December Presidency Message

Nineteen years ago I was 8 months pregnant at this time of year with my third child. Uncomfortable and ready to deliver, I was asked to participate in the sacrament meeting Christmas program.  My part was simple.  I was to read a portion of the script that depicted Mary, the earthly mother of the Savior.  I accepted this assignment and didn't think too much about it until a few days before the program when I started reading through my script to prepare.  A new understanding of this sweet woman swept over me as I read through the lines.  As a very pregnant woman, I tried to envision myself on a long journey on the back of a donkey.  An uncomfortable propsition at best.  As a mother who had been through child birth previously, I was aprehensive and at times fearful of the impending painful delivery I would soon experience.  My delivery would be in a clean, warm hospital room surrounded with every help I could possibly need, not in a stable surrounded by live stock and hay and far away from the people I knew and loved and found comfort in.  I felt a great love for Mary as I began to relate to her experience and desired to find ways to have an attitude in keeping with hers.  She allowed the quickening of the spirit to begin her on a jouney that had no prior rules or examples for her to look to.  She knew her child would face a life of hardship and sacrifice that she could not comfort or take away.  She must have been very close to the spirit, humble of heart and full of a unique love of God to have been chosen to be the earthly mother of the only Begotten Son of God. There are so many times since that sacrament meeting Christmas program that I have been frustrated, scared or sad and have turned to my thoughts of who Mary really was and the testimony that she had and I have found such comfort from her life and her experiences. So as we begin this holiday season, it is my hope that the burdens you find in your way may be lightened by the simple thought of a young woman, great with child, on a donkey who knew all things were in God's hands and that even though she didn't know how things were going to turn out or how on earth she was going to make it through these impossible and undefined circumstances ahead of her, she went forward and she trusted God.  I hope you find yourself at the beginning of each day with a desire to make a memory.  I love you, your Relief Society presidency  loves you and we appreciate all you do because it is working and helping! We have the greatest Relief Society on the earth and I am grateful for your contribution to it!

May your December be as awesome as you are!

Bunches of Love

Noelle and the RS presidency.

LS: "Come Join with Us" -Stacy Gurel (11/24/13)

There is no middle ground with the church. It's like the beach. Either you are on the sand, or you are getting wet in the ocean water. Either you are living the gospel principles, or you are not.

What are some of the benefits of being all in and swimming in the church?

• Strength and the Spirit
• Love, belonging, support
• Blessings: "you can't be active and not blessed"
• Priesthood
• Skills from callings
• Structure to children and youth
• Purpose and Family wherever we go

What stops us from inviting everyone around us to enjoy all of these blessings?

• We are not perfect, we may look like hypocrites. =But this only makes us relatable! And the church is not for perfect saints, it is for the perfecting of the saints.
• Questions and wrong information. =But we live by doctrine. We can find the answer with help from missionaries, ward members, etc.
• Afraid of interrupting someone's life. =But the Gospel is life! Jesus is the way of life eternal!
• Time commitment. =But time spent answering questions and serving others can only bless our life.
• Sometimes we need to be patient, we can't expect someone to join the church right after we meet them!

What are some opportunities we can take this time of year. Big or small. How can we stand up and let people know who we are?

• Invite others for family events! Baptisms, missionary farewells, etc.
• Start with our own small circle. Neighbors, co-workers, etc.
• Invite friends over when you have the missionaries over for dinner. Have a barbecue!
• Don't be afraid to mention what you are doing, going to church, having Family Home Evening, etc.
• Make an extra plate of treats to share with neighbors for Family Home Evening
• Invite families to the Mormon Choral and see the beautiful Nativities. 
• Help neighbors and friends with family history
• Have pizza parties with games before youth dances, then they can all go to the dance together
• Invite them to do something with you that you enjoy! Crafting! Photography! Gardening!
• Christmas Cards are a perfect time to share testimony of Christ! Include a scripture or a nice Christmas letter.
• Think of less actives as well as those who are not of our faith
• Make sure you visit teach this month and share some light with your sisters!

"Everyone doesn't need to do EVERYTHING. Everyone just needs to do SOMETHING." -Melisa Wells

Food for School Children!

