¡Adiós Otoño!

Can you believe it's already been a week since we watched General Conference? Man, time flies by so fast! All right, here's what's up this week.

Announcements:
1. Institute on Wednesday, and every Wednesday, at 7:00 pm in B092 JFSB.
2. Thursday, Oct. 17th is the Stake Quick Connect a.k.a Speed dating. Try it out if you're not busy.
3. Friday, Oct. 18th is the Stake Fall Social. More details to come, keep in touch with the ward Facebook page.
4. Relief Society Activity! Bring some treats and crafts to share so we can have fun getting to know each other's talents. :) Also, please email your recipes to Ashley so they can be share and enjoyed by all later. agengler@me.com.
5. Ward Conference is on Oct. 27th, the theme is Moroni 10:32. Please study that scripture to be spiritually prepared. Sacrament meeting will run for an hour and a half, then RS will be combined for the remaining hour and a half.
6. Following Ward Conference, there will be a stake musical fireside that evening at the Costco North Chapel.
7. Jackie Crane needs to sell her contract in Fleur-de-Lis, so please help advertise! It's a great place to live and she has wonderful roomies.
8. The Happiness Project will get going now and will be headed by Megan Burrell. She's pretty fantastic. It's a project to work on improving in a way that's fun and not daunting. We can work together, strengthen each other, and come closer to Christ.

Well that's all super exciting. This is a busy month, but it'll be fun. I hope everyone is doing well and keeping up. If y'all ever want any other announcements, or repeats, in the newsletter, just let me know. Y'all are great.


Now for the lesson recap. However, like always I don't take down exact quotes, so feel free to comment and help us all learn.
Kylee Jacobsen gave a beautiful lesson on the doctrine and importance of visiting teaching.

President David O. McKay in 1937 said:

I pray that [a] spirit of oneness may spread throughout all the Church, that it may be characteristic of Presidencies of Stakes and High Councils, Bishoprics, [Home Teachers], and particularly of the quorums and auxiliaries of the Church, that they may all be one, to quote the Savior, as he and his Father are one.

With that in mind, what is Relief Society? What are the 3 purposes of Relief Society?
1. Increase faith and righteousness
2. Strengthen families and homes
3. Seek out and help those in need

During Christ's earthly ministry he invited women to be his disciples. In the ancient Church, sisters served others, increased in holiness, and participated in the saving of souls. President Joseph Smith said that Relief Society is "not only to relieve the poor, but to save souls."

Mosiah 18:8-11

8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

11 And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts.

The baptismal covenant we make encompasses the responsibilities of visiting teaching.
Kiersten Favero commented that the word desire really stood out to her. She said, "our desires will lead us to what we need to do."
As you live your baptismal covenant, your will and Heavenly Father's will align.

Elder Robert D. Hales said

When we make and keep covenants, we are coming out of the world and into the kingdom of God.
We are changed. We look different, and we act different. The things we listen to and read and say are different, and what we wear is different because we become daughters of God bound to Him by covenant.
When we are confirmed, we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, the right to have the constant influence of a member of the Godhead to guide us, to comfort us, and to protect us. He warns us when we are tempted to walk away from our covenants and back into the world.

Brittany Bailey commented, "When I was baptized, I immediately signed up for the 'I'll be what you want me to be' assignment, like we sang in sacrament meeting. Give Him your all. B, say, go. Visiting teaching is one way to do that. It's a way to serve Heavenly Father in an unnatural way to us, but it's a good habit."
Jackie Crane said, "It shows a lot of importance that the entire RS broadcast was to keep covenants. At least that's what stood out to me. It's exceedingly important that we do."
Ashley Gengler followed by saying, "I don't think I viewed it as a covenant until recently. I was thinking about how much we have to do in one of our presidency meetings and I thought, 'that's it! We need help as a presidency and that's visiting teaching! We're trying to take care of everyone. That one person is super important to God. If you don't go visit them, who will?"
Visiting teachers minister to others by increasing their faith, strengthening homes, and providing relief.

Women fulfill these purposes as they seek, receive, and and act on personal revelation in their callings and in their personal lives (DMK pg. xi).

Sister Julie B. Beck has repeatedly taught (DMK pg. 158):

The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life.... It requires a conscious effort to diminish distractions, but having the spirit of revelation makes it possible to prevail over opposition and persist in faith through difficult days and essential routine tasks.... When we have done our very best, we may still experience disappointments, but we will not be disappointed in ourselves. We can feel certain that the Lord is pleased when we feel the Spirit working through us.

When you give your report be sure to not just say that you visited your sisters. Answer the question: What service was rendered? Also, don't wait to report until the end of the month. When you finish with a visit, report it so that if the sister has a need, that information can be communicated correctly and efficiently to help and support her.

President Spencer W. Kimball taught (DMK pg. 117):

There are many sisters who are living in rags -- spiritual rags. They are entitled to gorgeous robes, spiritual robes.... It is your privilege to go into homes and exchange robes for rags....
... You are going to save souls, and who can tell but that many of the fine active people in the Church today are active because you were in their homes and gave them a new outlook, a new vision. You pulled back the curtain. You extended their horizons....
You see, you are not only saving these sisters, but perhaps also their husbands and their homes.

You never know what your impact will be. Pray before you go and visit your sisters individually and as a companionship, and you will receive revelation for them.

President Gordon B. Hinckley (DMK pg. 113):

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?

What a lesson! Thanks Ky.

Dear sisters, I know this is the gospel of Jesus Christ. He wants to comfort us and be there for us. And He is, but many times He answers our cries for help through the acts of others. I know we can be ministering angels as we follow the guidance of the Spirit and do as our Father in Heaven and Savior would have us do. The blessings are innumerable. I love visiting teaching. You will build friendships that are stronger than most others as you serve in love and faith. -Emilie