned from her trials.  She asked us to write down what we have learned from a trial and what the spirit taught us.  Sister Roberts shared D&C 58:2, 3

2 For verily I say unto you, blessed is he that keepeth mycommandments, whether in life or in death;  and he that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in thekingdom of heaven.

 3 Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.

Sister Roberts shared that she really enjoys the last part of verse 3 where it states “and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation” She said once that trial does pass you really do feel taller.

I am unaware of what the remainder of her wonderful lesson entails due to a fussy baby, but I would encourage you to read over the chapter for yourself so that you may know ways to strengthen your faith in times of trial. https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-lorenzo-snow/chapter-7-faithfulness-in-times-of-trial-from-the-shadows-into-the-glorious-sunshine?lang=eng

Next weeks lesson is Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow Chapter 8: "Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart" 

Relief Society celebrated their 171^st birthday on Tuesday night the 26th.  “Sweet is the Work” was the birthday theme and sweet it was! There was deliciousness all over the place from the cookies and brownies to the surplus of pregnant women and babies. 

There were also service projects going on.  Blankets and Hats were being made. The Hats serve as a service project for Girls Camp.  The hats will be sent to a local hospital to keep the babies nice and warm.  We are so thankful for those that were able to attend and those who were absent were missed. The date for the next Relief Society event will be posted.

This Saturday and Sunday is General Conference and in preparation for Conference I found a link that the Church provides on their website.  https://www.lds.org/general-conference/prepare-for?lang=eng This page has a couple of really good talks that go over how to prepare for conference, the blessings of General Conference, and how General Conference addresses individual circumstances.  There is also a great link to keep the little ones quiet and busy. 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/children?lang=eng  

The following lesson (April 14^th) will be from Teaching of the Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow and the lesson is in Chapter 7: Faithfulness in times of trial: “From the shadows into the glorious sunshine” 

Also the Doctrine and Covenants class will be in Lesson 15: “Seek ye Earnestly the Best Gifts” which goes over D&C 46, Articles of Faith 1:7, 1 Corinthians 12-13, Moroni 10:8-18 and Our Heritage pages 42-43, 47-48, and 63.

For the month of April our “Sister Spotlight” is Sister Melissa Nelms.  We asked Sister Nelms a little bit about herself and this is what she said:

When is your Birthday? October 10, 1984 (I have 18 more months to be in my 20's... gulp!)

Where are you from? Originally, I am from Murfreesboro, TN, but I went to BYU-Hawaii and worked for the university after graduation, so I really consider my favorite home Hawaii. We came to Tallahassee almost 3 years ago. 

Where did you meet your spouse? In the Spring of 2008, I left my job in Hawaii and returned to Tennessee. I was not in the mood to date because I thought I was only going to be home long enough to save some money to leave again and I had just ended a long relationship. I was active in the Singles program, but mostly because I was bored and needed some friends! I went to a fireside on night and there were three girls and two guys in the car. One of the girls was going on and on and on about how she was "so ugly and no one would ever want to marry her..." Sick of her fishing for compliments game, I abruptly agreed with her instead of showering her with self esteem. I told her that unless she felt good about herself, no one would be able to see anything good about her and she was probably going to be alone as long as she was so self loathing. Jason, who had not said a word for the entire car trip was shocked to hear someone be so blunt. He turned his face away from the window and introduced himself to me. We went on our first date a week or two later and got married four months later. As much as we were both adamantly opposed to the idea of dating, the YSA program worked for us. If it can work for us, I think it can work for anyone! 

Tell us about your family. I have a husband, 20 month old daughter, live in grandma and a dog. Jason and I have been married a little over four years and we absolutely adore being parents to our accident prone Adaline. My mom, Nadine, lives with us to help with childcare and because she is just outright cool. Our dog Haddie is a terrible dog, but she means well. I have three siblings, none of which are active in the church, but are all wonderful people all the same. My father passed away seven years ago, but was a good man. I have always been pretty lucky in family life. Always surrounded by good people. 

What is your favorite Hymn? This is hard because I love music. It has always been very healing and powerful to me, despite my extreme lack of talent in the music field [read: I can't carry a tune in a bucket]. I have always loved Be Still My Soul. There is something about it that is so peaceful and powerful to a heart like mine that races with thoughts at times. 

What is your favorite scripture? I have always loved Doctrine and Covenants 68:6.

How do you like to spend your time? I love being outside with my family. We swim, walk, play and eat outside as often as we can. I also enjoy reading, sewing, and cooking (not just the regular dinner stuff, but getting creative...). But, anyone with kids knows that those last three hobbies get dusty because there is very little time. I also enjoy writing extensively and am working on my first book.

If you were stuck on an island what meal and what dessert would you be wasting precious water drooling over? Since I have been stuck on an island, I can say I love BBQ Pork. When I was in Hawaii, I missed Tennessee style BBQ pork, and now that I haven't been back to the islands in a few years, I miss Kalua Pork. Chocolate Haupia Pie is my ultimate to die for dessert.