Lupe's Notes - Jun 17, 2012

Good afternoon sisters, What a beautiful day this is. Enjoy it!

THOUGHT: We call upon parents to devote their best efforts to the teaching and rearing of their children in gospel principles which will keep them close to the Church. The home is the basis of a righteous life, and no other instrumentality can take its place or fulfill its essential functions in carrying forward this God-given responsibility.”

First Presidency (Gordon B Hinckley,

Thomas S. Monson, James E Faust

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. Mommy Mingle: Tuesday, June 19^th, 11:00 am at the Park behind Kohler's
2. Meal Prep-Class: Healthy eating Made SIMPLE-FAST and TASTY!! Thursday, June 21^st at 7:00 pm at Martha's home. This class will be tailored for all taste buds! Kid, adolescents, elderly, men and women. Class taught by Kristi Attaway. Sign up for the class so we can have enough samples prepared.
3. Celebrating Birthdays brunch: Saturday, June 30^th at 10:30 am at Amy Smart's home, for April, May and June Birthdays, and if your birthday was in Jan, Feb and Mar ch and you didn't attend that celebration.
4. Family Preparedness for June: Please take a moment with your family to re-read the information on Disaster Preparedness. Talk it over with your family and come up with a plan. The information is in your binder or on the blog. Http://manila12thwardrs.blogspot.com
5. Super Summer Sensational Supper” Sat., July 14^th – 6pm @ Val Vista Park.
6. Single Adult Conference, 31 years & over

“Be of Good Comfort, Thy Faith Hath Made Thee Whole” June 26 – July 1. Go online to multistakesingles.org to register or see Karen Beeslely for a registraton form.

BIRTHDAYS: June 12^th Sharon J., and June 15^th Sharon H.,

Our lesson today was presented by Amy Waldon, Lesson # 12 “An Enthusiastic Desire to Share the Gospel” from George Albert Smith Manual.

The title makes me tired today and I didn't want the guilt to start too early. I haven't felt great all week, but didn't feel that I should stay home. At least I can breath now. I have very specific things that I felt should be share. Thanks to Tiffany's lesson last week on revelation, I thought that the things I will share with you today was indeed revelation. I'm not sure how well I can translate it into words for you. There is something that God wants someone to know.

Today is the “big picture day.” (Amy drew a scenery picture on the board) That means that we will spend three weeks on missionary work.

Paul got home on Tuesday evening and since we both teach the same lesson we usually talk about it. He get home from military duty and I say to him, we're teaching this week. I said, “you'll never guess what we are teaching about my nemesis. And he says, 'Charity'? President Smith is so good at missionary work that there are there lessons in a row on it. Today is big picture day.

Lesson 1: The reasons we share the gospel

Lesson 2: Several ways in which we can participate in this important work

Lesson 3: How we can be most effective in our efforts.

THAT IS THE BIG PICTURE.

So I'm on my knees praying, preparing for this lesson and I do the same prayer – 'that I will be able to be guided to prepare the lesson to enable you to feel that God loves you, that we love one another, and leave and feel encouraged. It's the same prayer each time. The things that we can here together do that unique. So what is it that you want them to be encouraged to do, Lord, of missionary work.

Here is President Smith on a train, with a few gospel tracts in his pocket, moving about among the passengers. “In his friendly, agreeable manner he would soon make the acquaintance of a fellow traveler, and in a short time I would hear him relating the story of the founding of the Church by the Prophet Joseph Smith or telling of the exodus of the Saints from Nauvoo and their trials and difficulties in crossing the plains to Utah or explaining some of the gospel principles to his new-found friend....”

What does God want us specifically to do? Sister Heaton says that once in her life she did a lot of missionary work, but now she's a looser. She didn't way 'looser' but that what she meant. What would make her think that? Could it be that we are too hard on ourselves? What would God have us be doing with missionary work?

Micheale C read:

“...it would be desirable for each member of the Church to think about the work of proclaiming the gospel, perfecting the Saints, and redeeming the dead not only as an expression of the mission of the Church, but also as a personal assignment. Every member should have some ongoing activity in each of these three dimensions, with a total personal activity that does not exceed what is wise for his or her current circumstances and resources.

On the question of how much and what each member can do in individual efforts, in addition to his or her Church calling, we should be guided by the principle taught in King Benjamin's great sermon. After teaching his people the things they should do to “walk guiltless before God,” including giving to the poor, he concluded: And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength.”

Did he say beat yourself into the ground, be uncomfortable, ignore your children while you do such and such? Do we believe this? That is gospel truth. Do we have that available to you today. Can your ego let this go?

Holly: My mom struggled with this for many years; they have three mentally handicapped children that even though they are now adults, they still need to advise and counsel them. My grandmother is also living with them, they serve in the temple. Yet every time she hears a conference talk or sacrament meeting talk on Senior Missionary Service, she felt so guilty. She has finally let it go.

We all have had experience knowing God. We know how God feels about her pain. If we are sad, then it is painful to God. If we are happy, then He is happy for us. Are we giving God that kind of pain? We need to be wise, to recognize our strength. We can ask ourselves, 'in what areas can we run faster.”

