Jo's Lesson: Celebrating Relief Society

Celebrating Relief Society

On 17 March we celebrate the 174th birthday of the Relief Society.

To have a better understanding and appreciation of the Relief Society, how it can bless our lives, and enable us to bless the lives of others.

We are spirit daughters of God.

History of RS: In 1842, Joseph Smith recognised the highly-organised nature of the Latter-Day Saint women, and their desire to help in the building of the Nauvoo Temple.  The sisters had originally drafted a constitution and by-laws. The Prophet declared this offering to be pleasing unto the Lord. He organised them under the priesthood. The Relief Society has been organised under a divine and inspired manner.

How does being a member of the Relief Society inspire and uplift you? How does it help you rise above the world? How does it help you make changes in your life? How does it encourage you to serve others? How has Relief Society helped you realise the divine woman you truly are?

Get a copy of the Relief Society Declaration and read it often. Realise your purpose, your meaning and your direction.

Linda K Burton, General Relief Society President, said, "Each Spring, LDS Women commemorate the founding of the Relief Society. Know we are celebrating so much more than just a birthday."

We celebrate:

• Our Purpose
• Our Power
• Our Sisterhood
• Our Covenants with Heavenly Father
• Our Blessings we have received
• Our participation in the three-fold mission of the Church (Proclaim the Gospel, Perfect the Saints, Redeem the Dead)
• Our service to our fellow human beings
• Our Faith in Jesus Christ

How can we help each other? We each have significant contributions we can share with one another.

We can work in unity with our priesthood leaders. They are there to help and serve us.

We are part of a great worldwide sisterhood with seven million sisters. We are dedicated disciples of Jesus Christ. We are marvelous women! We must cherish one another. We must watch over one another, comfort one another and gain instruction, so we may all sit down in Heaven together.

Relief Society March 2016 Newsletter

March 2016

Happy Easter!

Take some time this month to reflect upon the Atonement of Jesus Christ and its significance in your life.

Presidency Message

Celebrating 174 years
of Relief Society

What are we celebrating? We are celebrating who we are and what our work is. We are celebrating those who have gone before. And celebrating our purpose.

As Latter-Day Saint women think about the history of Relief Society,  we appropriately celebrate being taught by Joseph Smith in our early meetings… but may we stop and celebrate the blessing of having the teachings of modern day prophets in our day. We have the opportunity to learn together their words in our meetings,  just as our sisters in Nauvoo were taught by the prophet Joseph,  the living prophet in their day.

The purpose of Relief Society is to prepare women for the blessings of eternal life. That is accomplished as sisters increase faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement and personal righteousness,  strengthen families and homes as they make and keep sacred covenants,  and offer relief to those in need,  working in unity with priesthood holders. Understanding the purpose of Relief Society will not only bless the lives of individual women,  but it will also help them bless the lives of others in their homes and families and also in their communities.

Celebrate who we are. Beloved daughters of a loving Father in Heaven. We are dedicated disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we are part of a great worldwide sisterhood. We are sisters.

Sister. Linda Burton
Relief Society general president
March 2015          

 Visiting Teaching Message

Created in the Image of God
(Click through for a full, printable message you can share with your sisters.)

Consider This
How does knowing that each person is created in God’s image help us in our association with others?

Calendar and Upcoming Events

Every Monday 6.30pm Fresh Brumby Bread can be collected from Sister Inley’s (84 Oakwood Drive, Waikiki)

Thurs 10th March, 10am Temple Trip for 11.30am session

Thurs 17th March 10am-12noon Homemaking Luncheon at Sister Marlene Percy’s (18a Vaux St, Rockingham). Bring a plate of food to share and ideas of crafts and arts to make and share.

Thurs 17th March, 6.30pm Relief Society 174th Birthday Celebration. Bring a friend, for a fun night at the Chapel

25-27 March—Easter! Remember the Atonement of Christ.

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YSA Activities

Sun 20th March, 6pm Stake YSA Devotional hosted by Rockingham YSA  Mandurah Chapel

Thurs 24th-Sat 26th (Easter Weekend) YSA Camp at HoneyMoon Pool 

Youth turning 17 this year (2016) are invited to participate in most YSA activities including Mission Prep & Institute classes(excludes overnight activities: i.e conventions, etc,).

