Remember the Reason for the Season

Yesterday we had some BIG changes happen for those of you who weren’t there, we had a new RS Presidency put in.  Our new presidency is as follows:

Norine Oborn, President

Helen Kennedy, 1^st Counselor

Jaime Breinholt, 2^nd Counselor

And I remain as secretary.

A very loving WELCOME and support to the new presidency as they figure out their new role in the ward.

Carole, Karlyn and Ashlee have been such a blessing to our ward and they have truly taught us the meaning of Christ-like service.  They were ALWAYS there when a need presented itself and served all of us with a smile and with the Love of the Lord.  I am so thankful to know that they will continue to do the same in our ward because that is who they are!  Thank you ladies for blessing my life with your wisdom, gentleness and patience.  Thank you for emulating the Savior in all you do.  I love you and am so thankful to call you friend.

Our lesson Sunday was taught by Karlyn. She showed us a video clip that took us through the time table of Christ’s birth.  From when the angel appeared to Mary and told her that she was to be the one to carry the Savior of the world, to when she told Elizabeth of the news till when he was born and the mission that he accomplished on the earth.  It was a great documentary.  She then talked about GREAT women in the scriptures who also were called to do extraordinary things and have great courage to do so.  Then she spotlighted some Sister’s in the ward at different stages of life who have shown courage or faith along the way.  It was touching Karlyn and we appreciated your words to us.  It was a perfect ending to such a spirit filled Sabbath.

When I think of this time of year, my thoughts always go back to when I was able to be in the Service of the Savior as a missionary, during the celebration of His birth.  My heart was continually touched during that December of 1999 while I was teaching about the VERY Person in whose name I wore upon my chest.  I felt a closeness to him that to that I time I had never bore felt.  I felt honored that He would chose me, a imperfect person to represent Him and His church.  I have never had such a rewarding and Christ Centered Christmas since but the memory still burns bright in my heart and mind.

May we all look to serve Him, to emulate Him and strive to honor the name we took upon us at baptism this Christmas and throughout this new year!  Merry Christmas and safe travels to you all.  May you have the comfort of love, the attitude of charity, and taste of AMAZING food this holiday season!

All my Love,

Meg

An Attitude of Gratitude

This week we had a lesson from Suzann.  She helped remind us to cultivate an attitude of gratitude and be thankful in all things. 

“A grateful heart…comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessings and to those around us for all that they bring into our lives.”

-Thomas S. Monson-

October 3, 2010

Lori Henningson sent me this email that in a FUN way sums up what we have been learning this month!  I hope you enjoy these reminders!

I AM THANKFUL:  

FOR THE WIFE

WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT, 

BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, 

AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.

FOR THE HUSBAND

WHO IS ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO, 

BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME 

FOR THE TEENAGER

WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.

FOR THE TAXES I PAY

BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM EMPLOYED.

FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY 

BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG

BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT. 

FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK

BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE

FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING,WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING,AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING

BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME.

FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT 

BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT

BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION.

FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL

BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM WARM.

FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH WHO SINGS OFF KEY

BECAUSE IT MEANS I CAN HEAR. 

FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING 

BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.

FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES AT THE END OF THE DAY 

BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD. 

AND FINALLY FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF 

IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS

BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.

Let us ALL be Thankful to be alive!  What a great light hearted reminder to us!  Thanks Lori for sharing!  Have a great week!

The Gift of the Holy Ghost

HAPPY THANKSGIVING WEEK!  I am indeed very grateful for you!  We are so blessed to have each other and be blessed in each other’s lives.

Today we had a wonderful lesson by Sister Sarah Udall on the Holy Ghost. She broke down the Roles of the Holy Ghost  into 8 things:

1.       To Bear witness of the Father and the Son

2.       Testify of Truth

3.       Purify and Sanctify

4.       Reveal Future

5.       Comfort

6.       Guide

7.       Reprove Sin

8.       Prepare you for things to come

President Brigham Young said:

“We want to live so as to have the Spirit every day, every hour of the day, every minute of the day, and every latter-day Saint is entitled to the Spirit of God, to the power of the Holy Ghost, to lead him in his individual duties. (In Tabernacle, May 15, 1864)

She reminded us that we all have the chance to have the spirit with us 24 hours and 7 days a week. But that we have to work on being worthy of it.  Several sister’s shared personal experiences as to how the spirit has blessed them through different means.  Sister Jean Urry shared a beautiful experience when she was PREPARED by the spirit for a HARD conversation was to be coming.  She was told what was going to happen and so when the conversation came, she was able to handle in a calm matter rather than out of control.

