Ward 4th of July Breakfast Wrap-up

We had a great turnout of at least 150 people (family, friends, members, and non-members) at the 4th of July Breakfast and Flag Raising Ceremony. Brother Kelly Messinger lead in a flag raising ceremomy and 3-Gun Salute. The High Priest Group cooked a fantastic breakfast; the food was plentiful and good! Many thanks to those in Relief Society who pitched in, arriving early to help set tables. We were told that the table settings looked nicer than they ever have! There were lots of less active and non-members who joined us for breakfast. The weather was perfect for the occasion and everyone seemed very pleased with the way the whole event turned out.

    

Communicating to Our Children with Love

The Relief Society Presidency will periodically be teaching a lesson from an LDS resource guide entitled "Strengthening the Family". This month's presidency lesson was taught by Relief Society 2nd Counselor Nancy Anderson. Her lesson came from chapters entitled "Understanding Child Development" and "Communicating with Love".

Sister Nancy Anderson teaching from "Strengthening the Family"

There was a lot of class participation from the many mothers attending Relief Society on Sunday. Nancy walked us through the progression of developmental stages including Developing Independence (ages 1-3), Channeling Initiative (ages 3-6), Learning to be Industrious (ages 6-12), Seeking Independence and a Sense of Identity (ages 12-18). Having realistic expectations and paced progress should be guiding principles in the parenting/growth process. Get to know your children. Be available to listen and help when your children are willing to talk. Play with them. Show interest in what they do. Provide learning opportunities. Establish boundaries.

In communicating with children, there are harmful communication practices and there are Christlike communication methods. It is harmful to lecture, preach, interrogate, placate, judge, condemn, threaten, blame, ridicule and criticize. It is harmful to talk about one's own feelings when a child needs to share his or her feelings.

In being Christlike in our means of communicating, we are slow to condemn, we forgive, we are compassionate, we are considerate of our family.  We are willing to return good for evil, we are appreciative, eager to serve, and willing to sacrifice. Always look for the good in children. Listen to them, showing an interest and willingness to listen. Respond non-defensively when your child is upset at you. Clarify your expectations. Resolve problems that impair your ability to listen. Words and behavior have the power to hurt or to help, to inflict pain and suffering or to soothe painful feelings. Words and behavior can provoke doubt and fear, or instill faith and courage. As you master the way you communicate, you can exert a tremendously positive influence on your children.

Thank you, Sister Anderson, for a influential lesson that was relevant to all of the sisters in Relief Society. In attendance this Sunday were mothers,  grandmothers, a great grandmother, aunts, teachers, and even a nanny. We all learned valuable lessons from your teachings and will take this information home as we strive to better understand childhood development and communicating to our children with love.

TFOT: Teaching after the Manner of the Spirit

This past Sunday we were blessed with a presentation by Sister Andrea Barrett who taught the monthly Teachings for Our Time lesson. This month's TFOT lesson was based on a talk given by Matthew O. Richardson, Second Counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency, at the October 2011 General Conference. His talk was entitled "Teaching after the Manner of the Spirit". 


Sister Andrea Barrett



"While we are all teachers, we must fully realize that it is the Holy Ghost who is the real teacher and witness of all truth." ~ Matthew O. Richardson

What is the job of the Holy Ghost? He testifies, prompts us, guides us. How does the Holy Ghost teach us? He teaches gradually, He teaches through feelings, He teaches in different ways for different people.

 “The responsibility to teach [effectively] is not limited to those who have formal callings as teachers.” In fact, every family member, Church leader, and Church member (including the youth and children) has a responsibility to teach."

Teaching involves more than just asking the spirit to be with us; we need to think about how the Holy Ghost teaches. Then we want to work in tandem with the Holy Ghost.

There are several principles taught in Brother Richardson's talk.  First, the Holy Ghost teaches individuals in a very personal way. We don't all learn the same way. We are teaching "people" , not "lessons". We are teaching individuals, and it is a personal process.

Parents, leaders and teachers who mirror how the Spirit teaches intentionally pause to listen, carefully observe, and then discern what to do next. One of the rolls of the teacher is to not get in the way of the Spirit.

Second, the Holy Ghost teaches by inviting, prompting, encouraging and inspiring us to act.  The Spirit leads, guides and shows us what to do. He will not, however, do for us what only we can do for ourselves.

Brother Richardson invites us to align the manner of our teaching after the manner of the Holy Ghost in all we do. He testifies that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that His gospel is restored. Because of this we must be real parents, real leaders, real teachers, and real learners. God will help us in our efforts, in the sacred name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.

