Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear

Dear Sisters,

We were encouraged to create a plan for missionary work in our families during the 5^th Sunday lesson today, taught by the Elders.  I am amazed how much potential we have within our ward boundaries.  We have many neighbors who need to hear about the gospel.  I hope you will consider their message and set a realistic goal as a family to take advantage of and find opportunities to share the gospel.  I know great blessings will follow!

“The message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is unlike anything else you will share with others. In the information age, it is the most valuable information in all the world. There is no question about its worth. It is a pearl of great price (see Matthew 13:46).

I promise you that if you will respond to the invitation to share your beliefs and feelings about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, a spirit of love and a spirit of courage will be your constant companion, for “perfect love casteth out fear” (1 John 4:18).”              

--Elder L. Tom Perry

I can’t help but think that magnifying our callings as a home or visiting teacher is one of the best ways to be a missionary.  Showing a less active member that you genuinely care about them can do a lot to strengthen faith and deepen their interest in the gospel.  We have an outstanding home teacher who comes faithfully and consistently, and he has gone out of his way to help us or pick up on anything we might need.  Our testimonies are firm and we aren’t having any big problems, but his faithful example has already strengthened our faith.  I hope you will try to be that kind of visiting teacher, and strengthen the faith of the sisters you visit.  “Warm those cold hearts” as Sister Snow put it. 

I love you sisters, and the thought of you good women warms my heart!

Sincerely,

Lydia

Here is a link to “Seven Simple Suggestions for Sharing the Gospel” that I thought were great:

https://www.lds.org/topics/missionary-work/seven-simple-suggestions-for-sharing-the-gospel?lang=eng#seven-simple-01

Keep Practicing

Hello Sisters!

I love the scriptures!  One of my favorite stories is about Enos.  

Perhaps it's because it give me hope as a parent, that maybe some of the things that I try to teach my children are sticking with them. :) For example:

"...the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart."

But I think the main reason is because Enos was such a great example of faith.  After "crying mightily" in prayer, he was told that his sins were forgiven.  When he asked how it was done, the Lord made it clear that it was, "...Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole."

The scriptures are filled from cover to cover with examples of great faith.  Reading about them is strengthening my faith in Christ.  I hope you are doing the same.  I loved the discussion today from Charlene's lesson about filling our homes with the "Music of the Gospel."  It is a beautiful analogy that we can each apply to our lives.

"With God’s help, the day will come when the music of the gospel will fill your home with unspeakable joy."

Maybe you aren't enjoying all the blessings available through the gospel, and if that is the case, I would urge you to "keep practicing".  Surround yourselves with good people and things that will build your faith.  Kneel down as Enos did, and talk to the Lord.  "God cannot lie" and he will provide opportunities for your faith to be strengthened.  Put your faith in Christ.

Thank you for your faithful examples!  Enjoy your week, and please visit your sisters-- see how their summer was and be a friend to them.  They might just be praying for a friend like you.

Sincerely,

Lydia

Receive Them with Thankful Hearts

Dear Sisters,

Have you ever considered the time it might take to chisel words into metal plates?  Can you envision how tedious and time consuming that might be?

Yet, here is what Jacob, Nephi’s brother, had to say about it: (Jacob 4)

 2 But whatsoever things we write upon anything save it be upon plates must perish and vanish away; but we can write a few words upon plates, which will give our children, and also our beloved brethren, a small degree of knowledge concerning us, or concerning their fathers—

 3 Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their first parents.

 4 For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us.

 

Do you receive the Book of Mormon with a thankful heart? Do you reference it often when you are searching for answers?  

Isn’t it remarkable that their purpose in writing was that we would know that they knew and had hope in Christ, even hundreds of years before his birth?  If they felt it was significant enough to pound that into metal plates for us to read thousands of years later, than surely it is important enough for us to "pound it into our hearts" today: THERE IS A CHRIST!  I feel certain of it.  I feel the love he has for each of you.  He wants to help you carry your load, if you will only “Come unto him.”  Later, Jacob says:

“...and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken."

Sisters, I am concerned about your faith.  Deepen your understanding and strengthen your faith as you study the scriptures with a thankful heart.  

