Happy Valentine's Day!

Here is an invitation to not get caught up in the commercialization of the day or to not go completely anti-Valentines day. Instead, cleave unto your other half and celebrate your love. Yes, you should do that every day, but more often than not the world takes away the focus on your sacred relationship with your eternal partner. Whether it is work, kids, or other obligations we often find ourselves void of the special efforts (see video) that help build our relationship. So celebrate today as a day to put responsibilities aside and focus on that special someone.

Love seems to be the central theme to Valentine’s Day. Love is a powerful emotion and evokes powerful desires/feelings that can either bring you closer to our Heavenly Father or burden you with guilt. One of the best lessons on this was given in a 1988 devotional by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Of Souls, Symbols, and Sacraments . Elder Holland starts out his talk by discussing the neglect of sexual purity and the consequences that are wide-spread in our great nation (remember this talk was in 1988). How much better or worse is it today? Elder Holland then goes on to state that he doesn’t want to focus on the social issues, but rather a gospel-based view.
With that theme in mind he discussed human intimacy as related to: 1. The Doctrine of the Soul 2. A Symbol of Total Union 3. A Holy Sacrament.  It would be hard to replicate or deliver a more powerful message than Elder Holland; so please do read his talk. Click here to read it!

Love One Another

As we approach mid February our minds are turned to love. We think first of our spouses, our children, perhaps extended family members. But do we remember the strangers around us, our spiritual brothers and sisters?

In a talk given in April of 1999 by Robert J. Whetten of the Second Quorum of the Seventy, he spoke of the role that love plays in the life of a true follower of Christ. He said, "Alone in that upper room with the eleven, Jesus [used the] last teaching moments of His mortal ministry to teach: 'A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you...By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.'" John 13:34-35

How exactly do we go about loving one another?

Elder Whetten gave us some insight when he said, "Jesus' unconditional love for us motivated His atoning sacrifice for our sins....How He lived His life is the example we should follow. His way should be our way. 'Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.' 3 Nephi 27:27 He showed us that we must go about doing good, that the spiritual and physical welfare of our fellowmen is as important as our own and that we should show genuine concern and compassion for all of our Heavenly Father's children."

Elder Whetten encouraged us to try every day to follow the Savior's example. He said, "Love must be exercised to grow....As we deny ourselves and reach out to serve others, the Spirit will refine us and teach us and we will come to learn what Paul meant: 'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.' Ether 12:34 Our compassionate service to others will grow into diving love and change us, 'and when he shall appear we shall be like him.'" Moroni 7:48

"As His true followers, the Savior wants us to love others as He loves them - more unconditionally, more purely, more perfectly."

Sacrament Attendance 3 February 2014

Have you ever thought about the significance of what hand you partake of the sacrament with? Is it necessary to take the sacrament with one’s right hand? Does it really make any difference which hand is used? Read here to find out

After sacrament, according to the meeting schedules, we have 10 minutes prior to the start of Sunday school. What do you do with that time? What do you do with the time just prior to the sacrament meeting? Do you always sit in the same spot, visit with the same people? Do you ever look around for someone you don’t know, or sit somewhere different and visit with someone knew? What about looking for new faces, investigators or less-actives, and approaching them to say hello? The latter are things that we may be able to do a better job at as a Ward to help others build their testimony. Do you recollect your conversion? Do you remember your testimony then, as compared to now? Do you remember those that reached out to you and helped you strengthen your testimony along the way? Well it’s time to Pay It Forward; reach out to those that are looking for answers, those that have found answers and are still developing their understanding. Brothers and Sisters Hasten the Work thrust in your sickles and rejoice in the harvest! In the spirit of fellowshipping I found this talk by Elder M. Russell Ballard and posted some takeaways below. Feel free to read the talk on your own and share your thoughts with us.

The Hand of Fellowship

·         Brothers and sisters, the topic I wish to address is one about which the Brethren are deeply concerned. I have titled my remarks “The Hand of Fellowship.”

·         Limiting or withholding our fellowship seems to me to be contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Savior offered the effects of his atoning sacrifice to all mankind. He said, “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.” (D&C 18:10.)

·         We know from years of experience that the first contacts new converts have with members in wards or branches are critical to the conversion process.

·         Brothers and sisters, we must ever keep in mind the time, effort, and other resources that missionaries and others spend to find and teach one of our Father’s children. Surely, every one of us ought to be alert, looking for ways to be of service to the newcomer. 

·         Brothers and sisters, we members must help with the conversion process by making our wards and branches friendly places, with no exclusivity, where all people feel welcome and comfortable.

·         Brothers and sisters, my message is urgent because we need to retain in full fellowship many more of the new converts and return to activity many more of the less active. I urge you to increase the spirit of friendship and pure Christian fellowship in your neighborhoods. A new convert or recently activated member should feel the warmth of being wanted and being welcomed into full fellowship of the Church. Members and leaders of the Church should nurture and love them as Jesus would.

·         We must not be too selective in identifying those we feel are worthy or appreciative of our attention. The spirit of true Christian fellowship must include everyone. Our understanding of the gospel should help us see clearly that all people are our brothers and sisters, children of our Heavenly Father. 

·         I encourage you to build personal, meaningful relationships with your nonmember friends and acquaintances. Interest in the gospel may come later as a natural extension of a good friendship. Invitations to participate in gospel-related activities often will strengthen relationships with acquaintances. If they are not interested in the gospel, we should show unconditional love through acts of service and kindness, and never imply that we see an acquaintance only as a potential convert. Members must understand that when a nonmember declines one invitation to investigate the gospel, he has not necessarily rejected the gospel.

Why do we post sacrament attendance? We post sacrament attendance to encourage us to be member missionaries; to provide motivation to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those around us. To also rejoice when the Gospel is accepted!

 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.