*Today before church, I attended Stake Council. I serve with some stalwart, well-spoken men and women in this stake. I was feeling a bit under-qualified to be with them. Even the missionary who reported and spoke about faith was so articulate and confident. Then I decided that even if I am under-qualified, I'm the one with my calling, so I just need to hunker down and do it, and stop comparing myself to others. Was it Neal A. Maxwell who said the Lord will qualify those he calls? That is what I am working toward.
*Due to reasons I don't know, some ward conferences were postponed, and I was happy to attend church in my own ward. We had a couple good Sacrament Meeting talks about gratitude, service, and repentance. The last speaker said when he was about 5, he stole a toy, and as he was returning it to the store, the manager told him, "Be grateful that you have a father who helps you make wrong things right." He also said to imagine if we only had the sacrament once a year, with that opportunity to repent and renew covenants--how sacred and honored we would make that occasion. We don't have to wait though. We get to do it every week. What a blessing.
*I was able to help my six year old daughter write and give a talk about the scriptures, and meet my new visiting teaching companion (finally!) and enjoy Gospel Doctrine (1Nephi 13--my favorite chapter as a youth) and Relief Society (Conference talk about faith being a choice, and not by chance).
It was a delight!
Monday, January 25, 2016
January 2016, Week 3
*Today at church I was able to participate in two ward conferences. I loved being able to look over the congregations and actually recognize some people this year! Our Stake Presidency chose the theme "Honor the Sabbath Day," and our Stake President shared how for many years during his job as a police officer, he worked night shifts only, and would get home with only a couple hours before it was time to go to church. He never let it be an excuse to miss being there. He's a good man. I can imagine the strong foundation that provided for his little family.
*My two counselors taught the Sharing Time lessons this week. They are good women! I am grateful to have them on my team.
It was a delight!
*My two counselors taught the Sharing Time lessons this week. They are good women! I am grateful to have them on my team.
It was a delight!
Monday, January 11, 2016
January 2016, Week 2
*Today at church, I attended the first Ward Conference of the year. It was in the Spanish Branch. This is the first time their branch has had the 9 o'clock time slot, and it was 28 degrees when I left the house. These things really affected the attendance for the morning. There are some really dedicated, lovely people in that branch, though. It's an honor to work with those working so hard to keep the branch functioning.
*This was the first Ward Conference for my two new counselors. (If I didn't write it before, my previous first counselor moved, and my second counselor got cancer.) These are good women. I've been working with them through the fall, and they are willing and happy, and it's nice to spend time with them. I look forward to all that we will do together. We had a great visit with the Primary Presidency of the branch, and were able to answer some of their questions and get to know them better.
*The theme of our conference is Honoring the Sabbath Day. It has been about a year that the church has increased its emphasis on the Sabbath Day. I'm excited to do a Sharing Time with all the wards about the Sabbath Day, using President Nelson's April 2015 General Conference talk. We've tried to keep from doing the typical Primary list of dos and don'ts, but it's tricky--we do talk about things we can do, but we try to talk about the why and the sign we want to give, and making the day a delight.
*Yesterday, I was blessed to be part of a focus group with Elder D. Todd Christofferson. He was in Dallas for the weekend, and asked to have three stakes (ours included) have their Stake President, Stake RS, YW, YM, Sunday School and Primary Presidents attend. The focus group wasn't for him to preach, but to listen to us. He wanted to know about the Sabbath Day--about things we've seen in the last year since the emphasis has begun. He wanted to know challenges, blessings, changes, and any other comments we had about how we felt about the Lord's day. (I will get my notes out and write them down sometime! Probably on my other blog...) We talked about this for about an hour, and then he asked if we had any other questions about anything, and talked another 15 minutes or so. One question he got was how his life has changed since he's been called as an apostle. He said that he's been traveling and speaking as a church representative for a long time, but as soon as he was made an apostle, the expectations people had for him immediately increased a hundred fold. It bothered him at first, until he learned that he needs to stop worrying about what others were expecting of him, and just do what he can for the people he's with. Just do the Lord's will for that moment, and that's all that matters.