Lessons

Relief Society (Auxiliary) Lessons

Mar 6  - Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Mar 13 - Chap 5 "Joseph Smith, Prophet of the Restoration"
Mar 20 - Chap 6 "The Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ"
Mar 27 - Teaching For Our Times: Pres Thomas S Monson "Keep the Commandments"

Sunday School Gospel Doctrine Lessons

Lesson  9 - “My Soul Delighteth in the Words of Isaiah”
Lesson 10 - “He Inviteth All to Come unto Him”
Lesson 11 - “Press Forward with a Steadfastness in Christ”

Lesson 12 - “Seek Ye for the Kingdom of God”

Pacific Area Plan 2016

Vision

To strengthen families and individuals by increasing faith and trust in Heavenly Father and in Jesus Christ and His Atonement.

Consider what you can do to support this month’s objective for yourself and your family. Jot down your ideas.

Objective this month: Increase Spiritual and Temporal Self-Reliance

Goals:

à Pay a full tithe and give a generous fast offering

à Seek learning and education

à Complete the “My Path to Self-Reliance” Initiative (available on www.lds.org)

Relief Society Workshop

Our Thursday Night Workshop this month involved several sisters sharing simple and nutritious recipes. Here are some of the recipes from that evening: Most only feature a few ingredients and are so simple to make. We had a delicious time!

Nancy’s Bread and Butter Pudding

· 4 slices toasted bread, cut into triangles

· 2 Tbsp currants or sultantas

· 1/4 cup sugar

· 2 tsp grated lemon rind

· 3 eggs

· 2 cups milk

Layer toast triangles, currants, sugar and lemon rind in an ovenproof dish. Beat eggs and milk together. Pour egg mixture over layers. Leave to stand for 15 minutes. Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes until golden brown. Dust with icing sugar.

Maureen B’s Ricotta Dessert

· 500 grams ricotta cheese

· 200 grams finely chopped dates

· 2 Tbsp honey

· Few dashes of cinnamon

· Frozen berries for topping.

Blend ricotta, honey, dates and cinnamon until well mixed. Spoon into dessert dishes and top with berries. Tastes pleasantly like cheesecake.

Taania’s ABC and L Juice

Put through your juicer:

· 2 apples

· 4 carrots

· 2 fresh beetroots

· 1 lemon

Light, tangy, sweet and healthy. Makes 2-3 serves.

Taania’s Watermelon Smoothie

Blitz in your Bullet or blender:

· 1 apple

· 500 grams watermelon

· Few springs of fresh mint leaves

Refreshing and chock-full of vitamins and fibre.

 Heidi’s Basic Bread Recipe

· 1 tsp sugar

· 1 tsp salt

· 1 tsp active dry yeast

· 2-3 cups flour, as needed to make a smooth, non-sticky dough

· 1 c warm water (about 40-42°C)

Knead ingredients together for 10-15 minutes. Cover and let rise (30-60 minutes) until double in size. Punch down, knead for 5 minutes. Shape, place in bread pan and let rise a second time. Bake in 160°C oven for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Variant for Pizza dough: Add 2 Tbsp Olive Oil with warm water. Knead, then roll out as pizza bases. Top as desired. Bake pizza in 220°C oven for about 5-10 minutes until crust is light brown.

Tastes best warm from the oven.

Garlic Butter to spread on freshly baked bread

Let a 500 gram container of butter soften. Blend  in 1 tsp dry garlic granules and 2 Tbsp mixed dry herbs (of your choice).  Can refrigerate if you wish or spread onto freshly baked bread. Can also be spread onto toast for a yummy treat.

Arahi’s Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Combine into a jar:

· 1 1/4 cup coconut milk

· 1 Tbsp maple syrup

· 1/4 tsp sea salt

· 3 Tbsp cocoa powder

· 1/4 cup chia seeds (available in health food aisles at Woolies and Coles.)

Give ingredients a quick stir, tighten lid on the jar and give it a good shake until everything is blended. Refridgerate at least four hours or overnight.

To serve: Arahi recommends topping pudding with coconut flakes and raspberries (fresh or frozen). Hits the spot for that chocolate craving.

Relief Society Lesson Plan for 2016

The Relief Society lesson plan for 2016 is taken from Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Howard W Hunter. We encourage all sisters who have laptops, tablets or smartphones to download the Gospel Library app and access the manual through that. Help is available for those who are not confident using their technology. Hardcopy manuals are available to those few sisters who are unable to use technology.

First Sundays are Presidency Messages of selected topics by the RS presidency, followed by testimonies.