Darla C: One thing that I do is get on my kees, and pray for missionary experiences. To be able to say the right things. The Lord can do the work, he can sent someone into my life that I can share the gospel with.

There are many things to take into account, ages, seasons, abilities. On the front of your handout, under What Would God have us be doing with missionary work? I have put some blanks lines. AS we hear ideas from each of us, you can write down what applies to you.

Amy S: The Lord knows our circumstances. In my last ward, there was a lady who lived with her mother in a trailer park and she took care of her mother. On Tuesday afternoons, some one would come sit with her mom while she ran her errands. She had a little yard, maybe the size of the table where she would sit and read. This little yard was against the wall of an industrial building. One day while she was sitting in her little yard, there was a guy working on the roof of the building and as they started conversing, she found out that he was less active and who's family was not a member. She was able to share with him her testimony and feelings abut the gospel. It was her desire to serve a mission, but didn't know how it could happen.

Martha: God has a plan for each of his children. When I was 19, I needed money so my roommate and I went to work for Karen Jeppsen. She told us that she knew we were Mormon, but said do not try to convert me to the Church. This was about September. In May she told us that she had a surprise for us. That night the door bell rang and there stood the sister missionaries. She had sought out the sister missionaries because she wanted to know how two 19 year old girls could be so happy, how they could go to Church and be happy. She ended up being baptized. Of course, we were careful to honor her wished, we read our scriptures where she couldn't see us, etc. We just need to be who we are. Be examples.

OK, just tell us what you can feel.

Micheale C: Be happy. Have a good attitude about the gospel.

Martha: Live the gospel

Remember that we are raising missionaries, we are preparation future missionaries.

Andrea C: I encouraged my worthy friend to go on missions.

Holly: We are teaching our children who need to be converted to the gospel.

Love people.

Whitney N: Pray for the spirit so that we can receive promptings that are specific for missionary work.

Have specific thoughts in our minds.

Andrea: Remember that we are being a vessel and to be in tune with the spirit and then act on it.

Holly: Bear testimony. Let the spirit testify.

I once read a thing on the different religions. It was the most eye opening experience. The question was 'which religions are the most secretive about their beliefs?” Mormon religion was on top of the list. Jewish religion was second. Why? Could it be that we have our own little culture, communities, we're very busy, and feel we have all that we need in our won community? Do we not need to be involved with other Christian groups. It changed my view.

Pat H: When we open our mouths, we have to have something intelligent to say, something concrete . We have the Preach My Gospel. Study it, so that when people ask questions, we will know what to say. We are afraid and being afraid keeps us from missionary work. The basics is knowledge. You now it's right, and truthful, so study the Preach My Gospel manual.

I can do that now. As missionary work, part of my life is to get the book and learn more. The book is knowledge.

President Smith's reasons we share the gospel; they are on the handout. You can read them at home.

I will share with you some that are my list.

Home and visiting teaching. There are many experiences that need to be strengthen in that gospel setting. There is re activation, conversion work. We can encourage our husbands as Home Teachers to be more mindful of spiritual needs in the homes they visit. My dad was not a member and sometimes we had home teachers who felt uncomfortable and made all of us feel uncomfortable. And then there were some who were just so good, that they were a blessing and answer to prayer.

Are we motivated to share the gospel? Do we make assumptions that people are not interested? We share the gospel because people need it.

We love our neighbors and that is Godly love. There are people who would embrace the truth if given the opportunity.

In the book Preach My Gospel, on the inside of the cover page, I put my name. I put Paul's name as my companion and the names and addresses of People baptized and confirmed I have four names, next years I'll have another baptism.

On page 1, What is my purpose as a missionary? I substituted the word parent for missionary. I write notes on the notes section. Throughout the book I have substituted the word parent for missionary. What is my purpose as a parent. It can be powerful stuff. It has been working for me, to recognize my importance in doing missionary work with my children.

I have been reading about family, pioneer family. There is a story of a grandmother written by one of her grandsons who considered himself a 'jack mormon'. Of the many people who have heard this story, it's interesting that he would be the only one who wrote it for us to have. He must have heard it from his grandmother because it's like hearing the voice of Charlotte. She tells about she and her husband's experiences on the plains. They were with a wagon train, but their cow dies and she gets on her knees on the plain and she cries and remembers the words of her mother in Europe. Her husband comes to her and they pray. The captain of the wagon train helps them convert the wagon to a hand cart. They have to get rid of their things, with the exception of food a a few other things they need. He pulls and she pushes and have to work hard to keep up with the wagons. The story had been retold many times and yet this 'jack mormon' chooses to write it down. He writes, “I have heard it said many times, a person converted to a religion has a great deal more faith and is more sincere than a person born in the faith. A few of my friends, along with myself, are what they call “Jack Mormons.”

There are people in the faith who have never been converted. Be missionaries to our children who are investigators. Show our love to them as we would to investigators.

Elder Hales said “The greatest missionary work we will ever do will be in our homes.”

I hope as you make your list, that as you consider the many things, that you will find a main focus. Feel encourage there is someone to consider.

Next week's lesson will be from General Conference, Elder Holland, “The Laborers in the Vineyard”

Have a great week.

Posted in: Lupe's Notes