General Conference!

Hi friends!
I hope y'all had a fantastic evening last night and loved the General Women's Meeting as much as I did! Even though I couldn't watch it last night, I did today, and it was fantastic. I love the simplicity of the Gospel. I loved the strength of the Spirit I felt. And then there's General Conference this weekend! :D The goodness just doesn't stop. I am so grateful for the Gospel!

All right, all right, here are the announcements and lesson recap:
1. Tomorrow night from 5-11pm is the Ward Closing Social at Spring Haven Lodge in Springville. Carpools will be leaving from Fleur-de-Lis at 5, 6, and 7pm. You don't have to come back with the people you went up with.
2. Institute is on Wednesday at 7pm in B092 JFSB.
3. Quick Connect is Thursday at 7pm.
4. General Conference is Saturday at 10am and 2pm, and Sunday at 10am and 2pm!
--Side note with that, please support the brethren in our ward and encourage them to attend/listen to the Priesthood session at 6pm on Saturday.

Today Relief Society was combined with Brother & Sister Porter teaching us from Elder D. Todd Christofferson's October General Conference talk, “The Moral Force of Women.”
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/the-moral-force-of-women?lang=eng

Bro. Porter: What did Elder Bowen do to his wife the other weeK? He called his wife “The Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
What I got out of it was not that Sis. Bowen is perfect, but that she represents the women of the church. The RS always shows men up in how they can be better. It’s really about what women bring to the gospel. I think that’s what Elder Christofferson is getting at here too.
I can tell you that it’s because of Sis. Porter that our family is still strong in the gospel and we’ve been able to move forward.
He says that women are the moral force of society. Is that true? Are your mothers the moral force of society?
Adrienne: You hope they’re the moral force. Because that’s who are teaching children while they’re at home. That they’re correcting anything that could otherwise be influencing them.
Bro. Porter: You’re right on. Women outside the church are struggling with it. They don’t have the same moral compass to help them along.
Sis. Porter: We’ll talk more about that because as the talk goes on, he says that society is taking that away from women. They’re being told to be stronger and more equal to men in everything we do.
Bro. Porter: Having talked to you a little bit by what Elder Bowen said and did, I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed.

Women bring with them into the world a certain virtue, a divine gift that makes them adept at instilling such qualities as faith, courage, empathy, and refinement in relationships and in cultures. When praising the “unfeigned faith” he found in Timothy, Paul noted that this faith “dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice.”

Paul mentions that in the New Testament. That’s a great credit to Timothy’s mother and grandmother.
Elder Christofferson talks about the women he met in Mexico. He mentions one example of a young mother who had moral authority. With her husband she sacrificed a number of pleasures and seemed almost superhuman.

The demands on her were many and her tasks often repetitive and mundane, yet underneath it all was a beautiful serenity, a sense of being about God’s work. As with the Savior, she was ennobled by blessing others through service and sacrifice. She was love personified.

I want you to envision, “what is my life going to be like?”
Perhaps that involves a career, getting married, I imagine it involves having children.
Sis. Porter and I are here to testify that there is no greater joy than to have children in your home, to have a family. There’s also no greater way to learn patience. In the gospel we understand the family is important there is no greater role than to lead a family.

I have been remarkably blessed by the moral influence of women, in particular my mother and my wife. Among other women that I look to in gratitude is Anna Daines. Anna and her husband, Henry, and their four children were among the pioneers of the Church in New Jersey, in the United States. Beginning in the 1930s, when Henry was a doctoral student at Rutgers University, he and Anna worked tirelessly with school and civic organizations in Metuchen, where they lived, to overcome deeply rooted prejudice against Mormons and to make the community a better place for all parents to raise their children.
Anna, for example, volunteered at the Metuchen YMCA and made herself indispensable. Within a year she was appointed president of the Mothers’ Auxiliary and then “was asked to run for one of the three women’s positions on the YMCA board of directors. She won without opposition, and so joined the very council that only a few years before had refused to let the Saints meet in their building!”
My family moved into the New Brunswick Ward when I was a teenager. Sister Daines took notice of me and often expressed her confidence in my abilities and potential, which inspired me to reach high—higher than I would have without her encouragement. Once, because of a thoughtful and timely warning from her, I avoided a situation that would surely have led to regret. Although she is no longer here, Anna Daines’s influence continues to be felt and reflected in the lives of her descendants and countless others, myself included.