Second and Third Sundays are taken from the manual.

Fourth Sundays, "Teaching for our Times" is taken from General Conference talks, topics determined by Stake.

Fifth Sundays are Bishopric's Messages of selected topics by the Bishopric. Relief Society combines with Priesthood for this time.

Last updated 27 Dec 2015.

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Jan 3 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Jan 10 Chap 1 "Jesus Christ--Our Only Way to Hope and Joy"
Jan 17 Chap 2 "My Peace I Give Unto You"
Jan 24 TFoT: Elder Bradley D. Foster "It's Never Too Early and It's Never Too Late" (Sat afternoon Session)
Jan 31 Bishop's Message

Feb 7 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Feb 14 Chap 3 "Adversity--Part of God's Plan for Our Eternal Progress"
Feb 21 Chap 4 "Help From On High"
Feb 26 Stake Conference Broadcast

Mar 6 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Mar 13 Chap 5 "Joseph Smith, Prophet of the Restoration"
Mar 20 Chap 6 "The Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ"
Mar 27 TFoT: Pres Thomas S Monson "Keep the Commandments"

Apr 3 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Apr 10 General Conference Videos
Apr 17 Chap 8 "Taking the Gospel to All the World"
Apr 24 Stake Conference

May 1 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
May 8 Chap 9 "The Law of Tithing"
May 15 Chap 10 "The Scriptures--The Most Profitable of All Study"
May 22 TFoT: From Apr 2016 General Conference
May 29 Bishop's Message

Jun 5 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Jun 12 Chap 11 "True Greatness"
Jun 19 Chap 12 "Come Back and Feast at the Table of the Lord"
Jun 26 TFoT: From Apr 2016 General Conference

Jul 3 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Jul 10 Chap 13 "The Temple--The Great Symbol of our Membership"
Jul 17 Chap 14 "Hastening Family History and Temple Work"
Jul 24 TFoT: From Apr 2016 General Conference
Jul 31 Bishop's Message

Aug 7 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Aug 14 Chap 15 "The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper"
Aug 21 Chap 16 "Marriage--An Eternal Partnership"
Aug 28 Stake Conference

Sep 4 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Sep 11 Chap 17 "Preserve and Protect the Family"
Sep 18 Chap 18 "We Believe in Being Honest"
Sep 25 TFoT: From Apr 2016 General Conference

Oct 2 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Oct 9 General Conference Videos
Oct 16 Chap 20 "Walking the Saviour's Path of Charity"
Oct 23 TFoT: From Apr 2016 General Conference
Oct 29 Bishop's Message

Nov 6 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Nov 13 Chap 21 "Faith and Testimony"
Nov 20 Chap 22 "Teaching the Gospel"
Nov 27 TFoT: From Oct 2016 General Conference

Dec 4 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Dec 11 Chap 23 " 'No Less Serviceable' "
Dec 18 Chap 24 "Following the Example of Jesus Christ"
Dec 25 Christmas!

Christina's lesson: "Here to Serve a Righteous Cause"

For those sisters who couldn't attend RS due to callings, illnesses or out of town, here are the salient points of Christina's excellent lesson, taken from Carol F McConkie's Conference talk "Here to Serve a Righteous Cause".

"The worth of souls is great in the sight of God."

We are here to serve a righteous cause. The Lord's righteous cause: Moses 1:39. We support His righteous cause of bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man by:

1. We are to do our best to choose the Gospel path, to make ourselves the best we can, receive all the ordinances and endure to the end.
2. We are to help one another, to uplift one another, to support and love one another.
3. When we do as He would have us do, we receive blessings. When we encourage others, we give them the opportunity to receive blessings.

May we choose to serve a righteous cause in the service of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Being United in our Family--Mortal and Eternal

As taught by Sister Helena Hodges

Who is our Family?

Consider the Plan of Happiness - it is all about family.

We all belong to a family. In the premortal life, we were spiritually born to a divine Father and Mother. We are all brothers and sisters. We are born into a family on earth.

As families we need to be united. What are some things we do to help each other out in our mortal family?
Feed the family. Family Home Evening. Making members feel loved and wanted. Show unconditinal love without expecting anything in return. Teach and lead by example. Teaching social skills. Spending time together. Ask about their day. Read to one another.

The Family Proclamation specifically says:

"ALL HUMAN BEINGS—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.

IN THE PREMORTAL REALM, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally."

