August Newsletter

Presidency Message

As many of you know, the Lara family has been traveling for most of the month of July. First we went to Utah for the 4th of July to visit Lisa’s side of the family. We were able to attend our previous ward in Provo and reconnect with great friends. The last few weeks we have been in Bolivia with Ariel's family spending time and making wonderful memories.

With all of our travels and visits, there are two things that come to mind: The gospel of Jesus Christ and our families are the most important things in this life. It is incredible how the gospel unites people in the same goals and the same priorities. No matter where we go to church and no matter in what language, the Spirit is the same. Even nursery is the same! Ariel and I were able to visit with our old home teacher while in Utah. At the time he was our home teacher he was a professional, single, and happy. Seeing him a few weeks ago we learned that he had recently married and just a few weeks prior a baby girl had joined their family. What a difference there was in his smile now that he has an eternal family of his own. No matter what our circumstances, if we are living the gospel of Jesus Christ we can be happy.
Perhaps living far away from both sides of our family has helped us to appreciate time together with them. Spending time with grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins is maybe the closest we will get to heaven in this life. Our Savior has promised us eternal families if we live the gospel of Jesus Christ. I hope we can all make our families a priority in our lives, even if they make us a little crazy at times :-)

I know the gospel of Jesus Christ is real and it is true. I also know that no matter our familial circumstances, Heavenly Father has placed us with the families we are supposed to be with. I am so thankful for both of these great blessings in my life, and I hope you are too!       

Love, Marty, Lisa, Jan, Debbie, & Jenny

Birthdays

1 Kay Bashford

6 Lucille Echohawk

6 Jennefer Haymond

13 Tona Banks

17 Bambi Duvall

19 Pat Reams

19 Susan Schexnayder

22 Dixie Larson

25 Libby Jessee

25 Juli Rabideau

26 Christina Siegle

29 Jennifer Coalson

30 Julie Jentzsch

30 Dana Mulberry

30 Victoria Nelson

30 Shaundra Toone

Lesson Schedule

Aug 3  Presidency Message by Marty Rozeski

Aug 10  #15 “Eternal Marriage” taught by Kristen Tanner

Aug 17 #16 “Bringing up Children in Light and Truth” taught by Kay Bashford

Aug 24 "The Cost and Blessing of Discipleship" by Jeffrey R Holland AND "The Joyful Burden of Discipleship" by Ronald Rasaband

Aug 31 Combined RS/Priesthood taught by the Temple President and his wife

Upcoming Events

Aug 2  Stake Service Day

Aug 20  Temple Day

Sept 11  Relief Society Meeting

Oct 11  Super Service Day

Other Opportunities

Aug 7 Book Club “Garden Spells” by Sarah Addison Allen

Aug 12 Lunch Bunch 11:00 at Chipotle (12550 W 64^th)

1^st, 3^rd, 4^th weeks All Ages Playgroup

2^nd & 4^th weeks Little Tots Playgroup (geared for 2 yrs and under)

Saturdays 8am Pickup basketball

Mon & Wed weekly 9am Aerobics

Sunday Lesson: July 27th

Kendra Mauger was our 4th Sunday guest teacher this past Sunday. The lesson came from two talks; one by Elder Dallin H. Oaks from April 2014 General Conference and the other by Elder M. Russell Ballard from April 2013 General Conference. Both of the talks can be found HERE and HERE.

Sister Mauger started out by asking us all this questions: What words do you associate with the priesthood?

Some of the words shared were, power, authority, men, quorum, restoration, and blessings.

President Packer says that the priesthood is, “The consummate power on this earth. The power by which we will be resurrected and proceed to eternal life.”

The priesthood is divided into offices – these were written on the board.

First there are two parts – Aaronic & Melchizedek

Aaronic – Deacon, Teacher, Priest, Bishop

“A bishop is ordained and set apart to preside over the Aaronic Priesthood in a ward. He is the president of the priests quorum. When he is acting in his Aaronic Priesthood office, a bishop deals primarily with temporal matters, such as administering finances and records and directing care for the poor and needy.