The memory that I had going through my head through this lesson was feeling Holy Ghost so strong when I received my Patriarchal Blessing.  I was 16 when I chose to get it.  I was spiritually immature and frankly the reason that went in for my blessing (which I never divulged to anyone) was because I had a friend that had just been killed in a horrible drunk driving accident.  Weeks before her death, Kim and I had this conversation that we always wondered if we may die young.  We talked about different experiences that we had to maybe feel that way.  So when she REALLY did die, I was so freaked out! I felt like I NEEDED TO KNOW if I was going to have the same fate.  Unfortunately I felt that a Patriarchal Blessing was the way to find it out.  I breezed through my interviews and had an appointment with the stake Patriarch.

The morning of my blessing I was not kind to my Mother.  I was grumpy and had a chip on my shoulder.  Mostly I was suffering great anxiety as to what the blessing might say.  The sweet Patriarch welcomed my family into his home in the wee 6 am hours.  He talked to me about linage and what it meant.  (I wish now that I would have listened to a word he said, cause I would really like to hear it now).  At the conclusion of his thoughts he asked me to offer the prayer so that the Holy Ghost could attend his words. 

After saying the prayer he placed his hands on my head and he sat there.  He sat there for a VERY LONG, awkward space of time. I even opened my eyes and looked at my Mom who too was looking up wondering what was happening.  After what seemed like 5 minutes of silence the Patriarch removed his hands from my head and scooted a stool right up to me so close that he was touching my knees with his knees. I was thinking to myself, “ I HAVE NO FUTURE! That is what he is going to tell me!  He is going to say, YOU ARE GOING TO DIE!” (Yes, I am a little dramatic, but that is really the thoughts that came to me.)

Patriarch McKinnley looked deep into my eyes and said, “Megan, I cannot tell you whether you are going to live or die.  That is not the purpose of a Patriarchal Blessing. We are not fortune tellers.  We are Men appointed by God to tell you the blessings that you will receive IF you are righteous and make wise choices.”  At this statement the spirit FLOODED the room and I started sobbing.  My Mom looked at me as to say, “What is going on?!” I just kept sobbing.  I couldn’t believe it!  He knew what I was thinking. The spirit helped him perceive my very deep thoughts.

He then looked at me and said, “ The Lord desires you to have a Patriarchal blessing as a Liahona in your life if you desire to have it for the right reasons.  Would you like me to give this blessing to you now?!” I wanted it now more than ever, because I understood that It was given with such power and inspiration, that I wanted that guidance in my life.

That experience with the Holy Ghost, through someone else was one I will not soon forget.  It has been an anchor to me at times when I might doubt or might want to choose a wrong direction.  It steers me back to safe waters.

Sisters, the Lord is in the details of our lives!  He has given us such great tools to use in our journey back to him.  The Holy Ghost is one of those tools.  It is a constant guide and compass to us if we choose to follow. Hold tight to that power and guidance and your life will be full of understanding and peace.

I love you.  I am grateful for my friendships with you and the love I feel!  Enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving with those you love this year!

Meg

Filling our Testimony Tank

Happy Monday!  I am absolutely LOVING this weather!  I just got back from taking my 8 month old twin babies (nanny kids) to The Botanical Garden’s.  It was gorgeous with a breeze blowing outside.  We had a WONDERFUL time.  I am so excited for this cool weather and I am looking forward to many more cool months!

Yesterday we got such an AWESOME opportunity to hear about Testimony from Ashlee LeSuer.   She gave us much to think about and we had some great testimonies that followed, including hearing from our newest sister, Jennifer that was baptized on Saturday.

As Ashlee was speaking I was thinking of the times that I had experience with my Testimony.  Which have been a lot through the years.  We all get so many chances to grow our testimony or fill our testimony tank.  I find it so interesting how we some times look as our testimony like an ON/OFF switch.  We go through phases of our lives where we may have depleted our testimony and some of us may think, “Oh it’s on again!....Oh wait, it’s off….It’s on….It’s off!”  Have you had times in your life where you felt this way? I like to see it a bit differently.  I like to think of it as a gas tank.  We get out of our testimony what WE put into it.  Are we filling up our testimony tank?  Or are we just letting it stay at half full or a quarter of a tank?  Could your tank be nearing empty?  We might search for the answers to how we might again fill this tank again.  Those answers are found in the “primary answers” as is nearly every answer to our questions to increased spirituality are.  Scriptures, prayers, church and temple attendance. President Packer suggests another way to build our testimonies.