We need each other to unify and come together. Unite with our talents, our skills, our experience, our wisdom. Serve one another and teach this to the next generation.

Service for our Family

Service is the Gospel of Jesus Christ in action.  Service blesses both the given and the giver.

Serve Heavenly Father through obedience to His commandments. Support one another thorugh action.

The purpose of Relief Society is to save souls. We can provide temporal relief and spiritual relief.

Ultimately, we all want to return to our Heavenly Father. We can provide service to our family to help them achieve this beautiful destiny.

Temple Provides an Easy Way to Serve our Family

Thinking back to the Plan of Happiness, we can serve our family by helping them complete their Ordinances.  For those who did not have the chance to receive Temple blessings while on earth, we can serve them by helping them complete their work.

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One thing we ask our sisters to do this week:  Think of one important thing we do in our family to bring them together. Use that act on someone who's not a member of your family or the Church.

Helena's lesson: "Returning to Faith"

Due to Self-Reliance lesson last week, this week's lesson, taught by Sis Helena Hodges, is from Sister Rosemary Wixom's April 2015 Conference talk, "Returning to Faith"

Returning to Faith

Sis Rosemary Wixom

The Lord can only teach an inquiring mind.

Sometimes we have doubts or questions. It's a natural part of our journey. However, we can get discouraged and lose our faith and testimony.

Sister Wixom tells a story of a faithful Latter-Day Saint woman who, as an adult, had questions in her life: "But as the questions grew harder, so did the answers. And sometimes there were no answers—or no answers that brought peace. Eventually, as she sought to find answers, more and more questions arose, and she began to question some of the very foundations of her faith." It was a difficult and confusing time. She wanted the satisfaction of answers.

Through this time she had the love and support of her family and ward, but she had to work through the question of what she truly believed on her own.

Sister Wixom shares, "In a 1953 letter, Mother Teresa wrote: “Please pray specially for me that I may not spoil His work and that Our Lord may show Himself—for there is such terrible darkness within me, as if everything was dead. It has been like this more or less from the time I started ‘the work.’ Ask Our Lord to give me courage.”

"Archbishop Périer responded: “God guides you, dear Mother; you are not so much in the dark as you think. The path to be followed may not always be clear at once. Pray for light; do not decide too quickly, listen to what others have to say, consider their reasons. You will always find something to help you. … Guided by faith, by prayer, and by reason with a right intention, you have enough.”5

"My friend thought if Mother Teresa could live her religion without all the answers and without a feeling of clarity in all things, maybe she could too. She could take one simple step forward in faith—and then another. She could focus on the truths she did believe and let those truths fill her mind and heart.

President Uchdorf said, "Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith."  (Oct 2013 General Conference)  See what is causing your doubts and question that.

This sister had to focus on what she knew.

She started her journey back by looking at what remained of her testimony. Much of her testimony was in ashes, but what remained was a belief in Jesus Christ. She also had a desire to rebuild her faith.

She began with the basics--Primary songs, those deep, beautiful songs we teach our children. Soon, scripture reading and prayers became a priority.

Sister Wixom shares, "She learned that when she came up against a statement that caused her to doubt, she “could stop, look at the whole picture, and make the gospel personal.” She said, “I would ask, ‘Is this the right path for me and my family?’ Sometimes I would ask myself, ‘What do I want for my children?’ I realized I want them to have temple marriages. That’s when belief came back to my heart.”"

"I was reminded that “it is upon the rock of our Redeemer” that we all must build our foundation. I was also reminded of the counsel of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: “Hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes.”"

We may not know everything, and we may not have answers to every question in our heart. However, if you know that it is good, hold to that goodness and build your faith upon that. Take one step at a time. Trials come to us all. We may all go through the darkness, but we can come through the other side. Focus on truths to fill your mind and heart.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said: “We are all pilgrims seeking God’s light as we journey on the path of discipleship. We do not condemn others for the amount of light they may or may not have; rather, we nourish and encourage all light until it grows clear, bright, and true.”

Perfection Pending - Notes on Sister Hirama's First Sunday Lesson

Dear Sisters,

If you were unable to make it to Relief Society today (5 July) here's our notes on Sister Hirama's lesson.

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Perfection Pending

From an Oct 1995 conference talk by  Elder Russell M Nelson

We are all familiar with Matthew 5:48.  Keeping the commandments can be a concern because we are not yet perfect.

We are all on our own journey towards perfection.

