Doing Good to Others

We are of the same Father in the celestial worlds. … If we knew each other as we should, … our sympathies would be excited more than they are at the present time, and there would be a desire on the part of every individual to study in their own minds how they might do their brethren good, how they might alleviate their sorrows and build them up in truth, how [they might] remove the darkness from their minds. If we understand each other and the real relationship which we hold to each other, we should feel different from what we do; but this knowledge can be obtained only as we obtain the Spirit of life, and as we are desirous of building each other up in righteousness.

We should have before us a strong desire to do good to others. Never mind so much about ourselves. Good will come to us all right if we keep our minds outside of ourselves to a certain extent, and try to make others happier and draw them a little nearer to the Lord. … When you find yourselves a little gloomy, look around you and find somebody that is in a worse plight than yourself; go to him and find out what the trouble is, then try to remove it with the wisdom which the Lord bestows upon you; and the first thing you know, your gloom is gone, you feel light, the Spirit of the Lord is upon you, and everything seems illuminated.

… Individuals can enjoy heaven around them in all places. We have got to go to work and do this; we must go to work and establish heaven upon this earth, notwithstanding the evils that are around us, the devils that are around us, and notwithstanding the wickedness that exists, still we have got to go to work and establish heaven upon this earth.

Lesson given by Sister Kristy Bateman.  Taken from the Teachings of Presidents of the Church:  Lorenzo Snow, Chapter 22.

Loving God More Than We Love the World

The god of the world is the gold and the silver. The world worships this god. It is all-powerful to them, though they might not be willing to acknowledge it. Now, it is designed, in the providence of God, that the Latter-day Saints should show whether they have so far advanced in the knowledge, in the wisdom and in the power of God that they cannot be overcome by the god of the world. We must come to that point. We have also got to reach another standard, a higher plane: we have got to love God more than we love the world, more than we love gold or silver, and love our neighbor as ourselves.

If we … fail to keep the covenants we have made, namely, to use our time, talent and ability for the upbuilding of the kingdom of God upon the earth, how can we reasonably expect to come forth in the morning of the first resurrection, identified with the great work of redemption? If we, in our manner, habits and deal[ings], imitate the … world, thereby identifying ourselves with the world, do you think, my brethren, that God will bestow upon us the blessings we desire to inherit? I tell you no, he will not! … We must build ourselves up in the righteousness of heaven and plant in our hearts the righteousness of God. Said the Lord, through the prophet Jeremiah, “I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” [Jeremiah 31:33.] This is what the Lord is endeavoring to do, and this he will accomplish in us if we conform to his will.

I thank God that in these times of corruption and wickedness in the world, we have holy and righteous men and women who can devote those superior talents which God has bestowed upon them to His praise and glory. And I might say further, that there are thousands of virtuous and honorable men and women, whom the Lord has gathered out from the nations, that are also willing to devote their time and talents to aid in accomplishing the work of God in the interest of His children.

Lesson taught by Sister Cheryl Demke.  Taken from Teachings of Presidents of Church:  Lorenzo Snow, Chapter 21.

Relief Society Christmas Gathering

Optional Christmas Craft

If you would like, you may stay after the program that night and make this Christmas Decor for your home

The cost for this project is $4 and includes all supplies.  Please watch for the sign-up beginning Sunday, November 17th.  You may bring your money that night.  If you are not able to catch the sign-up on Sundays, please feel free to contact Cassi and let her know that you would like to participate.  (project includes frames only, greenery will not be part of this project)

Continuous Conversion

Sister Shogan's lesson was based on the book, Continuous Conversion.  The following are just a few of the 46 notes she took while reading the book.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, "The final judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts -- what we have done (callings we've held or money we have accumulated).  It is an acknowledgment of the final effects of our acts and thoughts - what we have become."  If the whole goal is just to be with God, why did we leave?

Heaven will not be heaven for those who have not chosen to become heavenly.  The key word is CHOSEN.  Sisters, are you striving to choose to become heavenly?

As Latter-day Saints we know not only what Jesus has saved us from, but what He has saved us for.  Elder Bruce C Hafen and his wife, Marie, have taught that the Atonement is not just a doctrine that erases black marks.  It is fundamentally a doctrine of human development.  In 2 Corinthians 5:21 we read that God made Christ, who knew no sin, to take our sins for us so that we might be made righteous in Him.  In other words, Christ chose to become like us so that we could choose to become like Him.

Sheri Dew taught, "Our responsibility is to learn to draw upon the power of the Atonement.  Otherwise we walk through mortality relying solely on our own strength.  And to do that is to invite the frustration of failure and to refuse the most resplendent gift in time or eternity."

Receiving Christ in the temple requires sacrifice, but that sacrifice begins and perpetuates a life-changing cycle:  We begin to love that for which we sacrifice and we begin to sacrifice for what we love.



Lesson given by Sister Juli Shogan, taken from the book by Brad Wilcox, Continuous Conversion.