President Boyd K. Packer said: "A testimony is to be found in the bearing of it. Somewhere in your quest for spiritual knowledge, there is that 'leap of faith,' as the philosophers call it. It is the moment when you have gone to the edge of the light and step into the darkness to discover that the way is lighted ahead for just a footstep or two."

I was thinking of times when through other’s examples of “bearing their testimonies, I was able to increase mine.  While living in Orem, Utah I was given the pleasure to be primary chorister for 5 years.  I LOVED IT! During the time there I felt inspired to ask special permission to use a song I had learned at EFY (Especially For Youth Summer camp at BYU) in my primary song line up.  This song was written by Kory Kunz after the FINAL testimony of Elder Bruce R. McConkie. After the Bishop heard the song he thought it would be an awesome challenge for our Senior Primary and granted the permission.  We worked on the song for months.  All different parts and talked about testimony, had them listen to his last testimony and talked to the kids about letting their OWN testimony SHINE through singing this song.  When they sang it, We all felt the spirit so strong and I saw how they were feeling their testimonies through as I watched some these children sing with tears coming down their cheeks.  We performed this song as the CLOSING song to our primary program that year and I do not believe there was a dry eye in the congregation. It was one of those moments when you could tangibly feel the spirit surrounding you. We were even asked to visit a BYU ward to sing that song in their sacrament meeting.  It was a blessed time where I saw these Senior Primary children transform their OWN personal testimonies through bearing it through singing this testimony of Elder McConkie with all their hearts. 

As I told you at Mother’s Day, I was able to fly home and have a reunion with these youth (who are now a lot of them in their Senior year of HS) and sing this once again for their Mother’s (who all say it is still their favorite song) on Mother’s Day.  The power of how they sang it, even seemed to multiply.  What an awesome opportunity to see the starting for some of them as to finding THEIR OWN testimony through sharing their talents. I want to share with you the song as well as the closing testimony today.  If you don’t want to watch the whole 7 min talk, put it forward to 6 min and watch from that point on (although I think you should listen to all of it.).  An important thing to know about this particular talk is Elder McConkie passed away 10 days after he gave this POWERFUL witness of our Savior!  Enjoy!

As you listen to this song, think of a bunch of 9-11 yrs singing this with all their hearts..

Sister’s, I am eternally grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I am thankful that someone as imperfect as I can be forgiven from my sins and try again.  I am thankful for The Book of Mormon that bears a second witness of our Savior and teaches me of the faith and obedience that is required to make it back to the presence of my Father in Heaven.  I am so thankful for a prophet that leads and guides this church under the direction of the Savior. I know that I can turn to the prophet for truth and if I follow, I will always be safe and be able to find peace amidst the turmoil all around me. I am so thankful for opportunities all around me to share even the small part of the gospel that I know. I know that as I continue to bear my testimony that I can continue to grow and progress toward the Woman of God that I need to be.  In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen

  

Baptism by Immersion for the Remission of Sins

Good Afternoon Sisters!  I know, I am late again.  I have had several things come up in the past few days and I am getting my first opportunity to sit down and write to you.  Our lesson was by Michelle Gawley this past Sunday and was about one of the basic principles of the gospel, that is BAPTISM.  I loved that she invited her husband who is a convert of a year and a half to come share his feelings with us.  It really brought in the spirit and I could sense his enthusiasm and testimony of the gospel.

Baptism is the gateway by which we inherit the Celestial Kingdom.  Jesus Christ was without sin, yet He was baptized. He said His baptism was necessary “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). The prophet Nephi explained that the Lord told him, “Follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do … with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism” (2 Nephi 31:12–13).

Each of us whether at 8 yrs old or later in our life had a choice to make.  We had to first gain a testimony of the Priesthood.  If we knew that it was the only authority by which to baptize. We also had to gain a testimony of repentance.  Lucky for us that we aren’t just cleansed one time at baptism and then expected from there on out to be perfect or we would all be in trouble.  Be have the opportunity every time we make mistakes or sin to correct them and repent of those mistakes and be worthy again of those baptismal covenants that we took upon ourselves.  The sacrament each Sunday is one of those times that we can be reminded and renewed in our covenants.