You do yourself no favours if you compare your journey to those of others. You are on your own journey. You can look to the positive examples of others, but do not compare yourself.

Two areas of reaching for perfection:  Mortal Perfection and Immortal (Eternal) Perfection.

Perfect: tendings towards being complete or finished.

Elder Nelson explained, "In Matt. 5:48, the term perfect was translated from the Greek teleios, which means “complete.” Teleios is an adjective derived from the noun telos, which means “end.” 10 The infinitive form of the verb is teleiono, which means “to reach a distant end, to be fully developed, to consummate, or to finish.” Please note that the word does not imply “freedom from error”; it implies “achieving a distant objective.” In fact, when writers of the Greek New Testament wished to describe perfection of behavior—precision or excellence of human effort—they did not employ a form of teleios; instead, they chose different words."

How can we obtain Mortal Perfection? By being perfect in little things. We can be perfect in tithing. We can be perfect in our prayers. We can be perfect in other areas, such as punctuality, for example. Have you done everything in your power to make the choices that move you to perfection?

Strive to do your best. You may not succeed every single time, but your rate of success will improve.

Put Heavenly Father first. Raise your sights.

The focus on our pending perfection is not that we are without error right now, but that we are striving to do our best in all things we have power over. Do not let the foibles of mortality deceive us from actively striving towards perfection.

Our weaknesses are to make us humble. Acknowledge that we have not yet completed the journey.

Perfection is a journey. We are either moving forward or moving backwards. If we are actively working to move forward towards perfection, we are on the good path. If we are not making any choices or even rebelling, we are moving backwards.

*Our Challenges -- these give us something to work on.
*Chastisement -- Whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth (Hebrews 12:6). This gentle correction of the Lord helps us to recognise and overcome error.

We need to acknowledge our weaknesses and challenges, then we need to work on them.

Eternal Perfection

The Saviour is our example. We can do no greater thing than follow His examples.  Christ was not perfected until the third day of his crucifixion, when he was resurrected.

The ordinances of the Temple and the covenants we make are the path that takes us towards Eternal Perfection.

D&C 67:13  Continue in patience until ye are perfected.

RS Lesson - The Parable of the Sower

Today's lesson is taken from Elder Dallin H Oaks April 2015 Conference talk "The Parable of the Sower."  It's really good. Go have a read.

This parable was for the Saints, or those who have already received the gospel. "It is up to each of us to set the priorities and to do the things that make our soil good and our harvest plentiful."

Today we asked the question: What do we do with the Savior’s teachings as we live our lives?

The parable speaks of stony ground with very little soil. Seeds may sprout here, but the moment the relentless heat of the sun or strong winds (adversity) come along, the seeds whither. Pride, stubbornness, hubris and other poor attitudes can create a stony heart. The gospel cannot flourish in a stony heart.

Then there is the ground taken up by thorns. Seeds may sprout and start to grow, but the thorns of worldliness and deceitfulness can choke out the gospel so it cannot bear fruit.

But the rich soil of a good ground nourished constantly by living the gospel, or as Christ explained, “the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15).

Your Homework:

How nourished is your soil? Does the gospel of Jesus Christ flourish in it?
On a piece of paper, write down the ingredients of Good Ground.

The Ingredients of Good Ground
What I do Acknowledge what you are doing right	What I want to do? How can you improve? Everyone has room for improvement.
Read scriptures? prayers?

Lesson: Setting and Achieving Goals - 2015

(Notes from Hilary Seymour's Relief Society lesson 7 June 2015)

As it is half-way through the year, it is time to reflect upon our goals. How are we doing?

Review, Re-Evaluate, Revise, Realistic, Refocus, Re-energise

3rd Article of Faith states: "We believe in that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

Laws - by following laws, we grow closer to God.

4th Article: We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are first, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, second, repentance, third baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, fourth laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Principles & Ordinances will help us get to where we are going.

A principle is an enduring truth, a law, a rule you can adopt to guide you to making decisions. -- Pres Boyd K Packer

What we do here and now is so important in the Eternities.

Increasing our personal faith and righteousness.  

What are our goals?

Faith is a principle of action and power. When you work towards a worthy goal, you exercise faith.

Have trust in yourself when you set a goal. You can achieve it. Don't be discouraged if you don't reach your goals in the boundaries you've set. This is where faith comes in.

How does the Temple help us in the achieving of our goals? It gives us vision, direction and knowledge of our eternal purpose and plan. Set up holy habits and routines. These are the little goals that will help us achieve great ones.