A bishop is also ordained a high priest so he can preside over all members in the ward. A bishop is a judge in Israel and interviews members for temple recommends, priesthood ordinations, and other needs. It is his right to have the gift of discernment.” Gospel principles Chapter 14

Melchizedek – Elder, High Priest, Patriarch, Seventy, Apostle (senior apostle is president of church)

Now that we know the offices of the priesthood, let’s talk about the Keys –

“Priesthood keys are the authority God has given to priesthood holders to direct, control, and govern the use of His priesthood on earth” – OAKS, May 2014

---it’s our checks and balances in the church

WHO HAS KEYS???

These were written on the board – SEPARATE LISTProphet (senior apostle)– only man, on the earth, who holds them all, he can then delegate portions of this power to anotherPresident of a templePresident of a stakeBishopPresident of missionPresident of quorum (Elder's teachers & deacons)

Every priesthood ordinance is recorded on the records of the church, so a 12 year old boy being ordained to deacon is written down, as is baptism, temple covenants, and even sacrament is recorded every week. A person who holds the priesthood cannot officiate in a priesthood ordinance unless he is given proper authority by one who holds keys.

So, if I am unable to go to church and would like the sacrament administered in my home, my husband can’t just bless and pass it to me. He would have to obtain permission from the bishop first.

---checks and balances

“Every act or ordinance performed in the church is done under the direct or indirect authorization of one holding the keys for that function” – OAKS, May 2014

“There is no up or down in the service of the Lord, there is only forward or backward, and that difference depends on how we accept and act upon our releases and our callings.” – OAKS, May 2014

So, What does this mean for us? -

“ President Joseph Fielding Smith said, “While the sisters have not been given the Priesthood, it has not been conferred upon them, that does not mean that the Lord has not given unto them authority…A person may have authority given to him, or a sister to her, to do certain things in the Church that are binding and absolutely necessary for our salvation.”

So women are given priesthood authority when working under the direction of our bishop, just as men are given priesthood authority. The Relief Society President, has priesthood authority to watch over the women of this ward, just like the Young Men’s president has authority to watch over the young men of this ward. The authority is given, but it is up to them to have access to the powers of the priesthood.

Priesthood power and priesthood authority are very different things.

My husband likens priesthood authority and power to a driver’s license and a car with gas. When given priesthood authority it is like you are given a driver’s license, but in order to really make things happen you need a car with gas. This car is the priesthood power, and it only comes through righteousness.

Priesthood power is something that we want.

“Our Father in Heaven is generous with His power. All men and all women have access to this power for help in our own lives. All who have made sacred covenants with the Lord and who honor those covenants are eligible to receive personal revelation, to be blessed by the ministering of angels, to commune with God, to receive the fulness of the gospel, and, ultimately, to become heirs alongside Jesus Christ of all our Father has.” BALLARD, 2013

As Spider Man’s uncle says, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

D&C 121:36-27 “The rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, … but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man.”

HOW DO I HAVE ACCESS TO THIS PRIESTHOOD IF I DON”T HAVE A CALLING< OR LEADERSHIP CALLING?

“Those who have priesthood keys… literally make it possible for all who serve faithfully under their direction to exercise priesthood authority and have access to priesthood power.” BALLARD 2013, BYU education week

Through home teaching and visiting teaching we also have access to the priesthood.

We can also faithfully serve and follow leaders… you can receive the power of the priesthood by agreeing to give a talk in sacrament, or pray….

HOW DO I ACCESS THE PRIESTHOOD WHEN I DON”T HAVE A PRIESTHOOD HOLDER AT HOME?

-know who your home teacher is.

- “When men and women go to the temple, they are both endowed with the same power, which by definition is priesthood power. While the authority of the priesthood is directed through priesthood keys, and priesthood keys are held only by worthy men, access to the power and the blessings of the priesthood is available to all of God’s children.” Ballard, 2013

In our Heavenly Father’s great priesthood-endowed plan, men have the unique responsibility to administer the priesthood, but they are not the priesthood. Men and women have different but equally valued roles. Just as a woman cannot conceive a child without a man, so a man cannot fully exercise the power of the priesthood to establish an eternal family without a woman. . . . In the eternal perspective, both the procreative power and the priesthood power are shared by husband and wife. BALLARD April 2013

Just A Thought

"There is no age barrier when it comes to Christlike service. … As we look beyond our differences in age, culture, and circumstance to nurture and serve one another, we will be filled with the pure love of Christ and the inspiration which leads us to know when and whom to serve."