While Michelle was teaching I was reminded of a story that President Faust gave in 2001 called “Born Again”.  In this conference talk he told of a Samoan man who used his faith to get his crippled legs into the baptismal font.  Here is the story that he recounted:

“Some years ago Albert Peters told of the experience he and his companion had of a man being born again. One day they went to the hut of Atiati in the village of Sasina in Samoa. There they found an unshaven, unkempt, misshapen man lying on a bed. He asked them to come in and introduce themselves. He was pleased to know they were missionaries and wanted to hear their message. They presented the first discussion, bore witness to him, and then left. As they walked away, they discussed Atiati’s condition; he had had polio 22 years before that had left him without the use of his arms or legs, so how could he ever be baptized, being so completely disabled?

When they visited their new friend the next day, they were unprepared for the change in Atiati. He was bright and clean-shaven; even his bedding had been changed. “Today,” he said, “I begin to live again, because yesterday my prayers were answered and you [came] to me. … I have waited for more than twenty years for someone to come and tell me that they have the true gospel of Christ.”

For several weeks the two missionaries taught this sincere, intelligent man the principles of the gospel, and he received a strong witness of the truth and the need for baptism. He asked them to fast with him so that he would have the strength to go down into the water and be baptized. The nearest baptismal font was eight miles away. So they carried him to their car, drove him to the chapel, and set him on a bench. Their district leader opened the service by bearing a strong testimony about the sacred ordinance of baptism. Then Elder Peters and his companion picked up Atiati and carried him to the font. As they did so, Atiati said, “Please, put me down.” They hesitated, and he said again, “Put me down.”

As they stood in some confusion, Atiati smiled and exclaimed: “This is the most important event in my life. I know without a doubt in my mind that this is the only way to eternal salvation. I will not be carried to my salvation!” So they lowered Atiati to the ground. After a huge effort, he managed to pull himself up. The man who had lain 20 years without moving was now standing. Slowly, one shaky step at a time, Atiati went down the steps and into the water, where the astonished missionary took him by the hand and baptized him. He then asked to be carried from the font to the chapel, where he was confirmed a member of the Church.

Atiati continued to progress so that he gained the ability to walk only by a cane. He told Elder Peters that he knew that he would be able to walk on the morning of his baptism. He said, “Since faith can move a stubborn mountain, I had no doubt in my mind that it would mend these limbs of mine.” I believe we can say that Atiati was truly born again!

Like Atiati, when we are baptized, we are spiritually born of God and are entitled to receive His image in our countenances. We should experience a mighty change of heart so that we can “become new creatures” and exercise faith in the redemption of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in order to maintain our standards of worthiness. The personal standards of worthiness to be baptized into this Church are plain:

“All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church.”

Baptism by immersion in water is “the introductory ordinance of the gospel, and must be followed by baptism of the Spirit in order to be complete.”

As the Prophet Joseph Smith once said: “You might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man, if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the Holy Ghost. Baptism by water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half—that is, the baptism of the Holy Ghost.”

I love those words, “today I begin to live again!”  Sisters how many of us are going through the motions of life?  How many of us are just getting through the day?!  How would our lives be different if we used our Baptismal covenants, accepted the Atonement for whatever is ailing us and BEGAN TO LIVE AGAIN?!  My challenge is to each of us to take inventory!  What is there in our lives that is stopping us from LIVING it?!  How can we better utilize the blessings of our baptism.

May you live each day to the fullest and enjoy more fully the sunlight!  I love you!  I am thinking of you!  Keep pushing those handcarts for the reward ahead is sweet!

Meg

COME TO JESUS

Sisters!  I don’t know how I spaced this, but I did!  I am going to blame the Layton’s delicious Sunday dinner on my lapse in memory!  I was sitting at my computer tonight and it DAWNED ON ME!  AHHHHHH I didn’t do the announcements!! No wonder I have had a rough week! J

Our lesson this week was given by our new ward member and newest called teacher, Sarah Udall.  She gave it out of lesson #19 Repentance.  I was so touched by her lesson .  She was VERY prepared and had AMAZING quotes to share and great perspective. 

