Family Fireside.....Feb 22 at 7pm

This Fireside  is for the entire Family, but is intended for our youth.  Va will be talking about picking good friends and getting prepared to go on missions.  Please invite any family or friends that would like to attend.  It is defiantly going to be a Fireside to remember!!

Living Joyfully :) in Troubled Times:( ETB Lsn 4

"I hope you feel the spirit. I hope you feel loved. I hope you feel sisterhood."  Today's lesson covers a tricky charge: "Try and live calmly and cheerfully... Happiness must be earned day to day.  But it is worth the effort." (ToPotC, ETB p,72).

Trials come as a result of your own choice, another's choice or just natural Earth-type conditions of living in a fallen world.  It was mentioned in the lesson that trials often bring you something you might not have otherwise (for example, having gone through an excruciating painful trial, you might find yourself as having acute empathy and compassion to other people's pain).

The final section in the lesson includes one of the greatest epiphanies that can happen to a person: the realization that Heavenly Father wants us to be happy.

Rock star drummer Elaine Bradley "I'm a Mormon"

He loves us all better than we know.

Take care of each other out there. Relief Society out. Beep.

Prayers are needed....

Prayers are needed for Edward Peterson, newborn son of Thomas and Kenzie Peterson and grandson of Ed and Tracie Peterson.  Edward has an infection and the family would appreciate prayers on his behalf...Thanks

The Great Plan of Liberty

Hi Sisters!

Sunday's lesson was Ezra-Taft-Benson/chapter-3-freedom-of-choice-an-eternal-principle.

We had a good discussion of cookie dough that takes 3 days to make. Delicious.

We also talked about this Freedom of choice business:

Photo courtesy of the crazy creative Karen Petitt 

The scriptures make clear that there was a great war in heaven, a struggle over the principle of freedom, the right of choice. (See Moses 4:1–4; D&C 29:36–38; 76:25–27; Rev. 12:7–9.)¹³

The war that began in heaven over this issue is not yet over. The conflict continues on the battlefield of mortality.¹⁴

Freedom of choice is a God-given eternal principle. The great plan of liberty is the plan of the gospel. There is no coercion about it; no force, no intimidation. A man is free to accept the gospel or reject it. He may accept it and then refuse to live it, or he may accept it and live it fully. But God will never force us to live the gospel. He will use persuasion through His servants. He will call us and He will direct us and He will persuade us and encourage us and He will bless us when we respond, but He will never force the human mind. (See Hymns, 1985, no. 240.)¹⁵

A few more interesting (imo) points from the lesson:
--There are boundaries beyond which Satan cannot go (p. 62)
--The fate of humanity and all civilization hinges on whether man will use his … agency to govern himself or ignore eternal laws at his own peril and reap the consequences. The real issues of today are, therefore, not economic or political. They are spiritual—meaning that man must learn to conform to the laws which God has given to mankind.²⁶
--Pray (open your heart, knock) to make Christ-like decisions (p. 64)
--That He (the Lord) allows wickedness to occur at all is proof of His having given His children their freedom to choose (p. 61)

Next week lesson is Ezra-Taft-Benson/chapter-4-living-joyfully-in-troubled-times. Hope to see you all there.

1 Feb RS Events and Lesson

Happy February!

Listed below are some upcoming events and a link to today's lesson:

-Sunday, 22 Feb: Family Fireside, 7pm at Steeplechase Bldg.
-Wednesday, 25 Mar: RS Birthday Dinner, 6pm at Steeplechase Bldg.

We Are His Hands - Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Photo thanks to: jackandjillofalltrades.blogspot.com/2010/04/vt-message-may-2010.html

Sunday's RS lesson: Pray Always

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” (Luke 18:1)

When President Benson was appointed to serve as the US Secretary of Agriculture he "prayerfully and carefully" choose his staff. He began all staff meetings with prayer. FOR EIGHT YEARS (my caps).  Everyone on the staff was invited to take a turn to pray.  One staff member later admitted that some of the men had not prayed aloud since they were children. “We stumbled and fumbled for words,” he said. “But the Boss [President Benson] never let on that he noticed. And after a few trials everybody was at ease. Has it helped? Well, I’d say that when you start a meeting that way, people aren’t stuck up with the pride of their opinions. You pretty quickly come to an agreement as to what ought to be done in any situation.”⁴ 

Pray.  Out loud.  In quiet.  In groups.  All alone,  Over broad things, over specific things. Always. Just Pray.

“I would humbly urge all … to keep in close touch with our Father in heaven through prayer.” ETB

BONUS Remembering

BONUS POST!  (really, we wanted to test our updated email list).

A guy said to his wife, "You know, I would just like to know more about the Atonement."  The next day they got an email that linked them to this LDS Youth page article and video about the Sacrament and Sacrament meeting.  He said he was blown away by the simplicity regarding this "the most sacred, the most holy, of all the meetings of the Church."

Always Remember Him (for the article and video)

or see video here:

When you get a chance (5 and a half minutes), check it out.

Peace.