Our next food item to collect for the Lincoln Junior High School snack packs is the chicken or tuna salad kits. 

 They are a small box on the top shelf in the tuna and canned chicken aisle.  It contains a can of chicken salad or tuna salad and crackers.  Also, if anyone would like to donate candy or a holiday treat since this is for December - we can do candy this month.  The only thing with the candy is we need 40 pieces of it - so please keep that in mind.  All items need to be to Dixie by December 15th.

Lesson Summary - "The Kingdom of God Moves Forward" -Ronny Cerniga (11/17/2013)

1) In fulfillment of prophecy, the Lord has restored His Church on the earth.
-Everyone will know the gospel of Jesus Christ
- The Lord is all powerful

2) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is built on a sure foundation, and it will continue to move forward in spite of opposition.
- The Lord protects us. Several sisters suggested reading the church article on the missionaries and the typhoon in the Philippines. Here is the link if you would like to read it: 

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865590735/Surviving-the-typhoon-A-story-of-fear-faith-and-what-it-means-to-be-prepared.html 

All 204 Tacloban missionaries together with Elder and Sister Nielson, Elder and Sister Ardern and President and Sister Andaya. (Mormon Pinoy Newsroom)

3) It is time for us to humble ourselves before God and accomplish the work He has entrusted to us.

Ronny did not want to take away from the powerful statements of President Snow, so she had us close our eyes and focus as she read the following:

It is the business of those who profess to be engaged in His work to move on, to go forward, … without murmuring or having to be urged; so long as there remains a step forward to be taken, that step should be taken.¹⁶

It is now time for the Latter-day Saints to humble themselves before the Almighty. … It is time now for the Latter-day Saints to find out wherein they have committed themselves; it is time for the Latter-day Saints to repent of their sins and follies and call upon the Almighty, that His aid may be given; … that we may go forward and accomplish the great work entrusted to our care.¹⁷

We are engaged in the work of God. The prospects before us are glorious, but let us be impressed, in every work of our hands, that we are the servants of God and doing His will. Let not our integrity be impaired, but our faith be continually increased as we proceed through life. I would be satisfied to act where Providence has placed me, and ask the Lord what I can do to aid in building up the kingdom of God in that place, and to assist me to obtain a subsistence for my family.¹⁸

We may increase in knowledge and power, and in our ability to build up the kingdom of God upon the earth, and that, too, by our diligence, our humility and faithfulness to the covenants we have made.¹⁹

It may appear through our ignorance in not understanding fully the ways of the Lord and His purposes, that in our onward march in carrying out the programme before us, we sometimes come to a stopping place for the time being, but the fact is, there is no such thing in the programme, and there cannot be, providing the people continue their labors putting their trust in the promises of God. …

… Let every man be faithful and very diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and cultivate the desire to do good to those around him; and if, in reflecting on the past, we find we have not acted strictly in accordance with the dictates of our consciences and duty, let us make ourselves right before God and man, that we may be prepared for every event that may transpire. Let the work of building temples and houses of worship go on; let [us] continue to educate [our] children and bring them up in the fear of the Lord, and let the Gospel still be carried to the nations afar. …

This is the work of God, and He is directing its course and progress in the earth, and this work should ever be uppermost in our mind; and so long as we are found in the path of duty we can surely remain fixed and unmoved and determined in our purpose, and thus exhibit to the world our faith and devotion to the principles of truth which God has revealed. …

The Lord very possibly may cause a heavy pressure to bear upon us, such as will require great sacrifice at the hands of his people. The question with us is, will we make that sacrifice? This work is the work of the Almighty and the blessings we look for which have been promised, will come after we have proven ourselves and passed through the ordeal. I have no special word to this people that there is, or that there is not, before them a fiery ordeal through which they will be called to pass; the question with me is, am I prepared to receive and put to a right and proper use any blessing the Lord has in store for me in common with His people; or, on the other hand, am I prepared to make any sacrifice that He may require at my hands? I would not give the ashes of a rye straw for any religion that was not worth living for and that was not worth dying for; and I would not give much for the man that was not willing to sacrifice his all for the sake of his religion.

Well, I [say] to one and all, Move on! move on, and see the salvation of the Lord, and not stand still.²⁰ [See suggestion 5 on page 246.]