Here are some of the highlights:

“Repentance is ever the key to a better happier life!” –Spencer W. Kimball

She reminded us about the talk by Elder Packer THIS conference where he taught us that each of US holds the key to our own prison. He says, “ Every soul confined in a prison of sin, guilt or perversion holds a key to the gate.  The key is labeled REPENTANCE! If you know how to use the key, the adversary cannot hold you.”

She shared with us the scripture out of D&C 19:16-17

“I God have suffered the things for all that they might not suffer IF they would repent, but if they would not repent they must suffer even as I.”

We are all in need of repentance.  We all need to cleanse our inner vessel as we continue through this journey of life.  It is up to us to take our key and USE IT.  Access our Heavenly Father’s Love and our Saviors sacrifice.  Are we willing to say as Alma, “I will give away ALL my sins to know thee.”

This video and song touched my heart Sunday as I continues my personal study about repentance.  I hope it will touch yours as well.  We all need him, we just need to come to Jesus!

All my love,

Meg

WE THANK THEE OH GOD FOR A PROPHET

Just a little side not before I put this letter in here. I have been so saddened this week as our Apostle Boyd K Packer has been attacked by people, even those of our own faith about the talk that he gave in General Conference this past weekend that referenced our stand on same sex relationships, although that was not the whole talk. I raised my hand and sustained him as a prophet, seer and revelator and I MEANT IT! End of story. No debate. The Lord does not lie and He, President Packer, is his mouth piece.

That being said, here is my message for this month for our RS newsletter.


We thank thee, O God, for a prophet
To guide us in these latter days.
We thank thee for sending the gospel
To lighten our minds with its rays.
We thank thee for every blessing
Bestowed by thy bounteous hand.
We feel it a pleasure to serve thee
And love to obey thy command.
When dark clouds of trouble hang o’er us
And threaten our peace to destroy,
There is hope smiling brightly before us,
And we know that deliv’rance is nigh.
We doubt not the Lord nor his goodness.
We’ve proved him in days that are past.
The wicked who fight against Zion
Will surely be smitten at last.

We are now living in a time on earth where this message is of critical importance. We need a prophet, a guide, a direct conduit to our Heavenly Father that can give us the direction that we need to make it through these turbulent times. The days of riding the fence have passed. Things are becoming more clear, more black and white. Either we follow the prophet, or we do not. We cannot just pick and choose the counsel we follow, for all our inspired leaders are called of God to do just that, LEAD. Lead us to higher ground. Protect us from unnecessary pain and affliction. Sometimes things they say to us may hit close to home. The message may also be a sensitive subject to our heart. But we will never loose blessings from following our prophets, seers and revelators.
Conference is such a blessed time of renewal. A time where we can place our worries before our leaders and know that they will give us counsel on how to improve our relationships, how to become better stewards of the blessings we have, how to repent and come closer to our Heavenly Father through his Son, Jesus Christ, and how to strengthen our homes from the storms that are surely coming our way down the road.
Right now I am reading in the war chapters of Alma. There are many parallels found there that we are seeing today all around us. In Alma chapter 53 it tells us of the 2,000 strippling warriors who fought mightily to protect our liberties. Something that stood out to me this week while re-reading this chapter is in verse 17 it reads:




17 And they entered into a covenant to fight for the liberty of the Nephites, yea, to protect the land unto the laying down of their lives; yea, even they covenanted that they never would give up their liberty, but they would fight IN ALL CASES to protect the Nephites and themselves from bondage.

I love that! Right there it PROVES that WE CAN DO HARD THINGS! We can fight in ALL cases to protect ourselves from bondage. There are MANY things that put us in bondage. Our weaknesses are one of those things! Our prophets try to give us the tools to protect us and help us through our weakness and become STRENGTHENED in our fight against our liberty.
President Ezra Taft Benson said: “Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace. Whoever will lose his life in the service of God will find eternal life” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [1988], 361).

Sisters, May we stand on solid ground. May we heed the words our leaders have just spoken to us and cling to them as we STRENGTHEN our families and homes from the forces of danger all around us. We are in this together! WE CAN DO HARD THINGS! Faith and Action is what will keep us heading on the right path back to our Heavenly Father. I love you Sisters. I am so thankful for all the things I learn from you as I watch the great choices that you make each and every day in your service to the Lord both in and outside your homes. Have a great month! Meg