Sis. Porter: Bro Porter and I lived in a lot of places. Our first job out of BYU was in Michigan. I’m from California, and the East Coast is very different. From there we went back to CA, then to AZ, then here to UT. I like to be involved in my kids schools and the political activity in our area. I connected to this story because as a woman sometimes you wonder how to make a difference. I’m here to tell you that there’s small things you can do to let your light shine.
Carla: That reminds me of my mom. Everyone knew my mom. She’s always worked full time, but you always knew she’d be home to make dinner. Your kids need to know that you’re always there for them. She’s still the woman about town, but she’s always available to talk to me.
Sis. Porter: Just like this woman she helped this town change their view about Mormons. There’s so many small ways that just by being you and letting your light shine, you can open doors and help others.
My grandmother Adena Warnick Swenson taught me to be conscientious in priesthood service. She encouraged me to memorize the sacramental blessings on the bread and water, explaining that in this way I could express them with greater understanding and feeling. Observing how she sustained my grandfather, a stake patriarch, engendered in me a reverence for sacred things. Grandma Swenson never learned how to drive a car, but she knew how to help boys become priesthood men.
Sis: I really liked that because how many of you had a grandmother that could look into your soul and help you be a better person.
Bro. Porter: What Elder Christofferson says right after that I think is very powerful.

A woman’s moral influence is nowhere more powerfully felt or more beneficially employed than in the home. There is no better setting for rearing the rising generation than the traditional family, where a father and a mother work in harmony to provide for, teach, and nurture their children. Where this ideal does not exist, people strive to duplicate its benefits as best they can in their particular circumstances.

I think that’s critical. The world has lost sight of that. We need the foundation of the family. There’s no more better or powerful place you could be than in the home.
Ashley: I had a discussion with someone just the other day about sex education in Utah. I think it’s silly that schools can form students morals. We both kind of agreed that those are the things you learn in the home. Our friends have huge influences, but so much of what your parents expect from you and the examples they give, shape that part of you very early on.
Bro. Porter: What Sis. Porter and I decided before we had children, was that we would be completely open with our children. They could ask us any question they wanted and we would discuss it with them. What we also found over the years was that, you think you have to go into detail with kids, but you don’t. I agree that you said parents should be the ones teaching those values in the home.
Carla: My mom told me that her mom didn’t tell her anything, so she went out and did it all. When I was growing up, my parents were very open and taught us everything.
Brittany: There are good principles that can be taken from this. If we as parents aren’t strong and helping our children learn, there are other people who will. Even if they’re friends aren’t open, your kid will be ignorant. They’ll know things, but not from a really great source. I was at a family history center the other week and saw a video where the daughter asked her mom to go out and roller skate with her. The mother was really busy and the daughter said that the relationship building was very important now so that they could have a strong relationship now.
Olivia: A parent needs to have those conversations with their kids so they can learn it the way they need, and the information the parents want them to have.
Visitor: Attachment starts very early in life. If you don’t have that secure attachment with your caregiver, then you start to grow up super anxious or avoidant. It shows that people who have both parents actively involved in their lives, it makes a huge difference. I work with at risk kids, and it’s so sad to see that these kids don’t have that. I want so much to tell them that those who are checking up on them outside of the home are trying to help them and I wish they could have that in their home. It’s so important to have that love at home.
Sis. Badger: I just need to put this in perspective a little. 42 years ago when I was in high school, they showed us how to prevent pregnancy. We sort of live in a bubble in Utah.
Krystal: I had to take some of my education classes online. I actually had to take that particular class in an online setting. I feel there was a marked difference. Though you can’t regulate morals, you can keep immoral things from being taught in schools.
Bro. Porter: There’s 3 things that Elder Christofferson wanted to bring out that are some concerns he has.