Blankets!!!

Ladies, I just wanted to let you know that the blankets were received by Sister Ruby Wells in Utah.  She sent a sweet thank you note that I wanted to share with you:
 
Thank you and your sisters so much for the beautiful blankets!  The nurse manager was so excited to receive them. There are many patients on the unit right now and each will be comforted by a soft warm blanket.  Thank you so much for your support and your prayers!
                                                                                     
Love you,                                                                                    
Ruby Wells and Family

 I add my thanks to Sister Well's. 
Thank you for making this night possible for our sisters. 
Thank you for helping us be on the Lord's errand. 

With love and gratitude,
Chris M.

Lesson Summary "Missionary Work" - Lisa Hill (11/10/2013)

Lorenzo Snow- “The Lord had given me a knowledge that He was coming upon the earth, and that there was a preparation necessary to be made: He had given me all that I had asked for, and more; for the baptism which I received of the Holy Ghost and the perfect knowledge then given to me was more real and convincing than my immersion in the cold water; and I felt that there was a responsibility resting upon me. So I shut up my books [and] laid my Latin and Greek aside.”

After making this decision, Lorenzo Snow served a mission in the state of Ohio in 1837. He later served other missions—first in the states of Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and Ohio, and then in England, Italy, the Hawaiian Islands, the northwestern United States    

1.7 Ways to Share the Gospel

     LIVE YOUR RELIGION. A Latter-day Saint’s life is his or her best sermon. Our conversations ought to be open, genuine, and engaged in with a spirit of kindness. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are most believable when our actions are in harmony with our beliefs. Family praying

2.   ESTABLISH A FOUNDATION. Rather than responding to random questions, it might be helpful to establish a foundation—explain that we embrace Jesus Christ as our Savior and accept the Bible’s teachings, but believe that the Christian world departed from basic truths, and so Christ needed to restore His Church. Chris and Mom

3.   CONNECT THE DOTS. Try to discern the gospel principle at the heart of a question, and connect the answer back to the Savior. We do not need complicated, sophisticated arguments when the principles we try to live by come from the Son of God. Savior

4.   SHARE EXPERIENCES. Answering questions is not about reciting memorized answers. Sharing genuine, personal experiences can invite the Spirit to bear witness and carry the message into the listener’s heart. Sincere prayer will help spiritual experiences to come.   

5.   UNDERSTAND YOUR AUDIENCE. The same conversation isn’t going to work for everyone—we all have different backgrounds. And remember that a casual question doesn’t require a half-hour lecture as a reply. Be sensitive to interest, comfort, and level of understanding. Signal that sensitivity so that those who are curious can feel at ease. Lori

“Ideal Mormons” and “Deep Friendships”

We simply cannot know in advance who will and will not be interested in learning about the Church. We thought we could judge and therefore excluded from our list many people whose lifestyle, habits, or appearance made them seem unlikely candidates. As we reflect upon those who have joined the Church, however, it is clear that few of them would have been on our list of “likely members” when they first encountered the Church.

Many who accept the gospel are troubled or needy (see Alma 32:2–3). Living the gospel transforms them. The only way all people can have the opportunity to choose or reject the gospel of Jesus Christ is for us, without judgment, to invite them to follow the Savior.

This experience also taught us that in most cases we don’t need to transform our relationships into deeper friendships as a prerequisite to inviting others to learn about the gospel. For most of our neighbors, classmates, work associates, store clerks, and those riding on the same bus, this was not necessary.

Full-time missionaries, for example, don’t wait to become friends with their contacts. They talk with everyone. A relationship of trust is built when they have the chance to teach. Over the past 20 years, we have observed no correlation between the depth of a relationship and the probability that a person will be interested in learning about the gospel. But the reverse is almost always true: Everyone who accepts an invitation becomes a closer friend, regardless of whether or not he or she ultimately accepts baptism. We have also learned that even when people decline our invitations, they are not offended if they can feel our love and God’s love when we invite them to learn about Christ’s gospel. They typically have expressed gratitude that we cared enough about them to want to share something so personal and important.