—Bonnie L. Oscarson, "Sisterhood: Oh, How We Need Each Other"

Sunday Lesson: July 20th

The lesson given this week, The Gift of the Holy Ghost, by Sister Bashford was a perfect compliment to last week's lesson on baptism. It truly is a special gift to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

"We may after baptism and confirmation become companions of the Holy Ghost who will teach us the ways of the Lord, quicken our minds and help us to understand the truth."  -Joseph Fielding Smith

From this quote alone we learn this about the Holy Ghost:
- We must be baptized and confirmed to have the Holy Ghost as our companion.
- The Holy Ghost will teach us the ways of the Lord, quicken our minds, and help us understand the truth.
- We have the right to receive revelations that are necessary for our guidance.

We also know that the Holy Ghost is:
1. Called by many names: The Spirit, Revelator, Comforter, Holy Spirit, Spirit of God, Spirit of the Lord. Bruce R McConkie said, "The Holy Ghost is the Comforter, Testator, Revelator, Sanctifier, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit of Promise, Spirit of Truth, and Messenger of the Father and the son.
2. He is a Spirit in the form of a man. He has a spirit body only.
3. His mission is to bear witness of the Father and the Son and of all truth. Is to perform all the functions that pertain to his various name-titles.
4. The Holy Ghost knows all things (D&C 35:19) and can lead one to know of future events (2 Peter 1:21).
5. The Holy Ghost has been manifest in every dispensation of the gospel beginning with Adam (Moses 6:51,52,64,65).
6. The Holy Ghost is manifested to men on earth both as the POWER of the Holy Ghost and as the GIFT of the Holy Ghost
- By the power of the Holy Ghost he can bear witness of the truth to honest people throughout the earth that Jesus is the Christ. He manifests to those who ask for truth.
- Gift of the Holy Ghost comes after proper authorized baptism and is conferred by the laying on of hands. It is the right to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost when worthy and acts as a cleansing agent to purify a person and sanctify him from all sin.


In the manual we read, "You cannot get the gift of the Holy Ghost by praying for it, by paying your tithing, by keeping the Word of Wisdom—not even by being baptized in water for the remission of sins. You must complete that baptism with the baptism of the Spirit. The Prophet said on one occasion that you might as well baptize a bag of sand as not confirm a man and give him the gift of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of hands. You cannot get it any other way."

What is the purpose of the Holy Ghost? To teach us, to direct us, to bear witness to us of the saving principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

We have been taught that the Holy Ghost will warn us, comfort us, inspire us, be a constant companion, sanctify us, cleanse us, helps us make decisions that will allow us to find and fulfill our mission.

We heard several sisters bear testimony of times when the Spirit has prompted and communicated with them. Including a time when a sister first heard the missionaries teach that we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father. She was 10 years old at that time and felt the Spirit so strongly bear the truth of that to her. Another sister shared about an experience when she was going through a trial in her life and felt the Spirit bring peace to her.  She knew because of comfort given that things would be alright. These moments are so precious. We discussed how when we share our testimonies of the things we believe, and sing songs testifying of Christ the Spirit is so strong and often times we are moved to tears.

We were left with a challenge. Think of experiences big and small when you've received the Holy Ghost. What do you need to do to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost?

"It is my judgment that there are many members of this Church who have been baptized for the remission of their sins, and who have had hands laid upon their heads for the gift of the Holy Ghost, but who have never received that gift—that is, the manifestations of it. Why? Because they have never put themselves in order to receive these manifestations. They have never humbled themselves. They have never taken the steps that would prepare them for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. ... Be diligent in our activites, study the fundamental truths of the gospel - study, be obedient, be diligent in seeking to know and understand truth. Study the revelations that have been given, be clean.