A pernicious philosophy that undermines women’s moral influence is the devaluation of marriage and of motherhood and homemaking as a career. Some view homemaking with outright contempt, arguing it demeans women and that the relentless demands of raising children are a form of exploitation.8 They ridicule what they call “the mommy track” as a career. This is not fair or right. We do not diminish the value of what women or men achieve in any worthy endeavor or career—we all benefit from those achievements—but we still recognize there is not a higher good than motherhood and fatherhood in marriage. There is no superior career, and no amount of money, authority, or public acclaim can exceed the ultimate rewards of family. Whatever else a woman may accomplish, her moral influence is no more optimally employed than here.

The “mommy track” is being degraded by the world. It is a great influence in our world and society.
We already talked about the second.

Attitudes toward human sexuality threaten the moral authority of women on several fronts. Abortion for personal or social convenience strikes at the heart of a woman’s most sacred powers and destroys her moral authority. The same is true of sexual immorality and of revealing dress that not only debases women but reinforces the lie that a woman’s sexuality is what defines her worth.
A third area of concern comes from those who, in the name of equality, want to erase all differences between the masculine and the feminine. Often this takes the form of pushing women to adopt more masculine traits—be more aggressive, tough, and confrontational. It is now common in movies and video games to see women in terribly violent roles, leaving dead bodies and mayhem in their wake. It is soul-numbing to see men in such roles and certainly no less so when women are the ones perpetrating and suffering the violence.
Former Young Women general president Margaret D. Nadauld taught: “The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity.”10 In blurring feminine and masculine differences, we lose the distinct, complementary gifts of women and men that together produce a greater whole.

We would reference everyone also to The Family: A Proclamation to the world. Men and women have unique responsibilities, but both are necessary.
https://www.lds.org/topics/family-proclamation
Carla: I want to know if you have to choose one. I don’t think you have to go all the way one way, but in my sense, I want to be a mother and an attorney. I just want to say you can do both.
Ginger: I want to reference the Women’s Conference. Sister Burton said there are spiritual help wanted signs we can fill. We need to have good influence on others, because they need our help.
Bro: When Sis. Porter and I were engaged I told her I wanted to have 12 sons. She said she didn’t want to have kids at the start of our marriage. One night we were doing homework and she had a change of heart, where she told me our family wasn’t complete.
If you take it as a prayerful endeavor, the Lord has distinctly given us those roles.

My plea to women and girls today is to protect and cultivate the moral force that is within you. Preserve that innate virtue and the unique gifts you bring with you into the world. Your intuition is to do good and to be good, and as you follow the Holy Spirit, your moral authority and influence will grow. To the young women I say, don’t lose that moral force even before you have it in full measure. Take particular care that your language is clean, not coarse; that your dress reflects modesty, not vanity; and that your conduct manifests purity, not promiscuity. You cannot lift others to virtue on the one hand if you are entertaining vice on the other.

Bro. Porter: All I have to say is that I’m a better man because of my wife and her moral character. Each of you has that moral power that you can raise your society by holding true to what you know and what you know to be right. I testify that your HEavenly Father loves you and knows each of you.
Kelsey H: I want to add my testimony to that that I know we can add our moral force to society. As disciples of Christ we’re going to emanate that goodness.

Women's Conference

Hello, my friends!
Who else is excited that little green buds actually showed up on all the trees this week? Isn't Spring fantastic? I love how beautiful the earth is.

Here are the announcements for the week:
1. Tomorrow night is Bishopric FHE. Your group leaders will let you know what's going on with that.
2. Wednesday @ 7pm in B092 JFSB is Institute.
3. Saturday we will have a combined Relief Society dinner @ 5:30 pm in 4186 JFSB before the broadcast at 6pm.
4. Monday, the 31st, is our Ward Closing Social at Spring Haven Lodge in Springville from 5-11pm.