The Gospel can fortify us and give us the strength for all our endeavours.

Keep an eternal perspective and reflect on the good things you have accomplished.

Reflect on your goals and actions:

• Is it true? 
• Is it uplifting? 
• Is it edifying?

"I teach them correct principles and they govern themselves." --Joseph Smith.  

The Lord will guide us, but we will need to act. 

RS Lesson Plan - May - Dec 2015

This is the Relief Society Lesson Schedule for the rest of the year.  

First Sundays are Presidency Messages of selected topics by the RS presidency, followed by testimonies.

Second and Third Sundays are taken from the manual for 2015: Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson

Fourth Sundays, "Teaching for our Times" is taken from the April 2015 General Conference talks.

Fifth Sundays are Bishopric's Messages of selected topics by the Bishopric. Relief Society combines with Priesthood for this time.

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May 3rd Relief Society/Quorum Instruction

May 10 Chapter 9 “The Book of Mormon – Keystone of Our Religion”

May 17 Chapter 10 “Flooding the Earth and Our Lives with the Book of Mormon”

May 24 T.F.O.T. Elder L. Tom Perry – “Why Marriage and Family Matter” (Saturday Morning Session)

Elder Robert D. Hales – “Preserving Agency, Protecting Religious Freedom”

(Sunday Afternoon Session)

May 31 Bishop’s Message

June 7 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction

June 14 Chapter 11 “Follow the Living Prophet”

June 21 Chapter 12 “Seek the Spirit in All You Do”

June 28  T.F.O.T. Elder Dallin H. Oaks – “The Parable of the Sower” (Saturday Morning Session)

July 5 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction

July 12 Chapter 13 “Priceless Blessings of the House of the Lord”

July 19 Chapter 14 “Marriage and Family – Ordained of God”

July 26 T.F.O.T. Sister Rosemary M. Wixom – “Returning to Faith” (Sunday Morning Session)

August 2 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction

Aug 9 Chapter 15 “The Sacred Callings of Fathers and Mothers”

Aug 16 Chapter 16 “The Elderly in the Church”

Aug 23 T.F.O.T. Elder Kevin W. Pearson – “Stay By The Tree” (Sunday Afternoon Session)

Aug 30th Stake Conference

September 6 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction

Sept 13 Chapter 17 “Keeping the Law of Chastity”

Sept 20 Chapter 18 “Beware of Pride”

Sept 27 T.F.O.T. Elder Russell M. Nelson – “The Sabbath is a Delight” (Sunday Afternoon Session)

October 4 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction

Oct 11 General Conference Videos

Oct 18 Chapter 20 “Feed My Sheep”

Oct 25 T.F.O.T. President Thomas S. Monson – “Blessing of the Temple” (Sunday Morning Session)

November 1 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction

Nov 8 Chapter 21 “Principles of Temporal and SpiritualWelfare”

Nov 15 Chapter 22 “Carrying the Gospel to the World”

Nov 22 T.F.O.T. Elder Dieter F Uchtdorf - "Be Not Afraid, Only Believe" (General Priesthood Session)

Nov 29 Bishop’s Message

December 6 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction

Dec 13 Chapter 23 “Strengthen Thy Stakes”

Dec 20 Chapter 24 “A Christ-Centred Life”

Dec 27 T.F.O.T. Sister Carol F McConkie "Here to Serve a Righteous Cause" (General Women's Session)

RS Lesson Plan - July - Dec 2014

January-March 2014 Quarter 1

We encourage you to read through the lessons before each Sunday to enrich your Sabbath experience. See links below to individual lessons. Alternatively download the magazines and manuals to your smartphone or data tablet device through the Gospel Library app. Subscriptions to hardcopies of the Ensign and copies of "The Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith" manual are available as well.