We are approaching the last days, and your faith in Christ needs to be firm, because it will be tested.  No more sitting on the fence. :) Let your faith become “unshaken.” 

Sincerely,

Lydia

Endure to the End

Dear Sisters-

I got lost in Family Search last night, and before I knew it, it was time for bed.  That “Spirit of Elijah” is real!

I have really enjoyed visiting with some of you during our visiting teaching interviews.  I am impressed with your strength and testimony.  You really are remarkable women.

We have had some heartache in our ward this last week, as we have hurt for sweet Kelsey Christensen, who lost her precious 2 month old Kimber to SIDS.  I am so impressed with Kelsey’s faith and perspective through this insurmountable trial.  It has caused me to pondering “endurance.”  

I have almost finished 2^nd Nephi, and I latched on to the word “endure,” in this appropriate verse 2 Ne 31:20, that fits Kelsey so well:

“Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."

Sometimes we almost don’t know what to do when we come across bumps in our road, but it really is that simple.  That hope and focus on Christ is key!  Are you reading the Book of Mormon every day?  Remember our challenge to try to finish by Christmas—or atleast to read everyday.   I firmly believe that “feasting on the words of Christ” will actually allow us to “endure to the end.” 

Be faithful, sisters! We need to love each other, as that scripture suggest.  Open your arms to the sisters around you.  Thank you to those who are so willingly doing that, as you share meals and offer service and relief to some of these sisters who are struggling or hurting.  Reach out and press forward.  I love you and feel so grateful for you!

Sincerely,

Lydia

Oh, how we need each other!

Dear Sisters,

Oh, how I need you! 

Sis. Marjorie P. Hinckley once said, “Oh, how we need each other. Those of us who are old need you who are young. And, hopefully, you who are young need some of us who are old. It is a sociological fact that women need women. We need deep and satisfying and loyal friendships with each other.”

What a blessing your friendships and associations have been in my life already!  I was thinking that this last week, when my daughter interrupted my sleep, yet again, upset from a bad dream.  I had tried several different things to comfort her and get her back to bed, but there she was again, and just as I was about to slip into “angry mom” mode, I remembered an experience Sis. Prawitt had shared in Relief Society about how she was having a hard time getting her son to sleep in his bed, and then she tried playing primary songs, and he went right to sleep.  Her experience gave me an idea.  I know it sounds silly, but I suggested that my daughter sleep with her scriptures.  I didn’t see her again until the next morning, when she told me how much it had helped, but that she didn’t want to bend the pages so she kept them on her night stand, and if she ever felt scared, she could touch them. :)

Long story short, we need each other.  I so appreciate you amazing sisters.  You inspire and lift me.  Your selfless service is so encouraging.  Thank you to the sweet sister who made a thoughtful anonymous gift for my family this last week. 

Sisterhood is such a great blessing, that I hope each of you take advantage of.  (Certainly visiting teaching gives us an opportunity for that.)  I was grateful for Sis. Hughes’s lesson yesterday on the blessings of sisterhood, with the powerful example of Ruth and Naomi.  I also recently read a beautiful talk “Sisterhood, Oh How We Need Eachother.” by Sis. Linda K. Burton.  There were a couple paragraphs I wanted to share:

“The fact of the matter is, we really and truly need each other. Women naturally seek friendship, support, and companionship. We have so much to learn from one another.

Sisters, there is no other group of women in the world who have

access to greater blessings than we do as Latter-day Saint women. We are members of the Lord’s Church, and regardless of our individual circumstances, we can all enjoy the full blessings of priesthood power through keeping the covenants we have made at baptism and in the temple. We have living prophets to lead and teach us, and we enjoy the great gift of the Holy Ghost, which serves as a comfort and guide in our lives. We are blessed to work hand in hand with righteous brothers as we strengthen homes and families. We have access to the strength and power of temple ordinances and so much more.

In addition to enjoying all of these magnificent blessings, we have each other—sisters in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have been blessed with tender and charitable natures which enable us to render Christlike love and service to those around us. 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.”

Sisters, I need and appreciate you so much.  I hope we can look beyond differences, and be united through the powerful atonement of Christ.

Have a wonderful week!

Sincerely,

Lydia