Doing Our Part to Share the Gospel

On Sunday, August 19th, Sister Audrey Kolb taught a lesson on Doing Our Part to Share the Gospel, taken from Teachings of Presidents of the Church - George Albert Smith.

In every neighborhood there is unending opportunity for each of us to radiate a spirit of peace and love and happiness. This is just one step we can take toward sharing the Gospel with those around us. Sharing the Gospel can be done in many ways, from outwardly preaching the gospel on a formal mission call, to simply demonstrating Christ-like behavior through our kindness and good works toward those we come in contact with during the day.

Here are some ways we participate in missionary work...

   ~ By preparing to serve missions ourselves

   ~ By helping prepare future missionaries

   ~ By supporting missionaries on their missions

   ~ By living exemplary lives - Our influence may encourage others to learn about the Gospel

   ~ By inspiring confidence in others

   ~ By being kind to others

   ~ By loving others

   ~ By following the promptings of the Holy Ghost

   ~ By being like the Savior

Doing missionary work plants seeds in other people. The seeds may not sprout for years! The best missionary work is to be the best person you can be. Through your behavior, others will see the power of the Gospel!

10 Things to Do to Cultivate Lasting Friendships

This list, based on Scriptural Truths, was published by LDS Resources on June 30, 2008. What a priceless investment, to devote yourself to learning ways to best Cultivate Lasting Friendships!

1. Guard your tongue. Say less than you think. (Isaiah 53:7)

2. Make promises sparingly and Keep them faithfully. Under commit and over perform. (Alma 18:8-10)

3. Never let an opportunity pass to say a kind word. (DC 42:27)

Cultivate friendships that stand the test of time

4. Be genuinely interested in others, their pursuits, work, families. (Prov 1:5)

5. Be cheerful and optimistic. Don’t dwell on minor aches and small disappointments. (Alma 26:27)

6. Keep an open mind. Discuss but don’t argue. Disagree without being disagreeable. (Prov 15:18)

7. Discourage gossip. It’s destructive. (DC 20:54)

8. Be careful of other people’s feelings. (1 Ne 8:37)

9. Pay no attention to ill-natured remarks about you. Live so that nobody will believe them. (Matt 27:11-14)

10. Don’t be anxious about getting credit. Just do your best and be patient. (Alma 29:14-16)

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.