Our lesson was taught by Brittany from Elder Ballard's October Conference talk.
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/put-your-trust-in-the-lord?lang=eng

Brittany:Joseph Smith said that the most important duty that members have is to preach the gospel. Elder Ballard recalls when he heard President Kimball speak:
Perhaps the greatest reason for missionary work is to give the world its chance to hear and accept the gospel. The scriptures are replete with commands and promises and calls and rewards for teaching the gospel. I use the word command deliberately for it seems to be an insistent directive from which we, singly and collectively, cannot escape
In July of that same year, Sister Ballard and I left with our children to preside over the Canada Toronto Mission. The words of President Kimball were ringing in my ears, especially when he said: “My brethren, I wonder if we are doing all we can. Are we complacent in our approach to teaching all the world? We have been proselyting now 144 years. Are we prepared to lengthen our stride? To enlarge our vision?”
When I read this I wanted to know who President Kimball was speaking to when he said this. He was speaking to a group of 70s and the 12. So if he’s telling them this, are we being complacent in sharing the gospel?
When you’re constantly asked to do something it’s easier to forget the reason for doing it.
Ky: I love this talk. I was listening to it a couple weeks ago. It was one of those talks that lit the fire. Not only are we commanded to do it, but we promised to do it with our baptism. You’ve promised to be a witness of God’s church. No matter where you’re at, it’s helping activate people, doing your visiting teaching, fulfilling your calling. You are a disciple of christ, you need to be doing this all the time. Don’t be complacent.
Brittany: Hastening the work doesn’t necessarily mean always going and having a gospel discussion, it’s any time we can share Christ’s light.
As I was reading through this first part of his talk and the danger of complacency, ELder Ballard continues to say that we need to work in partnership with our 80,000 missionaries now serving.
Anyone who’s ever seen a great missionary family and magnifying the missionaries’ efforts, who are those people, what are they doing that was so great?
Ginger: One of my best friends, her family has traveled all over the world. When they lived in Korea they lived on a military base, and every Sunday they had people over to their house. I think it was a great example to me how you need to open your doors to others, not just your family. Even if it’s just to provide a good example of a family to them.
Brittany: Our homes are the most holy place beside the temple. People can feel that.
I’m going to make a list of the examples you share and invite you to try one you haven’t done before.

Ky: we had a ward missionary fireside a few weeks ago. One thing they asked us to do was pray for opportunities. A few days after the fireside someone was able to give a Book of Mormon to the plumber that came to their apartment.
Brittany: When I was in California a few summers ago one of the leaders asked us to pray for a missionary opportunity for 3 weeks. I took the challenge, and I don’t know if there were opportunities that I haven’t seen or they were given to me, but I have a testimony that praying opens our ability to recognize the opportunities. It totally changes my perspective.
Arianne: I’ve always noticed that one thing we don’t do as much as we need to is say how we truly feel about things. As members of the church we feel very differently about things. It’s just sharing what you believe and what you know. We get afraid that other people will be offended. It brings up questions and helps you be more open.
Brittany: I think I’m definitely guilty of passively living my beliefs.
Kiersten: We had some good neighbor friends of years. The father came over and asked my dad if he could borrow a wheelbarrow, but my dad said no. He told him he shouldn’t be doing yard work on Sunday. They ended up getting baptized.
Christine: I think that when I was on my mission, the best families that were sharing the gospel because they saw people and truly wanted others to be happy. They would talk about it and say things like “If they had the gospel they would be so happy.” We don’t share the gospel not so that we can share, but because we love them.
Brittany: In Nashville there was a church leader that was sharing a great talk. He said Be who you are, See others for who they are, Extend invitations. The quality of an invitation isn’t measured by the person’s response, it’s measured by the person extending it.
Ashley: I was just going to add, when you’re talking about the gospel I think we can do this more with our families and others. Church was good, but we could actually say what we learned. I had that experience a couple weeks ago. I was going to do indexing, and a nonmember friend pulled up and asked me where I was going. I could have said I’m just going to a church activity, but I explained more about family history. It really opened up more of her thoughts and how she was just talking with her mom about family history.
Brittany: I feel like all these things are things I definitely should’ve learned before, but it’s so wonderful to hear them from you.
Christine: I love this comment from Elder Ballard:

Just be positive, and those whom you speak with will feel your love. They will never forget that feeling, though the timing may not be right for them to embrace the gospel. That too may change in the future when their circumstances change.