It is the privilege of every member of the Church to know the truth, to speak by the truth, to have the inspiration of the Holy Ghost; it is our privilege, individually, … to receive the light and to walk in the light; and if we continue in God, that is, keep all of His commandments, we shall receive more light until eventually there shall come to us the perfect day of knowledge.

We come back into the presence of God our Father, at last, through the guidance of the Holy Ghost."

    - Joseph Fielding Smith

See the entire lesson HERE.

Sunday Announcements: July 20th

Calendar Items:

July 24th: Stake Primary activity at the Alkire Building from 10:00-11:30 am.

   A Pioneer Days Celebration! Thursday, July 24th from 10:00 am - 11:30 am at the Alkire Building. Come join us for activities, games, crafts, stories and songs! Please bring your wagons, to decorate for a parade. No bikes or scooters this year. A small snack will be provided. Pioneer dress is encouraged!

July 31st: Cub Scouts - This month Pack meeting will be at Hyatt Lake. 

   Open swim for 5-7, we hae the picnic area reserved, so feel free to bring dinner and swim until pack meeting starts at 7. Parents - please remember there is NO lifeguard at the lake. Please see den leaders for directions.

Aug 2nd: Stake Service Project at 7 am - noon. 

   We're building the trail for the final time at Leyden Road (82nd Ave), just west of Quaker. There will be a family area so bring a smile, your work gloves, shovel or rake labeled with your name, and a wheel barrow if you have one. There will be a complimentary BBQ that evening at the Alkire Pavilion from 6-8 pm.

Aug 7th: Book Group at 7 pm

   Discussing Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (Talk to Kendra M for location.) 

Aug 12th: Lunch Bunch 

   Meet at Chipotle on 64th and Ward at 11:00 am. All ages invited!

We Need Your Help!

We are doing a super service project and need your help collecting items.

- Coupon inserts including: Smart Source, Red Plum, and P & G (expired coupons up to 2 months are welcome)

- Hygiene kit items: List coming soon

- Backpack program for local schools: Bring in grocery sacks and canned food.

Watch for more details and items needed within the next couple weeks.

Choir Practice:

Choir practice will resume on Sept 7th each Sunday from 12:15 pm- 1:00 pm in the Chapel.

Summer Activities:

Tuesdays: Kid Friendsly Hiking Group

Thursdays: Summer Drama Group (kids age 6-12)

Park days are announced through the yahoo group.

~ Email Jan at poulsenj@hotmail.com for details.

Sunday Lesson: July 13th

This week Sister Tanner taught us Chapter 13 on Baptism. Such a fantastic reminder of the importance of this sacred covenant and how important it is in our lives!

Elder Robert D Hales said “"It is very important for us to understand the marvelous gift of the remission of sins, but there is much more. Do you understand and do your children understand that when they are baptized they are changed forever?"

The Savior taught us that all men and women must be born again. Nicodemus, one of the rulers among the Jews, came surreptitiously to the Savior by night and said, “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Nicodemus was bewildered and asked: “How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?”

Jesus explained that He was talking about being born spiritually. He said:

“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins “is the introductory ordinance of the gospel” of Jesus Christ and must be preceded by faith in the Savior and by sincere and complete repentance. -Joseph Fielding Smith

Baptism is by immersion in water. … Baptism cannot be by any other means than immersion of the entire body in water, for the following reasons:

(1) It is in the similitude of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and of all others who received the resurrection.

(2) Baptism is also a birth and in the similitude of the birth of a child into this world.

(3) Baptism is literally, as well as a figure of the resurrection, a transplanting, or resurrection from one life to another—the life of sin to the life of spiritual life.

"Every child that comes into this world is carried in water, born in water, and of blood and of the spirit. So when we are born into the kingdom of God we must be born in the same way: by baptism born of the water; through the shedding of the blood of Christ cleansed and sanctified; and justified through the Spirit of God, for baptism is not complete without the baptism of the Holy Ghost. You see the parallel between birth into the world and birth into the kingdom of God."