It was a delight!
*This was the first Ward Conference for my two new counselors. (If I didn't write it before, my previous first counselor moved, and my second counselor got cancer.) These are good women. I've been working with them through the fall, and they are willing and happy, and it's nice to spend time with them. I look forward to all that we will do together. We had a great visit with the Primary Presidency of the branch, and were able to answer some of their questions and get to know them better.
*The theme of our conference is Honoring the Sabbath Day. It has been about a year that the church has increased its emphasis on the Sabbath Day. I'm excited to do a Sharing Time with all the wards about the Sabbath Day, using President Nelson's April 2015 General Conference talk. We've tried to keep from doing the typical Primary list of dos and don'ts, but it's tricky--we do talk about things we can do, but we try to talk about the why and the sign we want to give, and making the day a delight.
*Yesterday, I was blessed to be part of a focus group with Elder D. Todd Christofferson. He was in Dallas for the weekend, and asked to have three stakes (ours included) have their Stake President, Stake RS, YW, YM, Sunday School and Primary Presidents attend. The focus group wasn't for him to preach, but to listen to us. He wanted to know about the Sabbath Day--about things we've seen in the last year since the emphasis has begun. He wanted to know challenges, blessings, changes, and any other comments we had about how we felt about the Lord's day. (I will get my notes out and write them down sometime! Probably on my other blog...) We talked about this for about an hour, and then he asked if we had any other questions about anything, and talked another 15 minutes or so. One question he got was how his life has changed since he's been called as an apostle. He said that he's been traveling and speaking as a church representative for a long time, but as soon as he was made an apostle, the expectations people had for him immediately increased a hundred fold. It bothered him at first, until he learned that he needs to stop worrying about what others were expecting of him, and just do what he can for the people he's with. Just do the Lord's will for that moment, and that's all that matters.
It was a delight!
January 2016, Week 1
*Today at church, we welcomed the new year with a newish time for meeting and a newish congregation. Three weeks before, our ward boundaries were reorganized again, and we lost some families and gained more, and now we're in the "new" ward, so there has been lots of callings and meeting people and fun things like that. Our meeting time is now 8:30 am. Early--but not terrible. We're close to getting everything staffed.
*Today was Fast and Testimony Meeting, and I loved hearing the testimonies. I don't remember specifics, but I remember having a happy soul after the meeting.
*Today I planned on helping in Primary, since I had subbed in there for the previous two weeks, and with a new presidency and a new year, I thought things might be a little up in the air. I was wrong. The president was very capable and had things organized so well. Not everyone was called yet, but she had people in place for those classes. I was so impressed.
*I went to Gospel Doctrine and Relief Society. I sat by a sister who had been in the other ward, and it was nice to get to know her. She showed me lots of pictures of her dogs and nieces and nephews. Maybe I'll have some kid pictures to show her someday.
It was a delight!
*Today was Fast and Testimony Meeting, and I loved hearing the testimonies. I don't remember specifics, but I remember having a happy soul after the meeting.
*Today I planned on helping in Primary, since I had subbed in there for the previous two weeks, and with a new presidency and a new year, I thought things might be a little up in the air. I was wrong. The president was very capable and had things organized so well. Not everyone was called yet, but she had people in place for those classes. I was so impressed.
*I went to Gospel Doctrine and Relief Society. I sat by a sister who had been in the other ward, and it was nice to get to know her. She showed me lots of pictures of her dogs and nieces and nephews. Maybe I'll have some kid pictures to show her someday.
It was a delight!
Monday, December 7, 2015
December 2015, Week 1
*During the opening prayer, the brother started with, "We have gathered ourselves together..." For some reason, the fact that we were voluntarily there, having gathered ourselves at the same time in the same place for the same purpose, struck me. It made me more grateful for the fellowship of my ward members, and that we all thought that gathering ourselves was good, and worth it.