6.   USE RESOURCES. The Church has created online resources that can be helpful for members to share with those who have questions. Church magazines are available online and in print, and items available at distribution centers may be helpful. Sharing a copy of the Book of Mormon may also be appropriate. You can also create an online profile on Mormon.org.  Ensign

 

7.   BE A FORCE FOR GOOD. Members of the Church can help clear up misconceptions and increase understanding of who we are and what we believe. People may see differences between what they believe and what Latter-day Saints believe, but they may also find common ground on which to build better relationships. 

Don't forget the missionaries!

 Just a reminder that there will be holiday boxes for the eight Elders serving from our ward at the ward social this Friday.  We will mail these in time for Christmas delivery.  If you would like, please bring a small treat or gift for each missionary.  There will also be note cards available to write a message that evening. 

Here are some ideas from my Return Missionary Brother:
- Candy they may not be able to afford with a missionary budget
- Pens!
- Conference talks on CD
- Ties!
- LDS Music
-Scarfs or Beanies for cold weather
-Flashlights

The following is a list of our missionaries:

Elder Colin Black 

(departing Dec. 4th)

Columbia 

Elder Connor Cude

California, Santa Rosa 

Elder Connor Hatch

California, Roseville

Elder Kylan Larsen

Dominican Republic

Elder Darian Lupton

Texas, Houston

Elder Riley Miller

Utah, St. George

Elder Darrick Monson

Germany

Elder Aaron Woodcock

Uruguay

Lesson Summary: Be Meek and Lowly of Heart by Jerushia Dyer (11/3/13)

Be Meek and Lowly of Heart by Elder Ulisses Soares.

Being meek does not mean weakness, but it does mean behaving with goodness and kindness.

Moroni 7:43 And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be ^ameek, and lowly of heart.

 44 If so, his ^afaith and hope is vain, for none is ^bacceptable before God, save the ^cmeek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and ^dconfesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.

Do we know just how much the Lord knows each of us? How well do we know those sisters and friends that have been placed in our lives? We need to develop attributes of Christ so we can know how to serve those people. 

President Lorenzo Snow, the fifth prophet of our dispensation, taught, “It is our duty to try to be perfect, … to improve each day, and look upon our course last week and do things better this week; do things better today than we did them yesterday.”¹¹ So the 1st step to becoming meek is to improve day by day. Each day we need to try to be better than the previous as we move forward through this process.

Another important step(2nd) to becoming meek is learning how to control our temper. Because the natural man dwells within each one of us and because we live in a world full of pressure, controlling our temper may become one of the challenges in our lives. By controlling our reactions, being calm and temperate, and avoiding contention, we will begin to qualify for the gift of meekness.

Another step(3rd) to attain meekness is to become humble. The Lord instructed Thomas B. Marsh through the Prophet Joseph Smith, saying, “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.”¹⁵

One of the most beautiful modern-day examples of meekness that I am aware of is that of Brother Moses Mahlangu. His conversion began in 1964, when he received a copy of the Book of Mormon. He was fascinated as he read this book, but it was not until the early ’70s that he saw an LDS Church sign on a building in Johannesburg, South Africa, as he was walking down a street. Brother Mahlangu was intrigued and entered the building to learn more about the Church. He was kindly told that he could not attend the services or be baptized because the country’s laws did not allow it at that time.

Brother Mahlangu accepted that decision with meekness, humility, and without resentment, but he continued to have a strong desire to learn more about the Church. He asked the Church leaders if they could leave one of the meetinghouse windows open during the Sunday meetings so he could sit outside and listen to the services. For several years, Brother Mahlangu’s family and friends attended church regularly “through the window.” One day in 1980 they were told that they could attend church and also be baptized. What a glorious day it was for Brother Mahlangu.

He was not angry, he humbly asked if he could listen through the window.

When things fall apart, it's ok. It is in the process of being rebuilt. We need to be willing to change to obtain Christlike attributes. 

Communicate why something is upsetting you. 

Feeling anger and frustration is ok, it is what we do with our anger that can be the problem.

Know who you want to be. 

Our Savior humbly said while on the cross, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).

Food packs Service Project:

Each month we will have 1 item that we need to collect 40 of to go into snack packs for kids at Lincoln Junior High School. These children have free meals at school during the week because of state programs, but the only food these children have to eat on the weekends are these snack packs. We need to collect the items by the 15th of each month.

