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.

Bread Recipes

For those of you who enjoyed our fun and delicious Bread Making Workshop last Thursday night, here are the recipes you've been asking for:

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Heidi's Basic Bread Recipe

This basic bread recipe will make a loaf of bread. However the dough can be used for rolls, pizza base and more.

• 1 c warm water
• 1 tsp sugar or honey
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 2-3 c flour
• 1/2 tsp salt

In a mixing bowl blend 2 c flour, active dry yeast and the salt. Add warm water and sugar or honey. 

Mix together with your hands until dough forms. If dough is too sticky, add more flour (but only enough to remove stickiness).

Knead bread by hand or machine until pliable (about ten minutes). The more you knead, the better your bread texture.

Let dough rest and rise in a covered mixing bowl until double in size. This may take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour depending on ambient temperature.

Preheat oven to 180°C.  Punch down dough and knead again for five minutes. Shape dough and place in bread pan. Allow to rise again.

Once bread has doubled in size, place in oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden.

Let bread cool on a wire rack before slicing.

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Renee's Fried Bread

• 5 cups Self Raising Flour
• 5 tsps Baking Powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups luke warm water or more if needed
• 1 litre oil (vegetable, olive, grapeseed, which one you prefer)

Mix all dry ingredients in large bowl together. Make well in middle of dry ingredients gradually add water and stir together with knife until well combined.

Once combined to a dough place onto to floured surface, kneaded mildly till smooth texture.

Roll out with rolling pin or press out with hands till dough is 2-4cm thick.Cut into slices, like scones, pricking each one with a fork.

Place each piece of dough into pot or frypan with very hot oil. Turn dough pieces over with tongs when golden brown.

Eat with butter,  jam,golden syurp. Yum.

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Phyllis' Rewena Bread

• 4 cups Flour
• 2 dessertspoons Sugar
• 2 cups of Bug agent (see recipe below)
• 2 cups of Tepid Water

Mix all ingredients well in large bowl.Once combined, place dough onto floured hard surface and knead until dough is very stiff.

Place in loaf tin and let it sit for 30-40 minutes till risen.

Place in oven for 1 or 1 1/2 hours at 260-300 degrees until brown.

Potato Bug (Raising agent for Bread)

• 1 cup flour
• 2 dessertspoons Sugar
• 1 cooked potato mashed in cool potato water
• 1 tsp baking powder

Mix all ingredients together and sit in warm area. It will rise, then use to make bread.

To keep it alive for frequent bread baking add:

• 1/2 cup Flour
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 cup of potato water

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Jo's Roti Bread (Indian Flatbread)

• 4 cups of Plain flour
• 2 cups Hot Water
• 1/2 cup oil

Make well in middle of flour, pour in hot water, combine with hands until you have smooth texture, slowly add oil as you knead into dough until evenly through.

Flatten with hand on clean hard surface, till thin and place on hot flat grill top or frypan. Cook till golden brown on each side.

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Debbie's Breadmaker

Breadmaker recipes vary from machine to machine. The order of ingredients, the ratios and more are specifically designed for each machine.

If you google "Recipe Bread [the name of your bread machine]" you can find plenty of good recipes.

Self-Reliance Principles

Dear Sisters,

The 2016 Pacific Area Plan lists several objectives to support its vision: "To strengthen families and individuals by increasing faith and trust in Heavenly Father and in Jesus Christ and His Atonement."

The second objective (Increase Spiritual and Temporal Self-Reliance) refers to the "My Path to Self-Reliance" Initiative.

This may be found under Self-Reliance Principles at www.lds.org.

Are you Self-Reliant? Self-reliance is the “ability, commitment, and effort to provide the spiritual and temporal necessities of life for self and family” (Handbook 2: Administering the Church [2010], 6.1.1).

The First Presidency has put out a "My Path to Self-Reliance" workbook that can help you become more self-reliant. By going through the assessments and practices in the workbook you will find specific ideas to help you gain greater self-reliance.
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12 Principles of Self-Reliance

Exercise Faith in Jesus Christ (D&C 104:15)

Use Time Wisely (Alma 34:32)

Be Obedient (D&C 130:20–21)

Manage Money (D&C 104:78)

Work: Take Responsibility (D&C 42:42; 2 Nephi 2:16, 26)

Solve Problems (Ether 2:18–19, 23; 3:1, 4)

Become One, Work Together (Moses 7:18; D&C 104:15–17)

Communicate: Petition and Listen (D&C 8:2)

Persevere (Hebrews 12:1; D&C 58:4)

Show Integrity (Mosiah 4:28; Job 27:5; Articles of Faith 1:13)

Seek Learning and Education (D&C 88:118–119)

Stay On Task, Receive Ordinances (D&C 84:20;D&C 136:4; 1 Nephi 18:2–3)

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.

Know Who You Truly Are

Sis Joanne Ryan, Relief Society President, presented today's lesson.

Know Who You Truly Are

How do you know how the Lord feels about you?  The Holy Ghost testifies to you of your Divine Nature.

Today's lesson was based on Sheri L. Dew's book No Doubt About It -- "Remember Who You Are... And Who You Have Always Been."  Sheri L Dew is a former member of the General Relief Society Presidency.

"Noble and great. Courageous and determined. Faithful and fearless. That is who you are and who you have always been.

"It is not for you to be led by the women of the world; it is for you to lead... the women of the world, in everything that is praise-worthy, everything that is God-like, everything tha tis uplifting and that is purifying to the children of Men."

Every sister in Relief Society received a small silver box of wisdom. When opened, they were able to know who they truly are and to see themselves as God would see them.  It does not matter what superficial features your mortal body has. Look past the flaws to see you are truly a Daughter of God.