Kelsey: Even though we’re talking about these things for nonmembers, members can use this too. Just because we all have the gospel, doesn’t mean we’re all on the same page. We could all use being positive people.
Kim: This past fall I took a religious study through Europe. One of the girls in our group challenged us to carry pass along cards. I never actually handed one out, but in every group I was with, someone needed one and I always had one.
Brittany: When I was on study abroad in Denmark, I was in Copenhagen. There were a lot of homeless people, but I didn’t know how to help these people. There was a week where I realized that I have something I could help them with. I kept a box of granola bars and pass along cards. You’re never going to expect it, but be ready to help people. I think it’s great to just be prepared for those opportunities.
Now I’m going to switch the question a bit. These things were applied to families, but is there anything you want to expound to being single?
Kiersten: I was thinking about all these things, and they’re all once you’re prepared to share the gospel. The biggest thing to get there is strengthen our testimonies. I think the biggest thing we can do right now is strengthen our testimony to where we can have something to share.
Ginger: Going along with fellowshipping members, we see a lot of people around us strong spiritually, but I think we should do this with everyone we see. I think Elder Eyring said, “If you treat everyone like they’re in trouble, you’re probably right 50% of the time.” I think we should just be generous with the gospel with everyone you meet.
Brittany: Even if they’re fine, who wouldn’t like talking with you? You’ll probably be uplifted too.
There was a friend in Nashville who did all these things. It didn’t matter who you were, but he would be your friend. He would make you feel like you're the most interesting and important person in the world. Then he would be a friend merger. It was a great way for him to help people make connections. He wasn’t just saying hi, but helped you have a constant friend in the church. Fellowshipping members, being positive, not taking for granted that we all need help, are all wonderful parts of this.
Kim: We are missionaries always. We should have those qualities that others can tell there’s something different about us.
Brittany: I’m going to close by reading just a few things.
Make the decision to do what Jesus Christ has asked us to do. The Savior has said: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
You don’t have to be an outgoing person or an eloquent, persuasive teacher. If you have an abiding love and hope within you, the Lord has promised if you “lift up your voices unto this people [and] speak the thoughts that [He] shall put into your hearts, … you shall not be confounded before men”
Pick one of these things that you think would be a good thing for you individually. I love the gospel and for a Savior I know, and who loves me. I know he loves all of you guys.

Ky: I have a testimony of missionary work. As members of the church we’ve all covenanted to be missionaries. In Sunday School the Savior went back to his disciples when they decided to go fishing, because you are important enough to him that this work needs to continue. With what you’ve been taught, what will you do?

Happy Spring!

Hello Friends!
Who's excited for warmer weather? :D I need to go hiking.
Today was wonderful, and is still very wonderful. Here's what's going on that you need to be aware of:

1. Tonight @6pm is our Ward Missionary Fireside in the Chapel. Please come!
2. Also tonight and kind of a conflict @ 6pm is Stake Choir at the Pioneer Building.
3. Institute is on Wednesday @7pm in B092 JFSB. Ashlyn is teaching, so go enjoy her awesome teaching skills!
4. Saturday night @ 7-9pm is the first session of Stake Conference at the Costco North Chapel.
5. Sunday morning @ 10am is the second session of Stake Conference at the Wilk Ballroom.
6. Our Ward Temple week will be the 17-22. There will be groups going each night and the temple committee is working out the details for us. Look for it in Publicity's email.
7. Saturday the 22nd is a Stake Service Project at Pioneer Park @ 10am.
8. Our ward closing social will be on the 31st from 5-11pm. Carpooling will be scheduled through FHE groups.
9. Please report your visiting teaching. We showed you the form for it today and I've attached the link in my email. I know visiting teaching is a powerful tool that can really help strengthen all of us. It's an automatic friendship program. How can you not love the sisters you teach? :)

Now here's the lesson recap. Natalie did a beautiful job of teaching us about the scriptures from the life of President Joseph F. Smith, chapter 5. Sorry I didn't get all of it down like I normally do, I was multitasking throughout the lesson today. It was a beautiful lesson Natalie!

Natalie:
Alma 31:5

And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God.