Our item for November is: Cup of Noodle packages

we need 40 of them. They need to be brought to Dixie or Noelle by Sunday November 17th. 

Lesson Summary "The Hope of God’s Light" By Ronny and Sarah (October 27th)

The Hope of God’s Light

BY PRESIDENT DIETER F. UCHTDORF

Second Counselor in the First Presidency

---

As we seek to increase our love for God and strive to love our neighbor, the light of the gospel will surround and uplift us

From April 2013 General Conference

Entrance to Enlightenment

President Ucthdorf began this discussion by sharing about a  cherished painting he has in his office that is titled Entrance to Enlightenment.  It was created by his friend of mine, the Danish artist Johan Benthin, who was the first stake president in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Of course as soon as I heard President Uchtdorf’s description I wanted to see the actual painting and I thought you might like to see it too.  President Uchtdorf shared:

The painting shows a dark room with an open door from which light is shining. It is interesting to me that the light coming through the door does not illuminate the entire room—only the space immediately in front of the door.

To me, the darkness and light in this painting are a metaphor for life.

It is part of our condition as mortal beings to sometimes feel as though we are surrounded by darkness. We might have lost a loved one; a child might have strayed; we might have received a troubling medical diagnosis; we might have employment challenges and be burdened by doubts or fears; or we might feel alone or unloved.

But even though we may feel lost in the midst of our current circumstances, God promises the hope of His light—He promises to illuminate the way before us and show us the way out of darkness.

Light Cleaveth unto Light

Like this painting, There may be some among you who feel darkness encroaching upon you.

You may feel burdened by worry, fear, or doubt. To you and to all of us, there is a wonderful and certain truth: God’s light is real. It is available to all! It gives life to all things.1

·        It has the power to soften the sting of the deepest wound.

·        It can be a healing balm for the loneliness and sickness of our souls.

·        In the furrows of despair, it can plant the seeds of a brighter hope. It can enlighten the deepest valleys of sorrow.

·         It can illuminate the path before us and lead us through the darkest night into the promise of a new dawn.

This is “the Spirit of Jesus Christ,” which gives “light to every man that cometh into the world.”2

Nevertheless, spiritual light rarely comes to those who merely sit in darkness waiting for someone to flip a switch. It takes an act of faith to open our eyes to the Light of Christ.

·        When I think of an act of faith that always opens my eyes to the Light of Christ is going to the Temple.

Spiritual light cannot be discerned by carnal eyes. Jesus Christ Himself taught, “I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not.”3 For “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”4

So how do we open our eyes to the hope of God’s light?

1) First, start where you are.

The perfect place to begin is exactly where you are right now. It doesn’t matter how unqualified you may think you are or how far you feel that you may have fallen behind  

The very moment you begin to seek your Heavenly Father, in that moment, the hope of His light will begin to awaken, enliven, and ennoble your soul.

2) Second, turn your heart toward the Lord.

Lift up your soul in prayer and explain to your Heavenly Father what you are feeling. Acknowledge your shortcomings. Pour out your heart and express your gratitude.

Let Him know of the trials you are facing. Plead with Him in Christ’s name for strength and support. Ask that your ears may be opened, that you may hear His voice. Ask that your eyes may be opened, that you may see His light.

3) Third, walk in the light.

Your Heavenly Father knows that you will make mistakes. He knows that you will stumble—perhaps many times. This saddens Him, but He loves you. He does not wish to break your spirit. On the contrary, He desires that you rise up and become the person you were designed to be.

To that end, He sent His Son to this earth to illuminate the way and show us how to safely cross the stumbling blocks placed in our path. He has given us the gospel, which teaches the way of the disciple. It teaches us the things we must know, do, and be to walk in His light, following in the footsteps of His Beloved Son, our Savior.

Light Overcomes Darkness

Yes, we will make mistakes.

Yes, we will falter.

But as we seek to increase our love for God and strive to love our neighbor, the light of the gospel will surround and uplift us.

