oh right, EASTER!

Woo!  It's been blessedly busy.  We've been meeting new neighbors, passing on prom dresses, enjoying new teachers, rejoicing in children that say a kind word regarding their parents, rubbing shoulders with each other as we meet and cookie in the Women's General Session and clean side by side using too much Comet.  We are busy preparing for more General Conference Sessions and celebrating Easter in our own individual, family and friends' ways.  In all of this excitement and busy-ness, remember to love:  Love God, Love Neighbor.  Love Self.  Love. 

  

if second video not present click here to see video: Family is Ordained of God

We love you and we love Him.

Charity On!

Relief Society - Something Extraordinary (HD Version)

Relief Society Birthday Party March 25

Mark your calendars ….RS Birthday Party March 25 at 6pm.

SEW –“Some extraordinary Women”

Come for dinner and chat with "some extraordinary women" from our ward. We will be having a guest speaker Christopher Jones from Mitchell’s Journey and he will be sharing stories of Some Extraordinary Women in his life.  We will also be sewing some infant blankets and signing up for more service on our Seeds of service table.  So mark your calendars and invite the neighbors…..

If you have not heard of Mitchell’s Journey here is a link

http://ldsmag.com/article-1-12308/  You can also read some of his fabulous stories on Facebook under Mitchell's Journey  https://www.facebook.com/mitchellsjourney

I Wish I Could Repent More!

Today's instructor said, when you pray and try to seek to be like Christ you will get things given to you like knowledge to comfort and strengthen you. But you also get chastened!  Don't worry, that is as appropriate an answer to the prayer and it is designed, like the other answers, to promote our happiness.  It is all the Plan of Happiness.

We need to bear in mind that PEOPLE CAN CHANGE.  President T. S. Monson charges that we must develop the capacity to see others, not as they are at present, but as they may become when they receive testimonies of the gospel of Christ. The last point in the lesson was that this change is often gradual and subtle.  Sure, each standard work has a dramatic example of dramatic change: that gives us confidence in the power to change. But often we are less dramatic; like the 3rd Nephi Lamanites whose quiet lives of goodness, service, and commitment who the Lord said, "were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not." 3 Ne 9:20

“The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ would take the slums out of people, and then they would take themselves out of the slums. 

The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature.”

― Ezra Taft Benson


We have every reason for a great hope because we have a God on our side.
This week's study leads us to meditate on that great Reason for our Hope as we discuss next week (Click here for Teachings of Presidents of the Church- EZra Taft Benson Lesson 6: ) Jesus Christ, Our Savior and Redeemer.

Study well, Do well, Be well.

Easter is Coming!

Easter is coming!

My Catholic friends are busy in a special focus on fasting, prayer and good works as they observe Lent. Some European Christians will be observing "Mothering Sunday" where it was said that domestic servants could have the rare luxury of visiting their "Mother's church" with their own mothers and family members. The Jews will be celebrating deliverance by observing Purim and Passover this season.  And of course we have Palm Sunday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday all to help us reflect and rejoice that the King of Kings and Savior of the World fulfilled the prophesies of bringing deliverance from death and sin to the family of Man.

With attention on deliverance its a good time to talk about repentance and forgiveness.  We talked a few weeks ago regarding an LDS Gen Conference address suggesting six practical actions to increase spiritual confidence.  Two of those confidence promoting behaviors were becoming "really, really good" at both repenting and forgiving.

This Sunday we will talk on the plan of happiness tool repenting.  Read and think about the deliberate choice of repenting. Coming soon to a theater near you, is a pretty dramatic story of deliberate forgiveness.  My experience is that though not always as dramatic (though sometimes it is!), repenting and forgiving is always deliberate.

Also, last week, we got to spend time with our good Bishop Brown. He talked about missionaries, their work and using their IPads for good.  He also somberly reiterated the dangers of pornography but gave encouraging counsel to talk openly and discuss defensive strategies with each other and with our children.

We love you and hope you are filled with all the hope these upcoming Spring celebrations have to offer!