General Relief Society Broadcast

Tonight members of the largest women's organization will gather in meetinghouses and homes around the world to witness a meeting prepared just for the women of the church.  We will receive instruction from the General Relief Society presidency and a member of the First Presidency.   Linda K. Burton, Relief society general president, Carole M. Stephens, first counselor, and Linda S. Reeves, second counselor are the officers of the newly called general presidency.  This will be the first time these women will address us.   

A live stream is available here: broadcasts.lds.org

There is even an event page where you can invite friends and associated via Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/LDS

I have been a member of this grand organization for many, many years now.  Every year as this meeting approaches I anxiously await the instructions I will receive.  I know these women, though new in their callings have prayerfully prepared to speak to us.  I know we will receive the instructions the Lord wants us to hear.   It is well worth the sacrifice you make in adjusting your schedules, reigning in the husband to keep watch over the flock, and prayerfully preparing yourself to have your spirit fed.

Just as we prepare for General Conference, this meeting should receive the same personal intent.  Just as the priesthood meets on the Saturday evening of General Conference weekend, so we, as women of the  Church need to meet together to receive the Lord's instruction from his chosen leaders.

Over on Mormon Women there are some great links to follow on this topic.  Don't get caught up on the dates (2010), this principle is as important now as it was when those words were written.
http://mormonwoman.org/2010/10/01/preparing-for-general-conference-this-weekend/

Or hop on over to LDS Media Talk and read what they have put together for you.
http://ldsmediatalk.com/2011/03/28/how-can-you-prepare-for-general-conference/

Gather the girls together tonight, friends from the ward, mothers and daughters, neighbors, kneel and pray and invite the Spirt to attend and instruct you as you participate in this meeting.  I can testify you will be fed.  You will be uplifted.  You will come away changed.  These are the reasons we make the effort to go.

I was reading this morning on another blog I follow about 'fitting ourselves to the standard Heavenly Father has set for us" (http://beinglds.blogspot.com/).   How can we know what to adjust if we do not take the time to hear what he has to say.  To be fit for the kingdom we need to know what those requirements are -- and implement them here.  Procrastinating our mortal education and training will not make our next estate easier.

It is my prayer, that tonight, the women of the Church will be in attendance all over the world, where ever they can hear the sound of the Lord's servant and unite themselves in the work of the Lord.

Seek the Good

I keep thinking back to the lessons I was taught this past weekend at TOFW (Time Out For Women).  A weekend event for Women sponsored by Deseret Book.  It was an amazing weekend full of wonderful music and beautiful words of encouragement.

At first, my only reason for going this year was because of one particular presenter, James Ferrell.   I have loved his books since my dad gifted me a copy of  The Peace Giver.   It was awesome. I wanted more.  The Holy Secret, The Hidden Christ.  I appreciated this author's gentle, yet principled teaching  I appreciated the way I was led to the point of understanding, acceptance and change.

The whole weekend was wonderful.   The theme this weekend was 'Seek the Good."  A beautiful message to instill in the hearts of the women of the church.   

Thinking along this line,  I looked up a few scriptures on seeking the good.  Here's what I found:

Amos 5:14 "Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken."

There is a beautiful blessing in this scripture for seeking the good, that of having the Lord with you.  In the church we speak often of how we need to behave, or speak, in order for the Holy Ghost to be with us.  His spirit cannot be with us when are actions and words are not in keeping with the commandments.

A favorite of mine is:  Psalms 34:14  "Depart from evil, and do good, seek peace, and pursue it."

Finding and maintaining a spirit of peace has been a journey of mine for many years.  I cling to scripture that teaches me the principles of peace.  In Psalms we are encouraged to purse goodness and peace.  I like that.

Finally, in the last sentence of the 13th Article of Faith it says:  "...If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."

Seek the good.  Pursue peace.

The Family

I mentioned in my previous post the blessing of family as one of the greatest gifts I have.  As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we know the family to be the central part of the plan.  We know the Adversary's work is to destroy the family and to make a mockery of the sacredness of the marriage relationship.

17 years ago this month, the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve  released a statement, not just to the general church membership, but to the world.  "The Family, A Proclamation to the World".  This proclamation states emphatically where the Lord stands on family and where we as members, and as children of God need to stand.

For those of you who are not familiar with this, I am posting it here:

The Family

A Proclamation

To The World

The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of theChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

WE, THE FIRST PRESIDENCY and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.

ALL HUMAN BEINGS—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.

IN THE PREMORTAL REALM, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.

THE FIRST COMMANDMENT that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.

WE DECLARE the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.

HUSBAND AND WIFE have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.

THE FAMILY is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.

WE WARN that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.

WE CALL UPON responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

This proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

To read more on this topic consider checking out some of the other LDS Bloggers that I have come to enjoy via their blog hop.

I Am a Latter-day Saint

My name is Jae.  I'm a Mormon.  Actually, I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  It's a mouth-full, I know.  It is the official name given by revelation to Joseph Smith, Jr  when the church was organized here on the earth again.   Many people often refer to us as "Mormon s" because of the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ.   ( A book of scripture that tells about Christ's dealings with the people on the American continent. )  This is a wonderful church to belong to and I am going to tell you why.

Though I was born and raised in the LDS church, I, like all members came to a knowledge of the truthfulness of the gospel on my own.  We each must have a mighty change of heart and choose to follow the Savior and keep the commandments.  It is not easy to live this way in a world where we are often misunderstood or criticized.  Growing up, I was the only member at my school aside from my siblings.  My good friends respected my beliefs, but there were many who teased and ridiculed me.  Fast forward into adulthood and while the tormenting has stopped, there is still the sense of being different.  And not in a good way.

Maybe for some that sense of not being like everyone else would be an issue.  For  us, as members of the LDS faith we are taught that we are a 'peculiar people.'  We are ok with that.  For the most part, most of us would love for all those around us to know what a good thing it is to be a part of this wonderful, albeit, peculiar group of people.

The greatest blessing in my life is my membership in the Lord's church.  Every other blessing flows from this great one.   The knowledge I have that I have a divine heritage, a Heavenly Father and Mother.  I was blessed to be able to come to earth to receive a body, to be given a family, and then to
one day have a family of my own.

Knowing who you are and where you come from is huge.  Ask any one who has been adopted or abandoned and get a sense of the yearning they feel for wanting to know where they belong.   Knowing that I have a Father in Heaven who I am created like is also powerful knowledge.  To me this understanding that the God of this world is not some mass of matter, but a glorified being, with a body of flesh and bones brings a peace to my soul.  The knowledge that we are part of a heavenly family is also huge.  It solidifies the truths regarding the importance of the family unit here on earth as well.

I am blessed to know and have all these things in my life.  I am reminded of a familiar saying. "Where much is given, much is expected."  Those of us in the LDS church know this to be a familiar reminder of the Law of the Harvest.  Galatians 6:7 "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."  We know that we have been given much as members of the Lord's church.  We are expected to sow diligently and to share what we have been given.  This blog is one of my attempts to live this law.

I pray as I sow here that what I give will be pleasing to my Heavenly Father.  It is His message, and that of His son's that I want to leave here.


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