I love that it talks about the power that the scriptures have over the mind.
I know that there have been a lot of times in my life where I have come across a scripture that I’ve read a hundred times before and it had a new meaning.
Ryan: The words Christ taught were meant to have more than one meaning. The scriptures are the same way because they are Christ’s words and will have a different meaning for us each time we read them.
Natalie: I was probably 14 when this happened. I grew up in San Diego. Big news down there are wildfires. When I was 14 we got two weeks off of school for a big fire. I live in Oceanside. The ocean was on the west, the east side of our stake was on fire, Camp Pendleton was on fire, the south was on fire. I remember being really scared. I turned to Helaman 5. Nephi and Lehi are preaching to the Lamanites and it doesn’t go over very well, so they’re put in prison. They thought they were going to die. It says they were encircled by fire. I thought I was encircled by fire and was comforted. They found courage in the fact that they were righteous and doing what they were supposed to. My dad comforted me too because he said that even if our house does burn down, we pay our tithing and we’ll be okay. The second week off of school we spent cleaning up our stake. It was really special to me to be comforted and help serve others.
Ashley: I’ve had a few times when I’ve opened the scriptures and the answer has been there that I needed. But I think what happens more often is the Spirit will bring a scripture to my mind or someone will say something that makes sense. I think the important thing is consistently. It’s crazy how doing it consistently will bless you in the future.
Natalie: Even if yo feel like it wasn’t the most spiritual experience the fact that you were willing to open your scriptures shows your obedience.
Arianne: Sometimes when I read the scriptures I like to think of it as reading a journal and I love to get to know each prophet. A little while ago I was reading in Ether. There’s the scripture about having weaknesses and being humble. That one was on my mind a lot. I was having a hard couple of months. The thought popped into my head “who said this and why?” I read a few verses before and got the context. It’s amazing how that’s what hit me. The similarities between what he was struggling with and what I was struggling with really hit me. They’re not just writing down their thoughts, but were inspired and hoped that someone would benefit from it. It makes it more personal.
Natalie: I’ve had that thought before reading the scriptures too. There’s these people in the scriptures that can be hard to connect with, but when you look at it in a broader sense, it makes it more powerful how they had the same struggles.

I love that it was his mom that taught him his love of scripture. It all comes back to the home. For him it was on the prairie, while they were being persecuted, that his mom made that a priority for him and helped him gain his love for the scriptures. I thought it was cool that here’s this prophet where this came back to his family.
What worked in your families to keep scripture study?
Rachel: All of us remember it different. The diligence that my mom did in getting us together. My own sisters are teaching their kids the scriptures now. Their testimonies that they’re sharing with their kids is inspiring.
Kelsey: My family wasn’t really good at keeping it consistent, but I remember when my sisters were learning how to read. It was a painful experience. We joke all the time about how it was a painful experience. Even though we have those memories, it did instill in us a love of the scriptures. It was important enough that if we didn’t get to sit down and read them, my dad would always talk about the scriptures to us.
Jo: Sometimes my siblings would have friends over and my dad would invite them to read with us. It was so embarrassing for my brothers, but it was so fun. They all know it’s a special time for our family.
Rachel: I sat in a q&a with Elder Bednar when I was at school. One of the things I remember him talking about was an experience he had raising his three boys. Some days it was hard, but we did it. Here’s an apostle. Maybe we’re not the best at it, but we tried, and we did it. Just that example is instilled in our heads. The importance of the scriptures. Maybe we don’t remember the verses, but we remember the scriptures.
Natalie: Now my parents love it when I go home and ask if we can study them together. My dad always tries to incorporate the scriptures when we call home and ask for help. The biggest fight my dad and brother ever got into was when my brother snuck out to see warped tour. My dad was waiting to tell him that Nephi could’ve rebelled, but he didn’t. He always tried to incorporate the scriptures.
How can we make it so the scriptures are first in our lives?
Ashley: I think oftentimes we get sucked into popular culture that say how to do anything better. It’s easy to get sucked into that kind of stuff. It’s new and easy. That scripture we read earlier talks about how they change our minds. Elder Packer said “Studying the scriptures will change behavior faster than a study of behavior will change behavior.” I know the scriptures are what will change us quickly.
Ky: I work late at night, and I’ll read the news before I go to sleep. The last couple nights at work have been kind of rough. I realized that if I could sit there and read the news, then why couldn’t I read my scriptures. If there’s time for that, there’s time for the scriptures.
Kate: I don’t know if you guys have read C.S. Lewis’s Screwtape letters, but I love it. He tells his nephew to do small things to improve his prayer. I feel like I can do the same thing with my scriptures by changing my habits just a little bit at a time.
Natalie: Let’s read 2 Nephi 25: 26

