Good afternoon sisters, I love that I don't have to wait until dinner to do the newsletter. What a wonderful spirit we enjoyed today in our meetings. Elder Sumsion's remarks were great and Brother Duckworth's message was wonderful.
THOUGHT: “Who, even in the wildest stretch of imagination, can fathom the uncountable acts of charity that have been performed, the food that has been put on barren tables, the faith that has been nurtured in desperate hours of illness, the wounds that have been bound up, the pains that have been ameliorated by loving hands and quiet and reassuring words, the comfort that has been extended in times of death and consequent loneliness?”
Gordon B. Hinckey
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Sisters, please report your visiting teaching to your supervisors before Tuesday of this week. All the information has to be turned in to the Ward Clerk on Wednesday.
- Relief Society Temple session on Thursday, at the 10:00 am session. Meet in the Chapel and after the session we'll do lunch in the cafeteria.
- Wednesday, January 18th at 7 pm, “Circled in Warmth” - Humanitarian Activity. Young Women and Activity Day girls are invited.!
- Congratulations to Haley Holmstead who is attending school in Alaska. She was voted Basketball MVP .
BIRTHDAYS: Whitney Nicholson, Jan. 3rd and Jen Rutter on Jan 5th. Have a great birthday sisters.
Our lesson today was taught by Megan D., from the new manual Teachings of Presidents of the Church GEORGE ALBERT SMITH, chapter 1 - LIVING WHAT WE BELIEVE.
Our religion must find expression in our everyday lives.
This is an interesting lesson. As I have spent time reading and studying and praying in preparation for this lesson, I received inspiration that I should not spent much time preparing, that I should spent time with my family, so I will need your prayers and feelings as we go along.
Click Here To Read More >> I didn't know much about George Albert Smith, and it has been really beneficial for me to learn about him. I asked my mom what she remembers about him since he was the prophet when she was a young girl. She said that he was so very humble and so kind. That sentiment is reflected in all that I have read. His wife, Lucy recorded her admiration for him (before they were married) in her diary: “Tonight I retire with a thankful heart to God … and pray that He may give me strength to be more deserving of the love of one whom I firmly believe to be one of the best young men that was ever placed on the earth. His goodness and kindness causes tears to come to my eyes.”
Sweet and touching. Keep those thoughts in mind throughout the year as we learn more about him. Both George Albert Smith's father and grandfather served in the First Presidency of the church. He was blessed by a great legacy of service and faith.
On Tuesday, October 6, 1903, George Albert Smith had a busy day at work and was unable to attend the sessions of general conference that day. By the time he left the office, the afternoon session of conference was nearly over, so he started for home with plans to take his children to the fair. When he arrived at his house, he was surprised to find a crowd of visitors, one of whom stepped forward and congratulated him warmly.
“What is all this about?” he asked.
“Don't you know?” she responded.
“Don't I know what?”
“Why, you've been sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,” the visitor exclaimed.
“That couldn't be right, “ George Albert said. “There must be some mistake.”
“I heard it myself,” she countered.
“It must have been some other Smith,” he said. “Not a word has been said to me about it, and I can't believe it is true.”
Confused, the visitor returned to the Tabernacle to find out whether she was mistaken. There she was informed that she was right—George Albert Smith was the newest member of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
His daughter Emily later recalled the scene at the Smith home: “It seemed like the whole Tabernacle was streaming across the lawn into our house, crying and kissing mother. They were all saying that Father was an apostle, and we thought that being an apostle must be the worst thing that could possibly happen to you.”
The apostleship came as a surprised, but the Lord knew what he needed.
I was touched as I read that on November 5, 1937, George Albert Smith was speaking at the funeral of a friend. After his talk, he sat down and was handed a note telling him to return home immediately. He later wrote in his journal: “I left the chapel at once but my Darling wife had breathed her last before I arrived at home. She was passing while I was talking at the funeral. I am of course bereft of a devoted helpmeet and will be lonely without her.”
This was the summary of his life – service.