The darkness will surely fade, because it cannot exist in the presence of light. As we draw near to God, He will draw near to us.6 

And day by day, the hope of God’s light will grow within us, “brighter and brighter until the perfect day.”7

To all who feel they walk in darkness, I invite you to rely on this certain promise spoken by the Savior of mankind: “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

John 8:12 “¶Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the alight of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

A Light in Africa

Some years ago my wife, Harriet, and I had a memorable experience in which we saw this promise fulfilled. We were in West Africa, a beautiful part of the world where the Church is growing and the Latter-day Saints are delightful. However, West Africa also has many challenges. In particular, I was sorrowed by the poverty that I saw. In the cities there is high unemployment, and families often struggle to provide for their daily needs and for their safety. It broke my heart to know that many of our precious members of the Church live in such deprivation. But I also learned that these fine members help each other to lighten their heavy burdens.

We eventually arrived at one of our meetinghouses near a large city. But instead of finding a people burdened and absorbed by darkness, we discovered a joyful people who were radiating with light! The happiness they felt for the gospel was contagious and lifted our spirits. The love they expressed for us was humbling. Their smiles were genuine and infectious.

I remember wondering at the time if there could possibly be a happier people on the face of the planet. Even though these dear Saints were surrounded by difficulties and trials, they were filled with light!

The meeting began, and I started to speak. But soon the power went out in the building, and we were left in complete darkness.

For a while I could hardly see anyone in the congregation, but I could see and feel the brilliant and beautiful smiles of our Saints. Oh, how I loved being with these wonderful people!

The darkness in the chapel continued, and so I sat next to my wife and waited for the power to be restored. As we waited, something remarkable happened.

A few voices began singing one of the hymns of the Restoration. And then others joined in. And then more. Soon, a sweet and overwhelming chorus of voices filled the chapel.

These members of the Church did not need hymnbooks; they knew every word of every hymn they sang. And they sang one song after another with an energy and spirit that touched my soul.

Eventually, the lights sparked back on and bathed the room with light. Harriet and I looked at each other, our cheeks wet with tears.

In the midst of great darkness, these beautiful, wonderful Saints had filled this Church building and our souls with light.

It was a profoundly moving moment for us—one Harriet and I will never forget.

Come to the Light

Yes, from time to time our lives may seem to be touched by, or even wrapped in, darkness. Sometimes the night that surrounds us will appear oppressive, disheartening, and frightening.

My heart grieves for the many sorrows some of you face, for the painful loneliness and wearisome fears you may be experiencing.

Nevertheless, I bear witness that our living hope is in Christ Jesus! He is the true, pure, and powerful entrance to divine enlightenment.

I testify that with Christ, darkness cannot succeed. Darkness will not gain victory over the light of Christ.

I bear witness that darkness cannot stand before the brilliant light of the Son of the living God!

I invite each of you to open your heart to Him. Seek Him through study and prayer. Come to His Church, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Learn of Him and of His gospel, participate actively, help each other, and joyfully serve our God.

Brothers and sisters, even after the darkest night, the Savior of the world will lead you to a gradual, sweet, and bright dawn that will assuredly rise within you.

As you walk toward the hope of God’s light, you will discover the compassion, love, and goodness of a loving Heavenly Father, “in [whom there] is no darkness at all.”9  Of this I testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Relief Society Presidency Message

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

General Relief Society Broadcast 2011

Forget Me Not

 

"I want to tell you something that I hope you will take in the right way: God is fully aware that you and I are not perfect.

Let me add: God is also fully aware that the people you think are perfect are not.

And yet we spend so much time and energy comparing ourselves to others—usually comparing our weaknesses to their strengths. This drives us to create expectations for ourselves that are impossible to meet. As a result, we never celebrate our good efforts because they seem to be less than what someone else does."

 

 

My dear sisters, I fully believe this quote to be true.  I humbly ask each of you to follow Elder Uchtdorf's counsel and celebrate your good efforts.  Your efforts are worthwhile and sincere and they have blessed the lives of our ward family and community members in a loving and meaningful way.  Let go of that woman who can do everything perfectly without even smudging her mascara.  She is a myth.  Hold onto your covenants and build your faith daily and know how grateful we are for sisters like you!

 

All our love,

 

The Relief Society Presidency