*During the testimonies, several people shared thoughts about the worth of souls. Recently someone dear to me expressed feelings of having no worth, and I was happy to have these testimonies to lift that person up.
*I got to sub in the nursery class, which is my 3-year old son's class. We took the older ones (my son included) to Sharing Time for their first time, to practice being there when they are Sunbeams in January. They sang a song and heard the lesson. The counselor did such a great job of being relevant and on point. The last thing she did is have the kids repeat, "Jesus will come again." When we returned to the nursery classroom, one little girl said to the other teacher, "They said Jesus will come again!" I think she is ready for the next level of learning.
It was a delight!
*During the testimonies, several people shared thoughts about the worth of souls. Recently someone dear to me expressed feelings of having no worth, and I was happy to have these testimonies to lift that person up.
*I got to sub in the nursery class, which is my 3-year old son's class. We took the older ones (my son included) to Sharing Time for their first time, to practice being there when they are Sunbeams in January. They sang a song and heard the lesson. The counselor did such a great job of being relevant and on point. The last thing she did is have the kids repeat, "Jesus will come again." When we returned to the nursery classroom, one little girl said to the other teacher, "They said Jesus will come again!" I think she is ready for the next level of learning.
It was a delight!
Monday, September 14, 2015
September 2015, Week 2
(Well, I took a brief hiatus, but it looks like I'm back. I really enjoy reflecting on what happens at church!)
*Today at church a brother gave a talk and shared his conversion story. He's spoken before, and always says he isn't great at public speaking, but he has us all engaged the whole time. He said that the despair in the world today reminds him of his life before his conversion to the gospel--dark and depressed and downhearted. He said that he was able to find light through humility, and if the people in the world can find humility, they can have hope. I love to see the gospel take root in someone.
*Today I visited two new Primary Presidents, who happen to be in the Spanish ward and branch. I got to practice my Spanish listening skills! The ward primary is growing, and the branch primary is getting smaller--but both are full of faithful people, who love the children they serve.
It was awesome!
*Today at church a brother gave a talk and shared his conversion story. He's spoken before, and always says he isn't great at public speaking, but he has us all engaged the whole time. He said that the despair in the world today reminds him of his life before his conversion to the gospel--dark and depressed and downhearted. He said that he was able to find light through humility, and if the people in the world can find humility, they can have hope. I love to see the gospel take root in someone.
*Today I visited two new Primary Presidents, who happen to be in the Spanish ward and branch. I got to practice my Spanish listening skills! The ward primary is growing, and the branch primary is getting smaller--but both are full of faithful people, who love the children they serve.
It was awesome!
Friday, August 21, 2015
August 2015, Week 3
This is my 52nd post, which means that this marks a full year of posting about my Sundays at church. I am contemplating if I will continue... Tune in next week to find out, I suppose!
*To commemorate our 15th anniversary, my husband and I went on a vacation to Florida, and ended up traveling on Sunday--so this is the first Sunday in a long while that I did not go to church! When we got to our hotel, though, we pulled out our handy LDS Tools app, and listened to a talk from the last General Conference. Ben chose a good one--Elder (now President) Russel M. Nelson's talk about the Sabbath Day. He reminded us that it's not about the list of things we can't do on the Sabbath, but rather what we do that helps make it holy. It was good. Go listen to it! We spent the last hour of sunlight that Sabbath day walking along the beach. We are definitely privileged to live in such a beautiful world.
It was awesome!
*To commemorate our 15th anniversary, my husband and I went on a vacation to Florida, and ended up traveling on Sunday--so this is the first Sunday in a long while that I did not go to church! When we got to our hotel, though, we pulled out our handy LDS Tools app, and listened to a talk from the last General Conference. Ben chose a good one--Elder (now President) Russel M. Nelson's talk about the Sabbath Day. He reminded us that it's not about the list of things we can't do on the Sabbath, but rather what we do that helps make it holy. It was good. Go listen to it! We spent the last hour of sunlight that Sabbath day walking along the beach. We are definitely privileged to live in such a beautiful world.
It was awesome!
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