Keep Trying & Book of Mormon Stories

Dear Sisters-

Are you staying cool?  We have had quite a heat-wave, haven’t we?  

It was worth going to church, if only just to be in that lovely air-conditioned building. :)  But—that wasn’t the only good that came of it.  The Garners gave excellent talks, and Sis. Herbert gave a wonderful lesson from Elder Relund’s recent talk “Latter-day Saints Keep on Trying.”  My favorite quote was from Pres. Monson:

“One of God’s greatest gifts to us is the joy of trying again, for no failure ever need be final.”⁸ Even if we’ve been a conscious, deliberate sinner or have repeatedly faced failure and disappointment, the moment we decide to try again, the Atonement of Christ can help us. And we need to remember that it is not the Holy Ghost that tells us we’re so far gone that we might as well give up.

This is a good reminder for us as we struggle through life.  It is so comforting to be reminded that the Savior has descended below all.

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

I enjoyed a fun-filled camping trip with in-laws at Bear Lake this last week.   I had an experience I wanted to share.  My sister-in-law has not been active in the church for about ten years.  She has just recently started coming again, and bringing her cute son with her.  I shared a tent with my cute nephew, and we were telling stories before bedtime.  I started to tell about “Nephi and the Broken Bow” from the book of Mormon, and I was delighted to hear this cute little boy finish my sentences and recount the whole story because he had gone to primary once with his mom, and he remembered the whole thing.  His eyes lit up.  He even told me he had seen a “real liahona” because his teacher had brought a compass to show the class.

This experience made me consider two things: First, that children remember Book of Mormon stories!  Their little spirits recognize truth.  Take every opportunity to share what you are reading with your children, grandchildren, or young friends.  They will remember and return to it. 

The second thing that struck me, is how important our service in the church is.  His primary teacher likely doesn’t know what an impression she made on this little boy hungering for light and truth.  She might even think that her role is rather insignificant.  I wish I could tell her how grateful I was for her quiet preparation of that primary lesion—for making it engaging and memorable for a little boy who doesn’t come very often, and probably doesn’t sit very still.  This little experience brightened my heart, and I wanted to share it with you.

Keep reading and studying the Book of Mormon sisters!  I know it will strengthen your faith and change your life! Have such a wonderful week!

Sincerely,

Lydia Stewart

PS—I know I am probably not the best at “waxing philosophical,” but I do try to be prayerful about what to share with you each week, and I have put my thought from past rs emails together on a blog, in case you missed any, or would like to look back and read.  Here is a link if you are interested: Ponderings from a ProgressingPresident

"Listen to the still, small voice"

Sisters!

Happy Father’s Day!  

Hope you spoiled all those great Dads out there.  Fathers are so special!  I love this Mormon Message that looks at Fatherhood from an eternal perspective. 

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-01-002-earthly-father-heavenly-father?category=mormon-messages/mormon-messages-2013&lang=eng&cid=HP_TU_6-16-2015_dPTH_fMLIB_xLIDyL1-B_

On a different note, are you seeking the companionship of the Holy Ghost in your life?  Are you receiving that precious gift you have been offered?  

We got some wonderful reminders in Relief Society today about how important it is to keep the spirit with us.  My favorite quote from this lesson was:

“The Holy Ghost causes our feelings to be more tender. We feel more charitable and compassionate with each other. We are more calm in our relationships. We have a greater capacity to love each other. People want to be around us because our very countenances radiate the influence of the Spirit. We are more godly in our character. As a result, we become increasingly more sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and thus able to comprehend spiritual things more clearly.” (Pres. Benson)

This probably stuck out to me because I haven’t been terribly “calm” in my relationships at home, but it hadn’t occurred to me that my behavior might be causing the spirit to withdraw. (I’m a little slow like that.)  And on the flip side, we are promised to feel more calming love for the people around us if we are seeking the spirit.  When we show love for our neighbors, we are keeping the Lord’s second great commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves.  I’m looking forward to an increase of the spirit’s influence in my life as I work on that this week.

Hope your week goes smoothly and that you know are loved and prayed for!

Sincerely,

Lydia

"I began to pray unto the Lord"

Hello Sisters—

I am back in the saddle!  I so enjoyed seeing many of you at church yesterday.  Your smiles lift me!  I felt like the talks and lessons were all so good.  What a blessing you are in my life!

