Announcements & Lesson - 21 September 2014

Announcements:

For those of you not at church today, there was a change in the RS Presidency.  Louise, Sara and Fatima were released and the new Presidency are as follows:

President -          Ana Nunes
1st Counsellor -   Miriam Wedderburn
2nd Counsellor -  Cristina Torres

We very much appreciate all the support and love that has been given to us as a Presidency and love the Sisters of this ward dearly.

Due to the change in Presidency please note the Cream Tea activity scheduled for this Wednesday has been postponed.

The first weekend in October will be our General Conference.  The sisters session will be shown at 3pm at the Chapel - please come along and join together to watch this special meeting.

Fast Sunday will therefore be brought forward to Sunday 28th September.

The cleaning team this week will be both Garnham families and David Myers.

Lesson:

We had a wonderful lesson today from Sister Beth Baxter on Chapter 18, Living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

The lesson focused on Obedience and the need for us to be fully obedient to the Lord.    As President Smith said 'There is nothing more important to any individual than keeping the Lord's commandments.  He expects us to cleave unto every principle, to put first in our lives the things of His kingdom"

Beth shared a lovely poem that shows us how vital these commandments are:

The Parable of the Kite:

 

 

 

There once lived a girl, so faithful and true, With so much potential, so much she could do.
Her favorite past time was spent in the park- Flying her kite, from dusk until dark.
Her father had built it, a bright, sturdy frame, It seemed to hold up when the strong whirlwinds came.
It had a long tail, and what joy it could bring, As it flew through the air, tightly held by the string.
Her father had warned her, to hold on quite tight, The trial of the wind could put up a big fight.
This daughter grew restless, just watching it fly, She wanted to see it soar deep in the sky.
One day she decided that it wasn't fair, To punish this kite, and to hold back the air.
This kite deserved more than the same point of view, If she just let it go,it could fly away too.
Because she was struggling- life was so hard, She longed for the freedom to let down her guard.
Rules and commandments were causing such strife, They just held her back, there was much more to life!
In just a brief instant, she cut off the string, She took a deep breath as the air caught the wing.
It spiraled, it turned, and quite soon she had found Her precious kite mangled and crushed on the ground.
She then heard her father, his voice calm and true, My child, these commandments are given FOR you
To help you and guide you and keep you in flight, Just as the string has preserved your invaluable kite.
I love you. I need you. You're precious to me. If you keep my commandments, They help make you free!
Free to fly high, free from the sorrow, Free to awake without guilt for tomorrow.
My daughter, please know that I'm sending my love,  I'll guide you; I'll hold you with strength from above.
As I hold your string, I won't let you down, I promise, in heaven, that you'll get your crown!

We discussed what the Lord is asking of us in Matthew 5:48 and that the Lord really does want us to be perfect - but that we need to understand that it is a long term goal that we can reach step by step.  President Smith shared that perfectly when he said 'It is my duty, it is yours, to be better today that I was yesterday, and for you to be better today than you were yesterday and better tomorrow than you were today.'  This then becomes more manageable - we can all try to do that!

We spent a few moments considering our own lives - what is the one commandment we struggle with most?  And what are we going to do about it?  President Smith asked us to each work on that one principle, live it, again and again, until not only are we DOING it but we are LOVING it.

We discussed the blessings from obedience - some mentioned by President Smith were - exaltation / protection / more blessings that we ever thought possible / knowledge / greater faith / a quickened mind / conversion and testimony / immortality / all the Father has / a place in the Kingdom of God, with the Lord Himself.

As we looked through the list Beth pointed out - why when this is what is on offer, do we ever choose instead to disobey, to not do as the Lord asks.

So far what we had studied looked very black and white, we obey the Lord because we know we should.  Beth then took us back to the most vital and amazing reason we obey... "if ye love me, keep the commandments" (John 14:15).

We watched this beautiful Mormon Message which reminded us of what living the Gospel obediently is all about...it is taken from a talk by Elder Holland where he spoke of the Lord ever being true to us and the need to equally be to Him...

None were with Him - VIDEO

Beth finished by posing the question of President Smith:

"Can I help loving Him?  No I cannot.  Do you love Him?  Then keep His commandments!"

Announcements & Lesson - 14 September 2014

Announcements:

We are sad to announce the death of Sister Djamilia Riberio this week who many of the Portuguese sisters will know well.  She was not active at church but has been fighting a long battle with cancer.  She leaves three little children so please remember her family in your prayers.  We will let you know the funeral details once we have them.

We have a very special RS Activity planned for this month - Wednesday 24th September at 7.30pm - where we will be enjoying each others company and having a cream tea (without the tea!!!).  Due to catering, we do need a good idea of numbers.  If you have not already let us know, please email Sara and let her know you are coming ASAP.

