Ministering

     Today was the fifth Sunday and the RS and the Priesthood brethren met in the cultural hall for this discussion.  Brother Brian Hess was the facilitator of this discussion.

     In the Sunday afternoon session of this past General Conference President Nelson made this announcement.  "For months we have been seeking a better way to minister to the spiritual and temporal needs of our people in the Savior's way.  
     We have made the decision to retire home teaching and visiting teaching as we have known them."

     What is the purpose of the changes to Melchizedek Priesthood Quorums?  
     
     Having one Melchizedek Priesthood quorum in a ward unifies priesthood holders to accomplish all aspects of the work of salvation, including temple and family history work previously coordinated by the high priests group leader.  It allows quorum members of all ages and back grounds to benefit from the perspective and experiences of those in different stages of life.  It also provides additional opportunities for experienced priesthood holders to mentor others, including prospective elders, new members, young adults, and those returning to Church activity. 

     These adjustments help elders quorums and Relief Societies coordinate their work.  They also simplify the quorum's coordination with the bishopric and ward council.  And they allow the bishop to delegate more responsibilities to the elders quorum and Relief Society presidents to he and his counselors can focus on their primary duties - particularly presiding over the Aaronic Priesthood and young women.

     1) What is ministering?

     The Savior showed by example what it means to minister as He served out of love for HIs Father and for each person.  He loved, taught, prayed for, comforted, and blessed those around Him, inviting all to follow Him.  As Church members minister, they prayerfully seek to serve as He would - to "comfort those that stand in need of comfort," "watch over the church always and be with and strengthen them," "visit the house of each member," and help each become a true disciple of Jesus Christ.

     As members minister, they determine through communication and inspiration the frequency and type of contact they have with those to whom they give care.  They counsel with and render an account to their leaders least once a quarter regarding their service and the needs and strengths of those for whom they have ben invited to care.  Leaders report these ministering interviews each quarter; they no longer report the number of visits or contacts made to individuals and families.  In addition, through a priesthood link to each member, ministering brothers and sisters for a communication network leaders may use in a time of danger or emergency.  

     We as a group watched the video put out by the church.  Here is the link:  https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/a-vision-of-ministering?lang=eng.  We would invite all to watch this video.

     At the end of the video, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland invited us to be better and to serve one another.

     2)  How is ministering similar to and different from Home and Visiting teaching?
Similarities are:

• D&C 20:47, 59 state:  47) And visit the house of each member, and exhort them to pray vocally and in secret and attend to all family duties.  59) They are, however, to warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ. 
• Each home will have assigned priesthood brethren as ministers.
• Relief Society sisters will be assigned sister to whom they will minister.

Differences are:

• No longer must contacts be formal visits.
• One companionship quarterly interview will be held instead of monthly visit reports.  
• Young women ages 14 yrs and older will be assigned to serve as ministering sisters.

     Brother Hess had the scripture Matthew 5:17-18 read.  It states, " Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

     For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."

     Bro Hess told how the missionary program changed.  In the years prior to 2004 each missionary was to memorize and give the lessons in order to each prospective new convert.  However, in 2004 the church came out with the Preach My Gospel directive, where each missionary was to read and study the gospel and then to share with prospective converts as they were directed to by the Spirit.  It no longer memorized nor was it dictated what they would teach.    This is how the new ministering program will be also.  We will each need to prayerfully consider the needs of our assigned brothers and sisters.  

    Brother Hess talked of how when we minister in the Savior's way, by truly caring and loving, doors will be opened and we will receive personal revelation; we will have the Spirit go with us as we minister to those we love.  We will all be more accountable to the Savior.

     Bishop Kent took a moment.  He asked, "how many are relived by this new ministering program?"  He then went on to teach about the great opportunity we have to teach as Christ taught.  He said that, "we need to come to the realization of the goodness of God.'"  Through the priesthood and ministering we can become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ.  

