Mesilla Valley Relief Society: June 2012

Sunday, June 17, 2012

June 17 announcements

Hello you beautiful sisters! This week we've got a few repeat announcements and a few new ones. (So pay attention!) :)

** THIS Thursday, June 21 at 6:30 pm is our Service Auction Activity. We have a bunch of great services that will be auctioned off, so be sure you get your visiting teaching done and be good!

** Also this week, the stake is starting the Addiction Recovery groups. The Addiction Recovery group will meet Tuesdays at 6:30pm at the Miranda Chapel and the women only support group will meet Thursdays at 7pm at the Institute building.

** June 30 is our combined temple trip with Picacho Ward. The youth baptisms are scheduled at 2pm, but the trip isn't just for the youth.

** Our Sunday meeting times change July 1. Sacrament meeting will begin at 11am and the meeting blocks will end at 2pm.

** Next week's lesson will be from President Henry B. Eyring's General Conference talk, "Mountains to Climb".

Have a great week and we'll see you Thursday!

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Announcements! Announcements! Announcements!

Just a few reminders of things that are coming up...

- Girls Camp is going on this week for the Young Women, so if you're looking for one of them, that might be where they are.

- Mindi Avery from University Ward needs people to help sew "Adopt Me" shirts (is that what you call them?) for dogs that are up for adoption. This is a program through the Dona Ana County Pets Alive Program and Action Program for Animals. The programs will provide the pattern and material, but need people to sew them. Contact one of the RS Presidency for more info.

- Start doing a little family history snooping and find Christmas traditions from your ancestors. We will be using these traditions and even recipes if you find them at our ward Christmas party this year.

- June 21 is our next Relief Society Activity - a Service Auction that will be a combined activity with Desert Hills Ward sisters. And it's now June, so all of your good deeds count for auction points - reading scriptures, saying prayers, doing your visiting teaching. Think of a service YOU could offer at our auction - the more choices we have, the better it will be.

- Our lesson this past Sunday was chapter 4 from Daughters in My Kingdom - “A Wide and Extensive Sphere of Action”. It focused on the history of Relief Society and it's miraculous organization. You can read it here: http://www.lds.org/relief-society/daughters-in-my-kingdom/manual/a-wide-and-extensive-sphere-of-action?lang=eng

- Next week's lesson will be Chapter 11 from Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: George Albert Smith, "Revelation from God to His Children". This lesson can be read online here: http://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-george-albert-smith/chapter-11?lang=eng

VISITING TEACHING

VISITING TEACHING MESSAGE

Prayerfully study this material and seek to know what to share. How will understanding the life and mission of the Savior increase your faith in Him and bless those you watch over through visiting teaching? For more information, go to reliefsociety.lds.org.

Faith, Family, Relief

This is part of a series of Visiting Teaching Messages featuring aspects of the mission of the Savior.

Not My Will, but Thine, Be Done, by Harry Anderson, courtesy of pacific Press Publishing Association, Inc., may not be copied

Jesus Christ is our Advocate with the Father. The word advocate has Latin roots meaning “one who pleads for another.”¹ The Savior pleads for us, using understanding, justice, and mercy. Knowing this can fill us with love and gratitude for His Atonement.

“Listen to [Jesus Christ] who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him—

“Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified;

“Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life” (D&C 45:3–5).

Of Christ as our Advocate, Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said: “It is of great significance to me, that I may at any moment and in any circumstance approach through prayer the throne of grace, that my Heavenly Father will hear my petition, that my Advocate, him who did no sin, whose blood was shed, will plead my cause.”²

Additional Scriptures

Mosiah 15:8–9; Moroni 7:28; Doctrine and Covenants 29:5; 110:4

From the Scriptures

Throughout the history of the Lord’s Church, female disciples of Jesus Christ have followed His example. Esther was faithful and courageous. Her cousin Mordecai sent her a copy of the king’s decree that the Jews should be destroyed, and he charged her “to make request before [the king] for her people.” He added: “And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:8, 14.)

Despite the danger, Esther agreed: “So will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16).

Esther then spoke humbly to the king and “fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears … to reverse the letters … to destroy the Jews.” She added, “How can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?” (see Esther 8:3, 5–6). The king’s heart was softened, and he granted her petition.³

Consider This

How can the advocacy of Jesus Christ inspire us to extend mercy and forgiveness to others?

Notes

1.
See Russell M. Nelson, “Jesus Christ—Our Master and More” (Brigham Young University fireside, Feb. 2, 1992), 4; speeches.byu.edu.
2.
D. Todd Christofferson, “I Know in Whom I Have Trusted,” Ensign, May 1993, 83.
3.
See also Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society (2011), 180.