How is your Book of Mormon challenge coming?  Are you reading every day? (It is NEVER too late!  Start now!)  I would love to hear about anything you are learning—please share.  I love to hear your feedback! 

May I share something that hit me during my reading last week in 1 Nephi  8:5-10.  As you read these five verses about Lehi’s vision, imagine that you are Lehi.  You have found the Lord and you want to follow him….

 5 And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.

 6 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.

 7 And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.

 8 And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.

 9 And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field.

 10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.

As I read those versed, I thought about how frightening it must have been for Lehi, who was just trying to follow the Lord, but got lost along the way, in the “dark and dreary waste” for “many hours”.  Sometimes I feel like that; I am just trying to do good things and I know what is right, yet I get discouraged or stuck in a particular trial for what seems like “many hours”.  I love Lehi’s example though; instead of despairing, he prayed really hard, and begged for mercy and help.  It is significant to note that the Lord did not swoop down and pull Lehi right out of the darkness; rather, he “turned on a small light” by showing him a field, and then the tree of life in the distance.  It was then that Lehi had to move himself toward the tree, but now he knew the way.

In those moments when we are wandering in darkness, I urge each of us to follow Lehi’s wonderful example, and pray for mercy.  I testify that the Lord will help!  Whatever you are struggling with probably won’t disappear right away, but the spirit will speak to your mind and heart, and show you how to get through your struggles.  This thought really helped me this last week, and I know the Lord is just waiting to show us the way, if we will just ask him.  Don’t travel in the darkness longer than you need to.

 

Sisters, I love you very much!  Please take on our challenge to read the Book of Mormon before Chrstimas this year, and to read EVERY DAY!  I know you will learn so much!  I hope you have a wonderful week, and I look forward to seeing you at our fun Relief Society activity this Wednesday.

Sincerely,

Lydia

Cherish One Another

Sisters,

I'm sending love from Idaho.  I'm enjoying visiting with family, but you are in my thoughts and prayers.  I was sad to miss Kathy Hughes's lesson on Sunday, so I asked if she had a quote she would like to share, and this is what she sent me:

"We must cherish one another, watch over one another, comfort one another, and gain instruction, that we may all sit down in Heaven together." --Lucy Mack Smith

What a wonderful reminder of the special sisterhood we share in this great organization.  In Sis. Hinckley's words, "Oh how we need each other!"  We truly do!  This is why the visiting teaching organization was put in place-- we need to serve and love each other!  I have needed and felt your prayers lately and they have lifted me.  Thank you! 

Sincerely,

Lydia

PS-- I have been reading the Book of Mormon all week and it had given me great strength. Nephi's "I will go and do" attitude is good for me to read about. :)  I hope you are opening that great book EVERY EVERY DAY!!!  Take advantage of those blessings and take up our challenge to read it before Christmas this year.

Scripture Power

Dear Relief Society Sisters,

You know that day when your brothers show up with a moving van at 11:30pm, and you kind of drop everything to accommodate them?  Well, that is what happened to me last night, and I apologize I didn’t get our email out, but I do quite like my brothers, so I don’t feel too terrible. :)

My message this week is simple.  We as a presidency would like to issue a special challenge to the Relief Society sisters of the Lorin Farr 4^th Ward.  We have been praying to know how to strengthen testimonies, increase faith and unity in our Relief Society, and lighten burdens in your lives.  As we have prayed and pondered together, we feel inspired that reading the Book of Mormon will bring great blessing to each of you.  We would like to challenge you to read and complete the Book of Mormon before Christmas this year, if possible.  That gives you six months, and with a chapter a day, there will be more than enough time to finish!  If that challenge feels daunting, then please at least  commit to read something in the book for Mormon each day, even just a verse or two. 

We have consecutively had beautiful lessons on the Book of Mormon, and we want each of you sisters to experience the fulfillment of President Benson’s promised blessings in your own lives, as you study and search the Book of Mormon.  So please take us up on this challenge and start today! 

“There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path. The scriptures are called “the words of life” (D&C 84:85), and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon. When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance.” (Ezra Taft Benson)

I testify that these promises are true, and they can be yours! 

We love each of you very much!  We are praying for you and if it is appropriate, can I ask that you pray for us?  We need your prayers and support.  There is so much we want to do for you and for our families, and we need prayers to be effective and have the energy and mental capacity for what is needful in our service.  Thank you so much.

Sincerely,

Lydia