     Two of the Aaronic priesthood age boys spoke in the priesthood meeting this morning.  One spoke on Learn, Act, Share.  The other spoke on being prepared in all times and all instances to be like God.  Bishop Kent said, "when we minister in the correct way, we will kneel and pray for the families we are assigned and as we do this, we will be able to Know, Act, and Share the Gospel as the Savior would want us to."  

     This new ministering will be a fluid thing.  Some will be asked to minister to a family only for a few days, some for months and others for years.  It will depend on what the Lord needs us to do and how He needs us to minister.  Each will be uniquely able to serve those to whom they are assigned.  

     There are many marvelous opportunities that we will have as we minister in the Lord's way.

     

Blessings of the Sabbath Day

Sister Louisa Joy talked about how for the last 4 months we have been talking about:
The Sabbath Day is a Delight
Honoring the Sabbath Day
Why we do certain things on the Sabbath Day
and today we talked about How the Sabbath Day is a blessing.

We so appreciate Sister Joy and what she has taught us about the Sabbath.  For the next 4 months she will be teaching us about the new Ministering Program.

As Sister Joy began her lesson today, she asked us to think about the following question:  What Blessings have come to you from keeping the Sabbath Day Holy?

As we were to think about this, we divided up into 2 teams to play a game similar to Jeopardy.  There were 6 scriptures hanging on the board and we were asked that when it was our teams turn we needed to help fill in the blanks.  

#1 ~ Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the ___________ of the earth is yours, the beast of the field and the towels of the _______, and that with climbers upon the trees, and  ________ upon the earth.  
Answers:  
#1 (D&C 59:16)

President James E Faust taught " And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day."  Modern prophets and apostles have taught that the idea of keeping ourselves "unspotted from the world" is both an invitation and a promised blessing that work hand-in-hand.  He also said, that as we avoid worldly distractions on the Sabbath day, we are blessed with protection from obsession with worldly things.  "In this day of increasing access to and preoccupation with materialism, there is a sure protection for ourselves and our children against the plagues of our day.  The key to that sure protection surprisingly can be found in Sabbath observance. 

D. Kelly Ogden stated, "Here is a divinely inspired plan for protection against morality, rebellion, the deterioration of family structure and stability, and other spiritual dangers that threaten us: we can go to our meetinghouses each Sabbath and partake of the Sacrament, which involves regular repentance and covenant making to keep ourselves clean and unspotted from the world."  

The Lord has said, "For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High" (D&C 59:10).  If we will change our daily routine once every week and sincerely pay our devotions or dedicate ourselves and our energies to serving God and others we will be shielding ourselves from the evil around us.

#2 ~ And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself ______ from the world, thou shalt go to the house of ___________ and offer up thy ___________ upon my holy day.
Answer:    
#2 (D&C59:9)

President Faust said, "This great commandment is culminated with a promise:  "Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the fullness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that with climbers upon the trees and walkers upon the earth."  To have the benefit of all of God's creations is a very significant promise.  

#3 ~ Therefore if any man be in  __________ he is a   _______  creature; old things are _________ away; behold, all things are become new.
Answer:
#3 (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Sister Neil F Marriott of the Young Women General Presidency said, "The effect of partaking of the sanctified bread and water gratefully and humbly is to make of us new creatures, spiritually reborn, as Paul taught in this scripture.  Week after week as we strive to live the sacramental covenant, we change.  We deepen our discipleship as we prepare to keep the Sabbath holy and offer up our vows in righteousness; we then receive the guidance of the Holy Ghost, even personal revelation, in our daily lives.  When we commence each Sunday prepared and reverent, our depth of Sabbath understanding will be as spiritual food to all members of our family.  Faith in the Lot will grow in our homes as we bring our Sabbath day reverence into our living places.