The Colfax Ward Relief Society would like to thank Sister Barrett for her time and effort in teaching us with the Spirit. There was much valuable dialog amongst the sisters and there were numerous valuable lessons learned by those in attendance.

To read the full text of Matthew O. Richardson's conference talk, click on this link:  Teaching After the Manner of the Spirit.

4th of July Breakfast and Flag Ceremony

We hope everyone will plan to join us at the church on the morning of July 4th for our annual Breakfast and Flag Ceremony. This is a FREE event and you are encouraged to bring friends and family. Fun activities are in store for the kids, including a fire engine, bounce castle, potato launcher, water balloon toss, three-gun salute, and more.

Search the Scriptures...

"If we have failed to read the scriptures, we have missed the better part of this world's literature". George Albert Smith.

In Relief Society on Sunday, Kathe Martin taught a lesson from "Teachings of Presidents of the Church - George Albert Smith". Chapter 10 is entitled "The Scriptures, the Most Valuable Library in the World".

Why did the Lord give us the scriptures?

Knowledge: President G.A. Smith taught that the truths contained in the scriptures are far more valuable than the philosophies of men. We find more comfort in the sacred records that are the scriptures than in all the philosophies of the ages, as given to us by the wisdom of men.

Exaltation: The Lord gave us the scriptures to help us overcome our trials and prepare for exaltation. He has given us the information that we need to adjust our lives and to prepare ourselves that no matter what may transpire we will be on the Lord's side of the line. In the scriptures, He has told us how to proceed.

Strengthen the family: We inspire faith in our families by reading the scriptures to them. Read them prayerfully and faithfully, teach them in your homes; call your families around you and inspire in them a faith in the living God, by reading those things that have been revealed.

God has given us the holy scriptures to help us and our families prepare for eternal life. For these sacred records, we are forever grateful. Amen.

President Monson to Celebrate 85th Birthday

Church President Thomas S. Monson will celebrate his 85th birthday on August 21. A gala event called "Golden Days: A Celebration of Life"  will be held at the SLC Conference Center on Friday  August 17th.

President Thomas Spencer Monson, born August 21, 1927.



Beloved Broadway selections and other of his favorites will be performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra at Temple Square and notable guest artists. “We are very pleased that talented solo artists will be joining the choir to honor this great man,” said choir president Mac Christensen. “I happen to know the songs being performed will delight President Monson.”



The evening will also take a nostalgic look back at President Monson’s illustrious life from his childhood, marriage and stint in the Navy during World War II to his decades of service. President Monson was called as a bishop of a congregation at age 22 and has served for nearly a half century as a general authority of the Church and ultimately as president. Monson became the 16th president of the LDS Church on February 3, 2008.

This celebration is a great way to let him know how much he is loved and appreciated.
Free tickets are required to attend. They will be given out through a random selection process. If interested, go to www.lds.org/events. The program will also be shown at various LDS stake centers over the Church satellite system on Saturday, 18 August. We will be sure to announce if the event will be broadcast at any of our Colfax/Pullman/Moscow buildings.

June 2012 Visiting Teaching Message

Visiting Teaching - a Sacred Assignment

As visiting teachers, we have an important spiritual mission to fulfill. “The bishop, who is the ordained shepherd of the ward, cannot possibly watch over all of the Lord’s sheep at one time. He is dependent on inspired visiting teachers to help him.”  Seeking and receiving revelation as to who should be assigned to watch over each sister is essential.

Inspiration begins as members of the Relief Society presidency prayerfully discuss the needs of individuals and families. Then, with the bishop’s approval, the Relief Society presidency gives the assignment in a way that helps sisters understand that visiting teaching is an important spiritual responsibility.

Visiting teachers sincerely come to know and love each sister, help her strengthen her faith, and give service when needed. They seek personal inspiration to know how to respond to the spiritual and temporal needs of each sister they visit.

“Visiting teaching becomes the Lord’s work when our focus is on people rather than percentages. In reality, visiting teaching is never finished. It is more a way of life than a task.” To read the original source of this message, click here to go to LDS.org

In October of 2009, Julie Beck, then Relief Society General President, gave an outstanding talk entitled ," Relief Society: A Sacred Work".  You may wish to read this talk to enlarge your testimony and understanding of Relief Society as a faith-based work. She speaks of the purpose of this work, and how we become ever-more effective in our roles as visiting teachers.