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

I feel like that scripture is the very purpose for the scriptures and why we have them. It’s to testify of Christ and bring others to Christ. He concludes with his testimony.
I want to add my testimony that as we do that we’ll be strengthened in our own trials and be able to strengthen others.

Ky: This lesson made me think back to an object lesson Pres. Ford did a while back. He had a bunch of cups stacked up. Life kind of sucks the water out of us, and it’s important to refill that reservoir by doing the little things each day. As you read the scriptures you’re reading Christ’s words and strengthening yourself.
I’m not the best at it, but I always need to be working on it.

I Know that My Redeemer Lives

Good afternoon everyone!
We had a great day at church and missed everyone who couldn't come today. Here's the announcements and recap of our wonderful Relief Society message.

1. Tonight is a CES Fireside with Sister Linda K. Burton. It starts at 6:00pm.
2. Ecclesiastical endorsements for next school year will be due on March 15th, so please go talk with a member of the bishopric and get that done if you haven't yet!
3. Wednesday is Institute at 7pm in B092 JFSB.
4. Also Wednesday at 7pm in the Wilk Ballroom is the Prospective Missionary Fireside with Emeritus Bishop Edgely. That will be really good.
5. Saturday the 15th, and Sunday the 16th is our Stake Conference. We will be meeting in the COSTCO North Chapel, address to be forthcoming (I should have the address memorized, but I only know how to get there). Also, our Stake Presidency is being reorganized, so please be there Sunday morning to release and sustain our Presidency. Elder Bowen of the 70 will preside the meeting.
6. March 22nd is our stake service project, more details to come.
7. Saturday, March 29th, 6-8pm is the General Women's Meeting. Awesome!
8. Monday, March 31st is our ward closing social. It'll be fun.

Well, Ky and Megan taught our lesson in Relief Society today about Jesus Christ. It was a beautiful lesson and the Spirit was very strong. Thank you to everyone who participated today.

Ky: During Sacrament meeting, I was reading over the Living Christ, and it touched my heart. We’ll get to that, but we wanted to show some videos about Christ.
This first one is the parable of the lost sheep. I love it because I think it intensifies the Savior’s love for you. Our relationship with the Savior is the foundation of everything. It is the thing we should put the most faith and trust in. Even when we’re the lost sheep, our Savior is the shepherd who comes to find us.

https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/jesus-declares-the-parable-of-the-lost-sheep?lang=eng

Does anyone have any thoughts about this?

Rachel: I love this story. It makes me think of an experience I had at school. I was involved in new student orientation. Often our topic was “finding the one”. There was one specific experience that has really stuck with me through that. We had a girl who was new to the school, african-american, and searching for a group to help her. I remember sitting down with her and she started bawling. She was a convert, her family disowned her, and she needed somewhere to belong. It was a miracle that she ended up in our office. She found us, but I think that oftentimes just focusing on that one person is a huge blessing. The Savior wants to help us. Heavenly Father wants us to find those in need and help them. The Savior is like that for us, but we can do that for those around us.
Ky: That was the other point I wanted to make with this video. Christ is the shepherd, but we’re asked to be fishers of men and find others as well.
Go ahead and pull out your scriptures.
Megan: Mark 9: 23-27

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him:and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.
But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.

