MLK Weekend

Hey Hey! How's it going? It's a wonderful weekend.

This week will be a good one. I can tell. So, here's what's happening:

1. Tomorrow from 8:30-1:30 there will be service activities for MLK Day of Service. Go to the Wilk on campus if you want to participate. It will be a great opportunity to get out and feel good.
2. Also tomorrow, is Bishopric FHE. Contact your FHE leaders and double check with the Facebook page to see where y'all are heading.
3. Wednesday at 7pm in JFSB B092 is Institute! Gotta love the D&C!
4. Thursday at 6pm we are having our ward Temple trip! We'll be meeting in the foyer of the temple (turn right when you enter, so opposite the door to the baptistry). President Ashton and Patriarch Mourik will be speaking with us. It will be wonderful. I'm very excited.
5. Saturday, probably at 10am, we'll be having a combined RS activity. We'll be updated with the details on that later.
6. Sunday, 26th, there is a Stake Leadership training meeting from 7-9pm. RS presidency, all instructors, and basically all the committee chairs need to attend. We'll be reminded again next week, but here's a heads up so you can plan accordingly.

I think that's enough for this week. So, here is our lesson recap. Brittany did a wonderful job today with our combined Relief Society's. Isn't she fabulous? :)

Brittany: What do you think about in your spare moments?
-food, school, boys, future, money, career, sleep, family, callings
President Smith: Jesus Christ
Elder Holland: First and Great Commandment
-Peter, do you love me?
If I want fish, I can get fish. What I need are disciples, and I need them forever.

I think that’s a great segue into President Smith’s lesson.
We can’t live the same way we would without the gospel. That has to be the primary things in our lives. I feel that sometimes it touches us every once and a while, but to have it touch us more often, would change our day to day lives.
Kelsey H: I think it would affect how we interact with others. When we’re consciously thinking of Christ we’re going to talk to everyone.
Christine: In the past I was hesitant to adopt the gospel fully because it was holing me back. But I’ve realized that the gospel is what makes me the most happy. Life is so busy that if I can cut out the things that aren’t important and focus on the gospel I can be happier.
Ashlyn: I think the biggest trap is to focus on ourselves. With the Savior on our minds we can go out and find those who are struggling and need our help.
Brittany: I’m a masters student right now and I’m dating someone, I feel like that because of those two things, they’re good, but for them to become all consuming and justify not thinking about others, I don’t think that does me any favors. I feel like I have more to give when I try more.
Lacey: Most of my family is very successful entrepreneurs. I always thought that I had to be successful. Then I discovered that my gift is to teach. This talk helped me realize that if God wants me to make money, he can do that. If he wants me to put myself out there, something maybe a little more challenging, then I should do it. He can guide me.

Jacob 2:18-19

But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to ado good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.

Brittany: We’re often told or compelled to do something and be devoted about it, and we might not feel like that’s what we should be doing spiritually, but I think this scripture hits the nail on the head.
So that’s what it’s about. That’s what all these things are about. These things are secondary. Everything besides Christ is secondary.
I went to school in Nashville for my undergrad. I had a friend who was very smart and was planning on going to law school. He didn't think there were many people to date in Nashville. He said he wants to go to law school on the East Coast. He said there aren’t very many people to date out there, but I’ll focus on that after my studies. I told him, I don’t think you get your ducks in order and then live the gospel. In my mind I had this image of him furnishing a room like his life. His wife was going to be like putting a chair in. I hope we’re not waiting to put the Savior in our life.
Ashley: Sometimes I think there’s supposed to be a certain order in my life. I’ve seen it in my life that as long as whatever the focus of what I’m doing is geared toward Christ, that the other things fall into place.i felt like in my life that if your focus is ultimately on God that he’s going to take you, shape you, and ultimately take you where you need to go. Putting him at the top is everything for me.
Marren: I feel like it’s not us that furnishes the room. I feel like when we’re doing what we can to have Jesus at the top, it all gets furnished along the way. You never know when it’s going to happen.
Brittany: Every blessing is somewhere along the path as we keep Christ at the top.
Carla: Living the gospel to me was anew thought process and conflicts with what I grew up wanting. I think God shapes you as a person. Not every woman is going to have strong desires for motherhood, but you do have to follow the gospel. He’ll shape you. He won’t force you into the mold.
Alex G: I’m trying to get into the habit of asking every night what I need to do, but everything falls into place even if I don’t want to hear it.
Ginger: When trials come up in our lives we need to reevaluate our lives and it’s an opportunity. As an artist, Christ is the creator. Just because you have your life going for you right now, doesn’t mean it won’t change, and yo need to be willing to let it change.
President Joseph Fielding Smith said:

He is indeed the only begotten Son of God, and through His grace, and the grace of His Father, hath redeemed us from sin on condition of our repentance. We know that He has risen from the dead, that He has ascended on high, taking captivity captive [see Psalm 68:18], and has become the author of salvation unto all who will believe, who will repent of their sins and accept Him as the Redeemer of the world [see Hebrews 5:9]. Latter-day Saints are not left in doubt regarding these things.
While men may formulate plans, adopt theories, introduce strange works, and gather and teach many peculiar doctrines, one teaching is fundamental, and from it we cannot depart: all things are concentrated in and around the Lord Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of the world. We accept him as the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh, the only one who has dwelt in the flesh who had a Father who was immortal. Because of his birthright and the conditions surrounding his coming to the earth, he became the Redeemer of men; and through the shedding of his blood we are privileged to return into the presence of our Father, on conditions of our repentance and acceptance of the great plan of redemption of which he is the author.

Brittany: I think you guys are great. I believe that most of us are here because we prayed about it and HF sent us to UT. Make sure you didn't pray about it once and jump on a conveyor belt. Make sure your secondary goal doesn’t end up overshadowing your primary.
What’s the last important decision you made and how did your relationship with Christ influence that?

Carla: I came here. I didn’t want to come here. One of my decisions was how is the ward? When I first came I didn’t want to be here. I know that one reason I came was to learn patience. It brought me closer to christ because I learned more about the Atonement and the enabling power.
Kelsey H: When I decided to serve a mission I was terrified. I talked with my mom after I made the decision, and she said I probably should go. She said that maybe Heavenly Father was giving her those feelings of nervousness. But I trusted that first decision of going and I was able to grow so much.
Christine: I feel like in the last couple years I’ve really been able to do that. Every decision I've made has drastically changed who I’ve become. I got active in church in Nashville and it changed me. Then I went on a mission and it changed who I’ll marry. Then I came to Utah. It’s building my testimony in a great way. It’s making me happy if I can just follow him.

Isaiah 53:2

For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Brittany: I have a testimony of the savior and the Atonement, and I know that he will guide us in our lives when we focus on him. We won’t focus on him at the expense of the good things in our lives, but it will be added upon. I think sometimes it’s hard to remember, but when we can refocus and toughen up, it may seem like we have less to work with, but we have more to work with.