THOUGHT: We are followers of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Such
conversion and confidence is the result of diligent and deliberate
effort. It is individual. It is the process of a lifetime.
Ann M. Dibb
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
1. Stake Choir will be practicing tonight
6:30-8:00 at the Stake Center. They are in need of people. The
choir will be singing for the Sunday Stake Conference session.
2. Saturday, Jan. 5this the Adult
session of Conference at 7 pm. There will be visiting authorities. This
is for 18 and over adults.
3. Sunday, January 6that 10 am is the
Stake Conference where the Stake Presidency will be reorganized.
4. Starting on Sunday, January 13th,
our meeting times will change to 11 am.
Yea.
5. Set sail for our CARE-ibean Cruise
on Jan. 10that 7 pm . Please meet at the cruise ship terminal (the
church) and enjoy your vacation to wonderful destinations. We will learn
how to “Care” for ourselves mind, body and spirit as you attend mini classes at
the different ports-of-call on our “Care-ibean Cruise.” Classes include yoga,
healthy eating and spiritual renewal. Don't worry about packing a
suitcase. Just come and enjoy yourself and kick off the new year with a
night that will be rejuvenating!
6. 1-13-13 we will release the new and
improve Relief Society Website.
NEWS:
1. Austin and Giselle Wright welcomed
their twins this week.
2. The Fillmore family have their new
little girl from Russia.
BIRTHDAYS:Dec. 31st– Holly M., Jan 3rd– Whitney N.; Jan. 5th– Jennifer R.; Jan 9th– Ramona B. and Jan 10th- Shanae
N.
Since today was a 5th Sunday, we had the privileged of hearing
from our Bishop.
I want to talk about the exciting things that are happening
in the Church and in our ward specifically. I was able to attend a
special meeting where all the Bishops from 13 different Stakes met with
Elder Bednar. Though there were many things that I can't tell you, I can
tell you one thing.. Years ago we were told about the three fold mission
of the Church and it's very unusual when such important events happen in all 3
areas at the same time.
Proclaiming the gospel – new missionary ages
Perfecting the Saints – the new curriculum for the youth Redeeming
the Dead – find our own family names
We received a letter from the First Presidency dated Oct.
8thwhich we read to you and at that time I really didn't pay too much attention
to it as to how it affected our family. The purpose of the letter was to
counsel us to find the names of our ancestor and take those names to the
temple, which would greatly enrich our Temple experience.
In my meeting with the Stake President, we were given an
assignment. To train the new instructor on the new youth
curriculum. We have been doing that and those instructors will still be
getting the support on how to implement this curriculum.
What
the Stake told us was to teach the parents that it is
their responsibility to the the missionary prep and temple prep teachers for
your own youth, grandchildren and teachers. Help them and teach them how
to prepare to go on missions and be ready for the temple.
Listen to the spirit. Help fulfill this assignment to help
our youth.
Perfecting the Saints:
Brother Chou was on the committed who wrote the curriculum.
Those of you who already know about the program, will you tell us in one
sentence what the curriculum entails.
Teach by the spirit
More focus on engaging the youth
Responsibility for the learners to prepare
More discussion leaders that instruction
Focus on the Scriptures and on Teach my Gospel Personal
conversion Challenge – to act upon and follow up
They will study one basic topic in Sunday School and YM and
YW. In January the topic will be the Godhead.
As parents, you can ask your children what they are
learning. There is no manual. It will be online, and there will be
updates as needed.
For example, after General Conference, talks will be
posted that correspond with the topics. There will be more lesson plans
than weeks. The instructor is to teach by the spirit and teach the lesson
plan. There will be different outlines, activities
Where can the parents go to learn more about what will be
taught: Go to lds.org – resources – manuals/magazines. On the last page
of the December Ensign you can find more information. New Learning
Resources for Youth: Questions and Answers. And Come, Follow Me.
There are lesson plans for each of the group on the web.
Know what important things are happening with the youth.
If you have any questions, you can ask Brother Chou. He was very involved
in trying out the ideas for this curriculum.
Proclaiming the Gospel:
It is the responsibility of the parents to prepare the youth to
serve missions. I thought I had more years until that time came, but with
the new age for missionaries, I see that I don't. What to do?
Get into groups of 4-6 people and talk about ways to do so. The
assignment from the Stake is to talk about ways that you can help them to
prepare in your home, your own families.