1st Sundays - Inspired Topics from the RS Presidency
2nd & 3rd Sundays - Teachings of the Presidents of the Church - Joseph Fielding Smith
4th Sundays - Teachings for Our Time - Taken from Conference Talks April 2014 General Conference.
5th Sundays - Bishopric's Messages

Accurate as of 27 June 2014. This information is subject to change, especially as TfoT subjects become available.
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6 July - Inspired Topic

13 July - Ch 13 "Baptism"

20 July - Ch 14 "The Gift of the Holy Ghost"

27 July - TfOT Henry B Eyring "A Priceless Heritage of Hope" Sat AM

3 Aug - Inspired Topic

10 Aug - Ch 15 "Eternal Marriage"

17 Aug - Ch 16 "Bringing up Children in Light and Truth"

24 Aug - TfOT Thomas S Monson "Be Strong and of Good Courage" priesthood session

31 Aug - Stake Conference

7 Sept - Inspired Topic

14 Sept - Ch 17 "Sealing Power and Temple Blessings"

21 Sept - Ch 18 "Living by Every Word that Proceeds from the Mouth of God"

28 Sept - TfOT Dallin H Oaks "The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood"

5 Oct - Inspired Topic

12 Oct - General Conference Videos

19 Oct - Ch 20 "Love and Concern for All Our Father's Children"

26 Oct - TfOT From Oct 2014 General Conference

2 Nov - Inspired Topic

9 Nov - Ch 21 "Proclaiming the Gospel to the World"

16 Nov - Ch 22 "Prayer--a Commandment and a Blessing"

23 Nov - TfOT From Oct 2014 General Conference

20 Nov - Combined Priesthood/RS - Bishopric's lesson

7 Dec - Inspired Topic

14 Dec - Ch 23 "Individual Responsibility"

21 Dec - Ch 24 "The Work of the Latter-Day Saint Women. Unselfish Devotion to this Glorious Cause"

28 Dec - TfOT From Oct 2014 General Conference

Inspired Topic: Are You Prepared?

"Those who are wise and faithful will be prepared when the Lord comes again."  --Joseph Smith

Sisters, perilous times are coming again. We know this is the Last Harvest and Christ is returning soon.

Are you prepared?

In D&C 106:4–5 we are warned, "...the coming of the Lord draweth nigh, and it overtaketh the world as a thief in the night— Therefore, gird up your loins, that you may be the children of light, and that day shall not overtake you as a thief."

How are you prepared?

Prepare yourselves spiritually.  Prepare yourselves temporally.

I often speak of how my life is governed by Plans.  Fr'example, I've got a 5-year plan (education), a 20-year plan (raising Their Ladyships), and a Thousand-Year Plan (my eternal salvation).

Everyone should have a Thousand-Year Plan. After all, aren't we sharing the same goal?

I encourage you all to prepare yourselves now, while there is time and room.  When the disasters and destruction which has been foretold falls upon us, we are not going to escape unscathed. Bad stuff is going to happen to many of us. But if we are prepared, the Lord will be with us during that time. (D&C 63:34)  This will be an advantage for the righteous.

But only if they are prepared. (I am in favour of gaining as many advantages I can to help me in those last days. How about you?)

To start your preparations, here is a list of ways you can prepare now. Please add to this list as you see fit; this is only a beginning.

Spiritual Preparation	Temporal Preparation
Personal Prayers	Keep your body physically healthy
Scripture study	Keep your mind mentally healthy
Attend meetings	Be financially stable
Give service	Build up your food storage
Serve cheerfully in your callings	Laugh often
Attend the Temple	Plant a garden
Treat your family well	Spent time with your family
Gain an education	Gain an education
Practice Christ-like attributes	Live within your means
Pay your tithing	Learn new skills
Family History	Read more
Lead by example	Lead by example
Share the Gospel with others	Be reliable
Desire to increase spiritually	Desire to grow as a person

Do not think that where you at is adequate and you can be complacent. Many people make that mistake. Acknowledge the good you have already accomplished, but also seek to improve on that. There is always something you can do better, something you can improve on. Increase the quality of your actions, your deeds, and your preparation.

Those who are inadequately prepared are going to get caught short.  They will regret their lack of preparation. You have the power Right Now to not be one of those. I encourage you to exercise it.

RS Newsletter June 2014

 Beloved daughters of our Heavenly Father,

         As members of the Church these should not be perilous times for us. If we are following the counsel of the prophets and church leaders, obeying all Heavenly Fathers commandments, living the gospel everyday and sharing the gospel with others, we will fare well.

         To help us further during these perilous times is the principle of “Self-Reliance. “Self-reliance is an important area we must achieve for us to be happy in this mortal life. The first law of self-reliance is “pay your tithing.” Followed by: get out of debt, put some money away for a rainy day, live within your means (budget brands vs labels), don’t go into debt for unnecessary things (eg, a small house made beautiful is easier to pay off), etc. Education is an acceptable debt also as it will offer individuals and families greater opportunities for employment. There may be other areas that you might consider a necessary part of self-reliance.

