Garden Grove 6th Ward Relief Society: May 2013

Sunday, May 26, 2013

June Visiting Teaching Message

Visiting Teaching Message

Joy in Family History

Prayerfully study this material and, as appropriate, discuss it with the sisters you visit. Use the questions to help you strengthen your sisters to make Relief Society an active part of your own life. For more information, go to reliefsociety.lds.org

Joy in Family History

Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has taught that the Spirit of Elijah is “a manifestation of the Holy Ghost bearing witness of the divine nature of the famiy”¹

As members of Christ’s restored Church, we have the covenant responsibility to search for our ancestors and provide for them the saving ordinances of the gospel. They without us cannot “be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:40), and “neither can we without our dead be made perfect” (D&C 128:15).

Family History work prepared us for the blessings of eternal life and helps us increase our faith and personal righteousness. Family history is a vital part of the mission of the Church and enables the work of salvation and exaltation for all.

President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said: “When we research our own lines we become interested in more than just names, … Our interest turns our hearts to our fathers – we seek to find them and to know them and to serve them.”²

From the Scriptures

Malachi 4:5-6; 1Corinthians 15:29;

D&C 124:28-36; 128:15

From Our History

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead.”³ We can serve as proxy in the temple for our deceased ancestors and perform necessary ordinances for them.

Sally Randall of Nauvoo, Illinois, whose 14-year-old son died, found great comfort in the promise of eternal families. After her husband was baptized for their son, she wrote to her relatives; “What a glorious thing it is that we … can be baptized for all of our dead [ancestors] and save them as far back as we can get any knowledge of them.” Then she asked her relatives to send her information on their ancestors, saying, “I intend to do what I can to save [our family].”4

What Can I Do?

1. How can I help the sisters I watch over to do family history?

2. Am I recording my personal history?

Notes

1. Russell M. Nelson, “A New Harvest Time,” Ensign, May 1998, 34

2. Boyd K. Packer, “Your Family History; Getting Started,” Ensign, Ang. 2003, 17.

3. Teachings of Presidents of the Church; Joseph Smith (2007), 475.

4. See Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society (2011), 21.

Sunday, May 5, 2013

May Visiting Teaching Message

Visiting Teaching Message

Strengthening Families and Homes

Strengthening at Every Opportunity

“Each of us is in a different family situation. Some families have a mother and father with children at home. Some couples no longer have children at home. Many members of the Church are single, and some are single parents. Others are widows or widowers living alone.

“No matter what our family looks like, each of us can work to strengthen our own families or help in strengthening others.

“[Once} I stayed in the home of my niece and her family. That evening before the children went to bed, we had a short family home evening and a scripture story. Their father told about the family of Lehi and how he taught his children that they must hold fast to the iron rod, which is the word of God. Holding fast to the ion rod would keep them safe and lead them to joy and happiness. If they should let go of the iron rod, there was danger of drowning in the river of dirty water.

“To demonstrate this to the children, their mother became the ‘iron rod’ that they must cling to, and their father played the role of the devil, trying to pull the children away from safety and happiness. The children loved the story and learned how important it is to hold fast to the iron rod. After the scripture story it was time for family prayer.

“Scriptures, family home evening, and family prayer will strengthen families. We need to take every opportunity to strengthen families and support one another to stay on the right path.”¹

From the Scriptures

Genesis 18:19; Mosiah 4:15; D&C 93”40; Moses 6:55-58

From Our History

From the beginning Relief Society has had a charge to strengthen families and homes. The Prophet Joseph taught sisters at an early Relief Society meeting, “When you go home, never give a cross or unkind word to your husbands, but let kindness, charity and love crown your works henceforward.”²

In 1914 President Joseph F. Smith told Relief Society sisters, “Wherever there is ignorance or at least a lack of understanding in regard to the family, … there this organization exists or is near at hand, and by the natural endowments and inspiration that belongs to the organization they are prepared and ready to impart instructions with reference to those important duties.”³

What Can We Do?

1. What ideas for strengthening families and homes will you share with your sisters? As you ponder their individual circumstances, the Spirit can bring ideas to your mind.

2. What priorities can you change this month to better strengthen you own family and home?

Notes

1. Barbara Thompson, “His Arm Is Sufficient,” Liahona and Ensign, May 2009, 84

2. Teachings of Presidents of the Church; Joseph Smith (2007, 482

3. Teachings of Presidents of the Church; Joseph F. Smith (1998), 186

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

May Birthdays

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

2 Haley Ferrin

7 Rosa Aviles

7 Kathy Donnelly

9 Ashely Lervold

10 Puna’ava Suluape

15 Kathy Huffmire

16 Dorothea Meeks

18 Camilla Gallacher

19 Tracy Hernandez

19 Sheryll Seymour

22 Lisa Burnam

23 Brenda Lucas

24 Dana Bronson

24 Laurie Tribby

27 Kristin Asay

29 Laura Becker

29 Gail Schwenzfeier