My husband and I were lucky to be sitting by the Chou and he
shared ideas with us. “Each family needs to identify, pray and consider the
needs of the family. Family prayer, family scripture study, FHE are ways
to start. There was a BYU professor who taught Church History and his
idea was that He knew more than his children, so he taught all the FHE
lessons. Kids learn more if they have the opportunity to teach, with
coaching, mentoring, at home. In my home, each one takes a turn.
Give the kids an opportunity to teach, they may not teach as perfect as I like,
but each time they do, they become better. You can then see how much they do
know and where they are missing the point.
Shared
ideas:
1. Teach from Preach my Gospel in FHE
2. Start early about a decision to go
on a mission.
3. A mission will be the hardest thing
they will ever do, and give kids the opportunity to do hard things now, so they
can learn that they can.
4. They need to learn how to cook
basic meals, do laundry, keep clean house. Many have no clue.
(Basic living skills)
5. Grandparents go on a mission –
share experiences
6. Have them learn how to bear
testimony in a family setting
7. Have the youth participate in find
names, do baptism for ancestors.
8. Become familiar with Preach my
Gospel. Find ways they can get socially involved with electronic
devices. Interact with people.
9. Dads, give an honest insight as a
missionary. Perspective and insightful.
Programs don't solve problems, they are tools. In March we will
again be having the 'missionary experience. Last year, some of the youth
did a fantastic job while others, well. We discussed how we could help
prep them better and decided we would give the assignment to you parents.
Goes right along with what the Stake wants us to do. Help them to teach
on that day. You will get a hand out on which lessons to prepare
for. There will be 2 lessons. They will each teach for 10 minutes.
They will be in groups of 2 or 4 together so the total
teaching time can be 20 – 40 minutes. You will help them prepare for it
If you don't have youth, we need your help to provide the missionary
experience by offering your home as a teaching site. It will be on March
27th. The youth will come to your home and teach you the gospel. You can
give them treats, talk about your missionary experience to where you went.
All youth, ages 12-18 will participate, They will fill out applications
for the mission, will receive their mission call, what mission and who their
companion will be. They will be experiences missionary activities
throughout the month of March. This assignment will be a good excuse for
you to go back to your kids and let them know that you are going to start
preparing for this. We will be sending out sign up sheets for home.
There are 80 youth, so there will be 40 companionship.
It's also good to
talk to them about cleanliness. Teach them personal
hygiene. How to take care of their apartments, to not destroy the places
where they will be living. To learn how to be courteous, be polite, how
to sit, carry on conversations.
Redeeming the Dead – Temple prep teacher
It's a little scary to talk about the Temple because we don't
want to say too much. The best way to prepare the youth is to have them
go to the Temple. Have them search out a name of an ancestor and take it
to the temple.
Prepare them to teach.
Prepare them and yourself to go to the temple with names of our
own ancestors.
This is a different philosophy for me. I thought that
after we were done with soccer, band, etc. where we didn't have to be
constantly taking them here and there, then I could find the time to do family
history. I have too mulch going on right now. I was missing the
point. The kids will be gone by then and we won't have the experience of
sharing in this work. Not have the blessing of knowing how to do
that as a family.
I won't tell you how to do it because I don't know how to
do it. But we have consultants that will show you. Sarah Heiner and
Cliff Montagnoli have been called to do that. Sarah has put together a
handout. Thanks to Sarah – she is a good example of using that
work. We also have the Family History Center across the street.
One idea is to take your children to the temple, have their
pictures taken in front of the temple. You can visit different temples
around the area. Help them to search out their ancestors, show them
pictures of them and tell them a little about them. Help them to feel
that they are real people.
What if you don't have youth in your home. As
grandparent we can help our grandchildren. Prepare names for them to take
and do baptisms.Share those names with them.
Here are Specific Assignments for you as parents:
If you have youth between the ages of 14-18, July 8 – 10
they will be going on a Trek. Have them focus on their pioneer
ancestors. Have them prepare some names to take to the temple.
If you don't have youth in that age range, then on July
12th, the youth will be doing a baptism assignment, ages 12-18.
On March 5 that 8:15 pm, the Ward will be having a special
Temple session. You can take a name of an ancestor.
I will be sending out an email on all of this.
Whey you need to share names for Temple work, make it
personal, use the spirit to guide you as to who might be blessed with that
opportunity to get a name to get to the temple.
I am grateful for the opportunity to serve with you. You
are an example.
I love the Lord, know He loves me and He loves you.
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