President Smith was set apart as the 8th president of the church in 1945. In humility he said, “I have not wanted this position. I have not felt equal to it. But it has come to me, and I will fill it to the best of my ability. I want you all to know that, whatever you are doing in the church, from (home) teaching to presiding over a stake, if you do it to the best of your ability, your position is just as important as mine.”
His objective was to unite, rebuild an help people.
President Smith died on his 81st birthday. Elder Matthew Cowley who was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, paid tribute to President Smith at his funeral by saying: “Everyone in distress, everyone beset with illness or other adversity, whoever came within the presence of this son of God, drew virtue and strength from him. To be in his presence was to be healed, if not physically, then indeed spiritually...”
The title of this lesson is very timely. It is amazing how the Lord works as I notice that all the talks tie in with today's lesson. How the Spirit direct us and it all comes together. Even the hymn “I believe in Christ.
How blessed we are to be able to study the teachings of this inspired prophet. I encourage you to read the entire section about his life and ministry that is found at the beginning of the manual, if you haven't had the chance to do so.
In 1904 at the age of 34, the year after being ordained an apostle, George Albert Smith made a list of resolutions that he called his “personal creed” - 11 ideals that he committed to live by.
- “I would be a friend to the friendless and find joy in ministering to the needs of the poor.
- “I would visit the sick and afflicted and inspire in them a desire for faith to be healed.
- “I would teach the truth to the understanding and blessing of all mankind.
- “I would seek out the erring one and try to win him back to a righteous and a happy life.
- “I would not seek to force people to live up to my ideals but rather love them into doing the thing that is right.
- “I would live with the masses and help to solve their problems that their earth life may be happy.
- “I would avoid the publicity of high positions and discourage the flattery of thoughtless friends.
- “I would not knowingly wound the feelings of any, not even one who may have wronged me, but would seek to do him good and make him my friend.
- “I would overcome the tendency to selfishness and jealousy and rejoice in the successes of all the children of my Heavenly Father.
- “I would not be an enemy to any living soul.
- “Knowing that the Redeemer of mankind has offered to the world the only plan that will fully develop us and make us really happy here and hereafter, I feel it not only a duty but also a blessed privilege to disseminate this truth.”
When I read this, I was amazed at the depth and kindness and pure love of Christ that he had.
Question: How different would the world be if we lived this creed?
Robby: Well, how would you feel if someone smiled at you, was kind to you all the time. It would in turn caused us to be kind to others. Pass it on. Very rarely does someone scowled at you when you smile.
Carol B: One of my heroes is Mother Teresa. Her desire was to serve the poorest of the poor. There are over 600 homes where people drag the homeless off the streets into a home where they are taken care of until they die. One of my granddaughters went and lived in Ecuador where abandoned children were brought to a home. Mother Teresa would give away all her material things to serve people.
Yes, we too can bless others' lives.
President Smith taught that our obedience to the gospel-not just our Church membership-qualifies us to be called Saints. He said:
Quote read by Nancy R: “What a fine thing it is to feel that we belong to a church that is or should be composed of saints. It is not sufficient that we have our names upon the records. It is important that we live the lives that entitle us to be called Saints, and if you will do that, you will be happy.”
Question: What does it mean to be a Latter-day Saint to you?
Lynette: It isn't the feeling of the word, it's a decision for us to act in our action.
We are Latter-day Saints on purpose.
Robby: When I first joined the Church , I was the only person in town who was a member. And even though I felt really good about it, I had to be on my best behavior at all times. I knew people were watching me. I was ridiculed, my friends left me, my family members thought I was stupid. It was a conscious decision to make.
As my husband said in his talk, it was his friend who called him on it. The principles are there to help us. We need to remember that we are being watch all the time.
“Within the last year, I have had the privilege of meeting and conversing on the gospel with some men who live in this community (Salt Lake City), not members of our Church. One man had resided here for twenty years, a man whose life is above reproach, a good citizen, a splendid business man, one who has kindly feelings towards our people. He told me that he had lived here twenty ears, and he had come to the conclusion that we were just as good as our neighbors who are members of other churches; he could not see any difference in us.
“I want to say to you, my brethren and sisters, that is no compliment to me. If the gospel of Jesus Christ does not make me a better man, then I have not developed as I should, and if our neighbors not in this Church can live among us from year to year and see no evidence of the benefits that come from keeping the commandments of God in our lives, then there is need for reform in Israel...