I really love this story because I’ve been thinking about how, I think a lot of times in our lives we try to control things and we think that we have to do a certain amount of things or be a certain way to qualify for the grace of the Lord, when really we just have to believe. We just have to believe him and the promises he has given us. I know that I am very guilty of trying to everything on my own. Just, one thing I felt like I should share was, I went through the temple a couple weeks ago. Honestly, I was really overwhelmed. I’m the kind of person that wants to know why for everything. I didn’t and it was really hard for me, but I went back again yesterday and was nervous that I would be overwhelmed again. When I went, one of the first people I saw was Emilie, and she was helping me. I just knew that the lord was looking out for me. He puts people in the right place at the right time for me. The spirit whispered to me, “let me teach you.” I had to make the conscious choice to just believe and open my heart. I learned so much yesterday. I know it doesn’t have to be in the temple for that to happen, it can be every day. We might be like this father, but he can help our unbelief. If we keep seeking him and do those things we know we should be doing. Especially forgetting ourselves and reaching out to others. I know we’ll be able to believe and come to know him personally.

Ky: The one other thing I wanted to share with you is the Living Christ. I want to read it because the words are so powerful. I don’t know what better way to strengthen your testimony than reading the words from the quorum of the twelve. Try to visualize the Savior and think about your relationship with him, and how you feel about your Savior.

https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-and-church-history-seminary-teacher-resource-manual/the-world-wide-church/the-living-christ-the-testimony-of-the-apostles?lang=eng

I testify to you that Jesus Christ does live. It is only through him that we are forgiven of our sins and can become what Heavenly Father desires for us.

There’s just one more video of the Savior I want to watch.
https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/for-god-so-loved-the-world?lang=eng

The visiting teaching message this month is on the divine mission of Jesus Christ. Maybe make it a personal challenge this month to strengthen your relationship with him.

Ashley: The line that I really love from that hymn is, He lives to bring us safely there. I think we often forget that that’s Christ’s entire purpose. Everything he puts in our path is for our good. I know that they are all for our good and Christ is our advocate. I know he loves all his children. I have a good friend who has cerebral palsy. Whenever I visit him I know I can feel God’s love for him every time. When we were listening in sacrament meeting and talking about the conflicts around the world, I know god still loves all of us. Sometimes think it’s harder for me to feel his love for me personally. He will do anything to help us return to him. I want to testify that it’s always better to come back to him. I love the Savior. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Emilie: I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I know that with all of my heart. He knows each and every one of us, very personally. He knows our joys and trials and is always with us. He understands our needs perfectly. Heavenly Father is also there for us and loves us more than we can imagine. I love this gospel. I know it is true with every fiber of my being. I am so grateful to have the gospel in my life. I know I am so much happier when I remember my divine nature and think of the reality of the Plan of Salvation. I know it's all true. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Sister Badger: This has been a really hard month for our family. About a month ago we had a death in the family. About a week after that my daughter was having problems with her science project. I started family history work while we were waiting for the printer. I told my sister that was the first time I felt joy since the death. It feels like the veil is very thin sometimes. I feel close to those people and I know I’ll see them again. We’re reading a book on near-death experiences of early members of the church. They are happy and feel close to us and don’t want us to worry for them. The gospel is true. The Savior made this all possible for us. I know I have a long way to go, but I know what I want to do with the rest of my life. When I return, I want to be with my family forever. I went to our stake family history activity yesterday. They said all the technology we have now for family history work is as big as Joseph Smith bringing forth the Book of Mormon. I’m grateful for the gospel and all the wonderful things it brings to my life. I’m grateful for my family. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Bishop Badger: If I could convey anything to you, it would be a feeling. During the sacrament today, some of the most powerful experiences I’ve had in my life have been during the sacrament, as we were singing this morning. The feeling I have is overwhelming sometimes. Alex quoted this scripture, for God so loved the world.” one of the most wonderful experiences I’ve ever had. I want you to know of the sacrifice our Heavenly Father made to send his son to earth. I want you to know that he did it our of pure infinite love for us. We talk about it and preach it, but you need to feel it. It’s real. When we have our challenges, we need to know that this is real. It is. Because we all have hard things in life. Let me tell you more about Sis. Badger’s story. This young man who passed away took his own life at 14 years old. You wonder, why? Totally unexpected. Just got his patriarchal blessing, active in the church. We don’t have all the answers, but we do have one. That answer is we have a Savior. He has the ability to heal all wounds. As you learn things through life, just remember the Savior is at the heart of it. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.