          If we are not doing these things, then now is a good time to start. Sit down with your spouse or your family and discuss how you can accomplish these things. I bear testimony to you that if you can master these particular areas of life you will have joy, happiness and peace.

          In the name of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

Dawn Hirama

Relief Society President

The Divine Mission of Jesus Christ: Minister

        As we minister to others, we become true followers of Jesus Christ, who set the example for us. President Thomas S. Monson said: “We are surrounded by those in need. … We are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children.”

        Linda K. Burton, Relief Society general president, taught: “With practice, each of us can become more like the Savior as we serve God’s children. To help us better [minister to] one another, I would like to suggest four words to remember: ‘First observe, then serve.’ … As we do so, we are keeping covenants, and our service, like President Monson’s, will be evidence of our discipleship.”

We can pray each morning to recognize opportunities to serve others. “Heavenly Father will guide you, and angels will assist you,” said David L. Beck, Young Men general president. “You will be given power to bless lives and rescue souls.”

Consider This

1. How can prayer lead us to be instruments in the Lord’s hands?

2. How can ministering to others help us keep our covenants?

From the Scriptures

Matthew 20:25–28;

1 Nephi 11:27–28;

3 Nephi 28:18

 From Our History

               At the October 1856 general conference, President Brigham Young (1801–77) announced that handcart pioneers were still crossing the plains and that everyone was to help gather supplies for them immediately.

               Lucy Meserve Smith wrote that women “stripped off their petticoats [large underskirts], stockings, and every thing they could spare, right there in the Tabernacle, and piled [them] into the wagons.”

               As the rescued pioneers began to arrive in Salt Lake City, Lucy wrote, “I never took more … pleasure in any labor I ever performed in my life, such a unanimity of feeling prevailed. I only had to go into a store and make my wants known; if it was cloth, it was measured off without charge.”

President George Albert Smith (1870–1951) said of ministering to others: “Our eternal happiness will be in proportion to the way that we devote ourselves to helping others.”

How have you helped someone today?

 We recommend sisters read the lesson prior to coming to Relief Society so they can better participate and get more out of the teachings.

1 June—Inspired Topic: “Those who are wise and faithful will be prepared when the Lord comes again.”

8 June—Ch 11: Honoring the Priesthood Keys Restored through Joseph Smith

15 June—Ch 12: The Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood

29 June—Teaching for our Times: “Protection from Pornography—A Christ-focused Home” Linda S Reeves (General Conference April 2014 Saturday AM session)

Mon 2 June—Public Holiday

Sat 7 June, 2-4pm Mandurah Chapel—Stake Relief Society Activity

Thurs 19 June, 10am Chapel—Managing a Budget with Excel Spreadsheets

Thurs 26 June, 10am Chapel—RS Temple Trip carpool

 Angel Food Cake

Note: ALL utensils (bowl, beaters, spatulas, pans etc) MUST be grease-free, or the egg whites won’t beat up to stiff peaks.

Preheat oven to 160C (150C fan forced).

In a grease-free mixing bowl beat:

· 10-12 egg whites (about 270ml)

· 1 ¹/₄ tsp cream of tartar

· ¹/₄ tsp salt

Beat until stiff peaks form.

Beat in, bit by bit:

· 1 ¹/₂ cup powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar)

Until well-blended.

Add while beating:

· 1 tsp vanilla extract

Fold in:

· 1 cup corn flour

With a spatula, scoop batter (batter will be stiff) into an ungreased pan.  Recommend either bread tin or bundt pan, if you do not have an Angel Food tin.

Bake in oven at 160C for 40-50 minutes. Top will brown and crack.

Allow cake to cool completely before loosening and unmoulding.

Best served with whipped cream and fruit.

Influential Latter-Day Saint Women

You Might Not Know

You know about Emma Smith and Eliza R Snow.  Do you know these influential women from Church history?

· Sarah Melissa Granger Kimball

Student of Joseph Smith’s School of the Prophets and Suffragette

· Dr. Martha Hughes Cannon

Physician and First female US State Senator

· Jane Manning James

Early African American Saint who crossed the Great Plains with the pioneers.

· Dr Emma Liljenquist

Obstetrician and Midwife

· Amelia Telle Cannon

Early champion of education

· Grace Vlam

First missionary to preach the gospel in Indonesia.