#4 ~ If thou turn away thy foot . . . from doing thy  ______ on my holy day; and . . .  _________ him, not . . . finding thine own pleasure, . . . then shalt thou delight thyself in the  __________.
Answer:
 #4 (1 Nephi 14:14)

President James E Faust said, "Over a lifetime of observation, it is clear to me that the farmer who observes the Sabbath day seems to get more done on his farm than he would if he worked seven days.  the mechanic will be able to turn out more and better products in six days than in seven.  The doctor, the lawyer, the dentist, the scientist will accomplish more by trying to rest on the Sabbath than if he tries to utilize every day of the week for his professional work.  I would counsel all students, if they can to arrange their schedules so that they do not study on the Sabbath.  If students and other seekers after truth will do this, their minds will be quickened and the infinite Spirit will lead them o the verities they wish to learn.  This is because God has hallowed his day and blessed it as a perpetual covenant of faithfulness.  

Sister Tammy Ward commented that the team she has in her mentoring practice have talked about this and she has encouraged them to not work on Sunday.  She has told them that they need to have this day to rejuvenate their Spirits.   She also said that we need to make this a different day and make it special.

Sister Shauna Larson told about how when she was in high school she had been taking hard classes, college level.  She said that these studies were difficult, but she made the decision to not study on Sundays, no matter what.  She said that she was truly blessed.  That even if she had a test on Monday, if she didn't study on Sunday she was able to pass the tests and she did well in her classes.

Elder Charles Didier of the Presidency of the Seventy said, "Now is the time to ask ourselves: Is the Sabbath a holy day or a holiday?  Shall I worship Him or worship pleasure or work?"  

#5 ~ And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the __________ people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed  with _________ and with the power of God in great ____________.
Answer:
#5 (Isiah 58:13)

Elder John H. Groberg said, "Oh my dear brothers and sisters, there is power in keeping the Sabbath day holy - power to help others as well as ourselves.  If we would have God's blessings and protection as individuals, as families, as communities, and as nations, we must keep His Sabbath day holy."

In D&C 84:88 it says, "I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angles round about you, to bear you up."

#6 ~ . . . that they may ________ unto thee, O God the Eternal Father, that they do always __________ him, that they may have his _______ to be with them.  Amen.  
Answer:
 #6 (Moroni 5:2)

Elder David A. Bednar stated, "The ordinance of the sacrament is a holy and repeated invitation to repent sincerely and to be renewed spiritually . . .   As we prepare conscientiously and participate in this holy ordinance with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then the promise is that we may always have the Spirit of the Lord to be with us.  And by the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost as our constant companion, we can always retain a remission of our sins."

President Henry B. Eyring - Of all the blessings we can count, the greatest by far is the feeling of forgiveness that comes as we partake of the sacrament.  We will feel greater love and appreciation for the Savior, whose infinite sacrifice made possible our being cleansed from sin.  As we partake of the bread and water, we remember that He suffered for us.  Ans when we feel gratitude for what He has done for us, we will feel His love for us and our love for Him.

Some of the blessings that Sister Joy found in searching out the scriptures related to keeping the Sabbath day holy are:

*Gratitude     * A Greater appreciation for the Savior,    * Feelings of forgiveness,  *We will feel more loved,  *  Protection from preoccupation with worldly things,  *protection for ourselves and our children from the plagues of this day,  * A shield from the evils around us,  * Protection from Spiritual dangers,  * We can be Spiritually reborn,  * We become changed,  * We deepen our discipleship,  * Our Faith will grow,  * We can receive personal revelation,  * Guidance from the Holy Ghost,  * Power to help others,  * Our minds will be quickened,  *  we will ride upon the high places of the earth.

In closing, H. Aldridge Gillespie said, The promises of the Lord to those who keep the Sabbath day holy are so wonderfully clear in the scriptures that they leave one asking, "Why would anyone throw away such blessings for the tawdry, temporary pleasures of the world?" Hear again the words of Jehovah as they roll down from Mount Sinai: "Ye shall keep my sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord."

L. Tom Perry - "I give you my witness that the greatest joy you can experience here in mortality is being obedient to the will of the Lord.  May we always strive to keep His commandments, and may we keep His sacred day holy."