-Joseph Fielding Smith

“There is no more important counsel that can be given to any member of the Church than to keep the commandments after baptism. The Lord offers us salvation on condition of repentance and faithfulness to his laws.”

-Joseph Fielding Smith

“Every person baptized into this Church has made a covenant with the Lord to keep His commandments, and in this commandment, reiterated in the dispensation in which we live, we are told that we are to serve the Lord with all the heart and all the mind, and with all the strength that we have, and that too in the name of Jesus Christ. Everything that we do should be done in the name of Jesus Christ.”

In the waters of baptism we covenanted that we would keep these commandments;

Serve the Lord.Love our neighbors as ourselves; and with all the might that we have, with all the strength, with all our hearts we would prove to Him that we would "live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God" {D&C 84:44}.Be obedient and humble.Diligent in His service.Willing to obey.Hearken to the counsels of those who preside over us.Do all things with an eye single to the glory of God.

Who, among Latter-day Saints, is seeking a place in the telestial kingdom? Who, among the Latter-day Saints, is seeking a place in the terrestrial kingdom? With those kingdoms we should want nothing to do; it is not the intention of the man who is baptized into the Church, or ought not to be, to so live that he will not find a place in the celestial kingdom of God; for baptism, itself, is the way into that kingdom. Baptism is of two-fold nature; primarily for the remission of sins, and then, entrance into the kingdom of God, not the telestial kingdom, not into the terrestrial kingdom, but entrance into the celestial kingdom, where God dwells. That is what baptism is for; that is what the gift of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of hands, is for—to prepare us that we may, through obedience, continue on and on, keeping the commandments of the Lord, until we shall receive the fulness in the celestial kingdom.

-Joseph Fielding Smith

See the entire lesson HERE

Sunday Announcements: July 13th

Calendar Items:

July 15th: Temple Day

July 24th: Stake Primary activity at the Alkire Building from 10:00-11:30 am.

July 31st: CUB SCOUTS - This month Pack meeting will be at Hyatt Lake. Open swim for 5-7, we hae the picnic area reserved, so feel free to bring dinner and swim until pack meeting starts at 7. Parents - please remember there is NO lifeguard at thelake. Please see den leaders or directions.

Aug 2nd: Stake Service Project at 7 am - noon. 

     We're building the trail for the final time at Leyden Road (82nd Ave), just west of Quaker. There will be a family area so bring a smile, your work gloves, shovel or rake labeled with your name, and a wheel barrow if you have one. There will be a complimentary BBQ that evening at the Alkire Pavilion from 6-8 pm.

Aug 7th: Book Group at 7 pm - Discussing Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (Talk to Kendra M for location.)

Aug 12th: Lunch Bunch at Chipotle on 64th and Ward at 11:00 am. All ages invited!

We Need Your Help!

We are doing a super service project and need your help collecting items.

- Coupon inserts including: Smart Source, Red Plum, and P & G (expired coupons up to 2 months are welcome)

- Hygiene kit items: List coming soon

Watch for more details and items needed within the next couple weeks.

Choir Practice:

Choir practice will resume on Sept 7th each Sunday from 12:15 pm- 1:00 pm in the Chapel.

Summer Activities:

Tuesdays: Kid Friendsly Hiking Group

Thursdays: Summer Drama Group (kids age 6-12)

Park days are announced through the yahoo group.

~ Email Jan at poulsenj@hotmail.com for details.

Sunday Lesson: July 6th

Thinking about the 4th of July and the Independence of our country, we talked about the gift of agency given to us by our Heavenly Father. The right to choose is an eternal principle. Even before we came to earth, we were required to choose whether we would follow God's plan and be free to act as we chose or to follow Satan and act under force (Revelation 12:7-11). Our ability to choose is so important to our Heavenly Father that Satan was cast down, he wanted to take away that gift. 