If we live by what we believe, people will see the difference in us.
Sharon H: When my father-in-law died, people remarked that he had attended all his meetings. He really didn't like going, but he wanted people to know whose side he was on.
Robby: Children want to be like their peers, but still they have different values. The youth here are amazing, they are different but have to live the principles.
Yes, as parent, I get over whelmed at what our youth have to deal with I the world. But we are not left alone. On LDS/org there is an update to the Strength of Youth pamphlet. It is inspiring and important to have these tools as parents.
We are circled in strength. Sometimes we think the gospel has to be complicated, but the gospel is simple.
Lynette: My 7 year old grandson had the idea that everyone in Utah was Mormon. We were trying to get out of a parking lot and no one was letting us. Finally one woman did and he said “She must be a Mormon Christian.”
Quote read by Angie: “In the midst of the unsettled condition, the uncertainty that is in the world, if there ever was a time when we should examine ourselves, to find out if we are doing what the Lord would have us do, it is today.”
I really need to stop and examine myself. To examine ourselves can be painful.
While I was in here setting up for the lesson, I heard the Primary children singing a song that goes along with Matthew 7:24-27, the same citation that President Smith refers to.
“Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, , and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
“And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock.
“And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
“And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Quote read by Holly:
How many of us, learning the will of the Father, are doing it? How many of us day by day are laying a foundation and building a structure that shall conform to the dignity of the stature of our Master?
When I was praying and pondering about this lesson, I had two distinct impressions. First, I was reminded of Lupe's lesson when she talked about Sister Julie Beck's counsel to search the Book of Mormon for the answers to 3 very important questions:
- Who am I?
- What are my responsibilities in the House of Israel?
- How do I fulfill those responsibilities?
Recently I have started my own personal search to answer these questions. I have had very powerful, sacred experiences as I have started on this journey for myself. I testify to you that the answers are in the scriptures for each one of us. The answers are in our patriarchal blessings. We can know through the power of the Holy Ghost what it is that our Heavenly Father wants us to accomplish.
Another impression I had while preparing this lesson was: “Get your 'Daughters in My Kingdom' book out and search for answers there.” I got my book. I didn't have to look very far. I turned two pages and found out HOW to live what we believe...
Charity. It is in serving others that we can best live what we believe. On page 100 in the book, President Monson counsels us about the importance of charity in our lives:
“True charity is love in action. The need for charity is everywhere.
“Needed is the charity which refuses to find satisfaction in hearing or in repeating the reports of misfortunes that come to others, unless by so doing, the unfortunate one may be benefited.
“Charity is having patience with someone who has let us down. It is resisting the impulse to become offended easily It is accepting weaknesses and shortcomings. It is accepting people as they truly are. It is looking beyond physical appearances to attributes that will not dim through time. It is resisting the impulse to categorize others.
“Charity, that pure love of Christ, is manifest when a group of young women from a singles ward travels hundreds of miles to attend the funeral services for the other of one of their Relief Society sisters. Charity is shown when devoted visiting teachers return month after month, year after year to the same uninterested, somewhat critical sister. It is evident when an elderly widow is remembered and taken to ward functions and to Relief Society activities. It is felt when the sister sitting alone in Relief Society receives the invitation, 'Come—sit by us.'
“In a hundred small ways, all of you wear the mantle of charity. Life is perfect for none of us. Rather than being judgmental and critical of each other, may we have the pure love of Christ for our fellow travelers in this journey through life. May we recognize that each one is doing her best to deal with the challenges which come her way, and may we strive to do our best to help out.
“Charity has been defined as 'the highest, noblest, strongest kind of love.' the 'pure love of Christ--; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with [her].'
“Charity never faileth.' May this long-enduring Relief Society motto, this timeless truth, guide you I everything you do. May it permeate your very souls and find expression in all your thoughts and actions.”
Let charity guide you I everything you do permeate your very souls, and find expression in all your thoughts and actions. Very powerful word of wisdom from our current prophet that echoes what George Albert Smith taught.
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