As we have studied about the sabbath, Sister Louisa summed it up perfectly when she said, "We have learned what not to do, but more than that, we have learned that there is so much more that we need to do to keep the Sabbath more holy.

Sister Joy's challenge to us all is:  Strive harder to be better.

Family Councils Elder M. Russell Ballard April 2016 Ensign

Sister Jensen took a few minutes  to discuss the new program announced at Aprils General Conference. Ministering to our neighbors, friends and ward sisters . Sister Jensen said they were moving forward with this new program, she invited each of us to ask in our prayers who we can help or serve.

Sister Jamie Johnson lead the discussion on Elder M. Russell Ballards April 2016 Ensign talk: Family Councils
Jamie started by telling everyone to open their hearts and minds and ask our Heavenly Father what he wants you to learn today. Don't let what others say discourage you and make you feel like your not doing enough in your families.

What is Family Council?
Time to listen
planning
Goals
Instruction
Problem- solving
Voting
Highlight good things families are doing
Don't air differences
Electronics in a baskets

Blessing of family councils

Quality time together
Help spot problems
Real results{ doing it the lords way}
Communication
Care and love
Trust their judgement
Strengthen, protect, safeguard and nurture our most precious relationships
Combined with prayer it invites the Savior
Unity
Successful and happy
Home can be a heaven on earth

Councils have always been needed, They are in fact, eternal. We belonged to a family council in the premortal existence, when we lived with our heavenly parents as their spirit children.

Family councils are different from family home evening held on Mondays, Home evenings focus primarily on gospel instruction and family activities. Family councils on the other hand can be held on any day of the week and they are primarily a meeting where parents listen to each other and to there children.

We focused on 4 different types of  Family Councils

1. General Family Council: consisting of the entire family
2. Executive Family Council: consisting of a mother and father
3. Limited  Family Council: consisting of parents and one child
4. One on One Family Council: consisting of one parent and one child.

General  Councils: can consist of talking over schedules, planning trips discuss family problems, work out finances ect..
*Anne Welling talked about having a council regularly with her friends she credits these councils in being one of the biggest reason they are still great friends today.

*Jessica White liked the quote at the beginning of the  lesson " When parents are prepared and children listen and participate in the discussion the family council is truly working..

Executive Council: This involves only the parents. This is a great time for parents to talk about their personal relationships with each other.

*Tina Gregory mentioned we need to let our children know that they don't need to know everything sometimes mom and dad just need to talk.

*Calli Richards said now they use the Executive Council most. With only one child at home  it helps them to find out between each other whats happening in their childrens life. mostly because one of them may talk to one child and the other may talk to another. Executive Councils help them come together and know what they can do for their children

Limited Council: Here both parents spend time with an individual child in a formal or informal setting. This is a time to listen to serious concerns and challenges a child may have.

* Merlyn Kent mentioned we need to remember to write down any decisions we make so we remember what we can do to help our child.

One on One Council: Involving one parent and one child. An outing with each child. Interviews, dates , whatever works for your family!

* Tammy Ward said her husband would do a monthly one on one with each child. The kids would confide in him a lot better then her.

Sister Jamie ended with: Now brothers and sisters, there was a time when the walls of our homes provided all the defense we needed against outside intrusions and influences. We locked the doors, closed the windows; we shut the gates and we felt safe,secure and protected in our own little refuge from the world.
Those days are now gone. The physical walls, doors, fences and gates in our homes cannot prevent unseen invasions from the Internet, the Wi-Fi the mobile phone, the networks. They can penetrate our home with just a few clicks and keystrokes.
Fortunately, the Lord has provided a way to counter the invasion of negative technology that can distract us from spending quality time with each other. He as done this by providing us the council system to protect, strengthen, safeguard and nurture our most precious relationships, Please remember that a family council held regularly will help us spot family problems early and nip them in the bud; councils will give each family member a feeling of worth and importance; and most of all they will assist us to be more successful and happy in our precious relationships within the walls of our homes.