“Suppose we take a child and arrange to rear him as Satan suggested, so that he cannot make the smallest mistake. We tell him exactly what to do, how to do it and when to do it; and then make sure he conforms to orders. We never let him make choices, never let him try different solutions to problems of everyday living. He must not be allowed to err. Year by year the child’s body will grow, but what of his mind? What of his spirit? Though he grow to be six feet tall, he will never become a mature adult. His mind and spirit will have been starved. They will have failed to grow for lack of nourishment. … Our Father in heaven knew … that man could never gain perfection … without the vital element of … agency” (Lester and Joan Essig, “Free Agency and Progress,” Instructor, Sept. 1964, 342).

At the council in heaven, we chose to follow Jesus Christ, and because we made the right choices in the premortal life, we were privileged to come to earth. Our choices in this life will continue to determine our course in the eternities. In order to use our agency in this life we must have the opportunity to make choices.

We cannot choose righteousness unless the opposites of good and evil are placed before us. Satan does all he can to destroy God’s work. He does not love us. He does not want any good thing for us. He does not want us to be happy. He wants to make us his slaves. He uses many disguises to enslave us. When we follow the temptations of Satan, we limit our choices. The following example suggests how this works. Imagine seeing a sign on the seashore that reads: “Danger—whirlpool. No swimming allowed here.” We might think that is a restriction. But is it? We still have many choices. We are free to swim somewhere else. We are free to walk along the beach and pick up seashells. We are free to watch the sunset. We are free to go home. We are also free to ignore the sign and swim in the dangerous place. But once the whirlpool has us in its grasp and we are pulled under, we have very few choices. We can try to escape, or we can call for help, but we may drown.

The Lord knew we would be subject to both good and evil and would have to make choices. Thus, He asks us to live close to Him and keep His commandments so we can recognize and resist Satan’s influence.

“The Lord says, ‘Keep the Sabbath day holy.’ (See Exodus 20:8.)

“Satan would say, ‘Use the Sabbath day as a recreation day. …’

“The Lord says, ‘Honour thy father and thy mother.’ (Exodus 20:12.)

“Satan craftily puts into our minds the idea of disobeying our parents; your life is your own to choose as you wish. …

“The Lord says, ‘In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread,’ (Genesis 3:19.) and he also said, ‘Cease to be idle.’ (D&C 88:124.)

“Satan might say, ‘Get as much as you can for nothing. …’ He would encourage indolence, laziness, and even the thought that the government owes you a living. …

“The Lord says, ‘Pay one tenth of your interest annually as tithing. For this, I shall give you a great reward.’ [See 3 Nephi 24:8–10; D&C 119:4.]

“Lucifer would say, ‘Why pay your tithing? You need the money more than the Church needs it. …’

“The Lord says, ‘Seek the genealogy of your ancestors and complete the temple work for them.’

“Satan would say, ‘Postpone doing this work or, better still, don’t do it at all’” (Carl W. Buehner, “Who’s on the Lord’s Side?”

It is important for us to allow others to choose. It can be difficult when we feel so strongly that things should be done a certain way to let others make another choice. Our Father in Heaven allowed each of us to choose during that council the way we would go.

It is important that we understand that even though we are free to choose our course of action, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions. The consequences, whether good or bad, follow as a natural result of any choice we make.

Galatians 6:7–9 

7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a mansoweth, that shall he also reap.

 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

The farmer knows that he will reap what he sows. The kind of fruit he chooses to plant will determine the kind of fruit he will get at the day of harvest. He cannot sow peas and expect to harvest peaches. Neither can he choose to neglect his crop and expect it to grow well.

We cannot sow seeds of iniquity and reap a harvest of blessings. When we make a choice, we must accept the consequences of that choice. We select a destination when we start on a particular path.

We all face situations and experiences every day that require us to make choices.

You Are Accountable for the Choices You Make

The day will come when we will have the opportunity to stand before God to be judged in terms of the decisions we make and the deeds we perform in this life.

Our works are the result of our choices. The way to make good choices is to obey the commandments of God. By following the teachings of the prophets, who guide and strengthen us in keeping the commandments, we can make choices that will prepare us to receive the gift of eternal life.

·         2 Nephi 10:23 

 Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life.

Our Savior has shown us the way to use our agency to gain eternal life. He has given laws and commandments to help us find happiness and success.

