Announcements & Lesson - 22 June 2014

Announcements:

A huge big welcome to Shanice - our newest member of Relief Society - on her baptism this week.  We are all excited to get to know you better.

This coming Saturday is the Stake Family Temple Day - details of timings etc are on the previous blog posts.  The Stake Primary will be holding an activity for all children aged 3-12 from 9.30-12.30 so that parents can do a session in the temple.  If your children will be taking part please let Sis Sue Kennedy know as asap.

Next Sunday at 6.30pm there will be a Family History Workshop in the FHC at church.  If there is any aspect of family history you need help with please come along and Alison Pentreath will ensure there is someone to assist you.

Thank you to those sisters who came and supported our June activity this week - we had a fabulous and uplifting evening.  Our next Activity 'Sister Scriptorians' will be on Wednesday 9th July and will be based on getting us excited about the scriptures.

One announcement from our Compassionate Service team - Sister Pat Bines has not been well and is struggling at the moment.  We are providing some assistance and a sister is needed who could take a meal for three people on Friday this week.  It needs to be suitable for a diabetic.  If you can help, please contact Miriam, Sarah S or Cristina.

Lesson:

Todays lesson was given by Sister Annie Green (with a little help from Alison Pentreath!!) taken from Elder Quentin L Cook's talk from April conference 'Roots and Branches'.

You can watch the talk by clicking HERE

As individuals approach the end of their lives here on earth, they begin to consider what is most important to them and as Sister Lo Bianco shared when she has within her employment sat with many as they were dying, it becomes clear that what is most important is family.  It is the Spirit of Elijah reaching out and connecting us with our families and those we love which usually includes those who have gone before us - our ancestors.

Elder Cook shared the words of Sister Vilate Kimball as she heard the wonderful news of being able to do the work for our families:

"We had the largest and most interesting conference that ever has been since the Church was organized...President Joseph Smith has opened up a new and glorious subject...that is being baptized for the dead.  He says it is the privilege of members of this church to be baptized for all their kinsfolk that have died before this gospel went forth....I want to be baptized for my mother...is not this a glorious doctrine?"

Do we still feel this same excitement for the work of family history?

It is clear to see the Lord's hand in this work of turning the hearts of the children to their fathers with the expansion of interest in family history and the ever increasing resources so freely available on the internet.  As one 36 year old mother said "just think we have gone from microfilm readers in dedicated family history centers to sitting at my kitchen table with my computer doing family history after my children are finally asleep. 

"Brothers and Sisters, family history centers are now in our homes".

So what will we do about it? 

Each member of the ward will shortly be receiving a copy of the booklet 'My Family' where we can learn to record not only dates and names but stories as we come to love our ancestors and find those connections of roots and branches.

It is a work we can all be involved in, the church are especially encouraging our young people who so ably use technology.

Will we take our family names to the temple this coming Saturday?  Will we go to the Family History Workshop next Sunday if we need help?  Will we use the Family History Centers in our homes? 

Will we be connected as roots and branches? What will we do with it?