“Next to the bestowal of life itself, the right to direct our lives is God’s greatest gift to man. Freedom of choice is more to be treasured than any possession earth can give. … It is the purpose of the Lord that man become like him. In order for man to achieve this, it was necessary for the Creator first to make him free. To man is given a special endowment, not bestowed upon any other living thing. God gave to him the power of choice. Only to the human being did the Creator say: ‘… thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee; …’ (Moses 3:17.) Without this divine power to choose, humanity cannot progress” (David O. McKay, in Conference Report, Oct. 1965, 8; or Improvement Era, Dec. 1965, 1073).

We were challenged to think about and evaluate how we use our agency during the week. Are the choices we make drawing us away from God or closer to Him?

 “Know This, That Every Soul Is Free” (Hymns, no. 240)

1. Know this, that ev’ry soul is free

To choose his life and what he’ll be;

For this eternal truth is giv’n:

That God will force no man to heav’n.

2. He’ll call, persuade, direct aright,

And bless with wisdom, love, and light,

In nameless ways be good and kind,

But never force the human mind.

3. Freedom and reason make us men;

Take these away, what are we then?

Mere animals, and just as well

The beasts may think of heav’n or hell.

4. May we no more our pow’rs abuse,

But ways of truth and goodness choose;

Our God is pleased when we improve

His grace and seek his perfect love.

July Newsletter

Presidency Message

     Last Fast Sunday, we had a dear sister testify concerning endurance. What I heard her say was that life is hard, with challenges, but as we endure we become stronger. In turn, that strength helps us be able to face these challenges. 

     Her insight reminded me of a BYU devotional address delivered by President Cecil O. Samuelson. His address is entitled, “Failure and Success”.

     He related, “Some of my favorite heroes had major failures to go with great successes for which they are remembered. George Washington, the father of this country, lost several key battles as general. Abraham Lincoln was visionary and courageous; we don’t dwell on his far-from-perfect course to the White House. Winston Churchill lost about as many elections as he won.  Among the things I have found most helpful is this statement attributed to him: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal:  it is the courage to continue that counts.”

     Remember these words of Alma to the people of Gideon as he described the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ:  “And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people …. And he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy.” (Alma 7:11-12)

     President Samuelson taught,“Our pains and infirmities include more than our sins and illnesses. They include our mistakes, our failures, and our disappointments. These we must have to gain essential experiences, but we also need to understand that we can find in the Savior’s sacrifice every compensation we require to overcome all that vexes us.”

     A quote I like from his talk is: “The journey to success is one of ups and downs –and persistence to keep going anyway.” 

     When our sister testified about her endurance experience, it hit home. I continue to struggle with testimony and Christ-like behavior, and I try to endure or persist in obedience. I find, because Jesus Christ atoned for me, that endurance or persistence allows me to be more obedient, and Christ-like. I am then filled with a testimony of the Father and the Son’s love for me.

     It is our prayer, as a Presidency, that you will find the courage, through our Savior, to persist and endure through life’s challenges.

Love, Marty, Lisa, Jan, Debbie, & Jenny

Birthdays

     1 Jessica Eggert

     1 Lisa Lara

     2 Alexis Haymond

   12 Mary Lou Mooring

   13 Cambree Evans

   15 Stephanie Dockstader

   18 Alice Dewitt

   21 Kristen Tanner

   25 Victoria Peters

   26 Colleen Casperson

   29 Jennifer Haberl

   29 Leslie Nelson

   31 Michele Azar

Lesson Schedule

July 6  Presidency Message by Jan Welling

July 13 #13 “Baptism” taught by Kristen Tanner

July 20 #20 “The gift of the Holy Ghost” taught by Kay Bashford

July 27 “The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood” by Dallin H Oaks

Upcoming Events

July 4 Independence Day

July 23 Temple Day

Other Opportunities 

June 9 Lunch Bunch 11:00 at Wendy’s (58^th & Independence)

1^st, 3^rd, 4^th weeks All Ages Playgroup

2^nd & 4^th weeks Little Tots Playgroup (geared for 2 yrs and under)

Saturdays 8am Pickup basketball

Mon & Wed weekly at 9am Aerobics