We hope you all enjoyed the wonderful inspiring counsel from our Church Leaders at our Sisters Conference on Tuesday.  We were able to distribute Book of Mormons to some of you sisters today to begin your study as per Elder Bednar's challenge - as soon as the delivery of the remainder arrives we will get these out to you.  We hope to start up a Facebook Group for those of you who would like to share your thoughts and what you are learning as we progress through this challenge.  It is going to be an exciting journey.

The cleaning team for this week: Adcock Family, Albright Family and Jim Boon.

A reminder that the first weekend in October will be General Conference.  We will be showing the General RS Session on Saturday, we will let you know timings shortly.  This will mean that Fast Sunday will be on 28th September instead.

Lesson:

Todays lesson was based on Joseph Fielding Smith Lesson 17: Sealing Power & Temple Blessings.

President Smith shared a story about a man he met in 1902 in Massachusetts who had taken on the grand task of searching the records of every individual who had come to Essex County before the year 1700.  When asked why, he said "I do not know why, but I got started and I cannot stop."  Pres Smith said to him "I can tell you why you are doing this and why you cannot stop" and proceeded to explain to him about the prophecy concerning Elijah  and the fulfilment of that promise.  And so it continues today...as many men and women, both within and outside of the church, gather their families together further fulfilling the Lord's prophecy:

Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smith the earth with a curse. - Malachi 4:5-6

How blessed we are that Elijah did come and the sealing power, the power to make families eternal was returned to the earth.  How much do we value that power of the temples and sealing power in our own families?

President Smith said "There are thousands of Latter-day Saints who...are willing to go to meeting, willing to pay their tithing and attend to the regular duties of the church, but they do not seem to feel or understand the importance of receiving the blessings in the temple of the Lord which will bring them into exaltation.  It is a strange thing.  People seem to be content just to slide along without taking advantage of the opportunities presented to them and without receiving these necessary covenants that will bring them back into the presence of God as sons and daughters."

We further discussed the need to continue to go to the temple and considered that maybe we take it for granted that it is so easily accessible to us?  Alice Sousa shared with us how just a few years ago the Portuguese Saints had to travel to Switzerland for the nearest temple - a 2 day, 2 night bus journey each way.  They would visit once a year and stay a week and that time was very precious to them.  Is the temple as precious to us?  Do our actions show that to be the case?

We watched a beautiful video which can be viewed HERE

Then had a wonderful opportunity to think about our own ancestors and the experiences we have shared with them in the temple - it was lovely to hear Marian, Bernice and Pam share special moments of feeling close to their ancestors within the temple walls.

Announcements - 7 September 2014

Announcements:

This Tuesday evening from 6pm-8pm we have our Sisters Conference for all sisters aged 8+ at the Chapel.  This will be a live broadcast from Germany.  It will be followed by refreshments and a chance to socialise with one another.

The YW will obviously be with us on Tuesday evening.  The YM will be having their activity at Bro Rui Sousa's home, from 6-8pm. 

We have our next RS activity on Wed 24th September at 7.30pm.  This will be an evening where you will be spoilt and served cream tea :)  Hopefully you will have received your invitation today but if not we will catch you next week.  We do need an idea on numbers so please RSVP to saramccullum1@gmail.com as soon as possible to confirm.  We have a number of older sisters who would like to join us on that evening but who do not have transport.  PLEASE if you are able, have a think about the sisters on your VT list and help them sort a ride so they can be with us.

Visiting Teaching - please note we have had to make some minor changes to include sisters who have recently moved in or been baptized or have moved home.  Your VT supervisors will be in touch if this involves you or your list.

Family History - the Family History Centre will be open next Sunday for any members that would like to go in and receive some help from the FH Consultants.  Please let Alison Pentreath know if you would like to go.

The Cleaning team for the chapel this week is:  Americo and Ana Nunes, Jose & Eva Vinas, Maria Castanheda and Jose Vinas, and Jo Stockill.


Lesson:

Today was the Presidency message and after prayer we felt that we needed to have a Sunday where we were able to share testimony and feelings of the Saviour. 

The youth came in and began our message by singing Come Unto Him - which was just beautiful and evoked a wonderful spirit.  This was followed by Bishop and then the Presidency sharing testimonies, and then some of our sisters shared feelings of Christ. 

This is the song the youth sang:  COME UNTO HIM

We hope you are able to feel the wonderful spirit this song brought to us today.

Announcements & Lesson - 31 August 2014

Announcements:

Next Sunday is our Presidency message and we will be concentrating on the Saviour and our relationship with Him.  Sisters, over this coming week we would ask you to take some time to consider your own relationship with Christ. Think about what ties you to Him and what have been those precious moments in your life.  There will be some time in our lesson to share your testimony of Him if you would like to.

Tuesday 9th September is our Europe Area Sisters Conference which will be transmitted from Germany. It will be shown between 6pm-8pm followed by refreshments.  This is for all sisters 8+.

Cleaning team this week is:  Pentreaths, Ros Lafevre, Rumbolds and Jason Sycamore.

Lesson:

We had a wonderful Sunday where we were able to hear from our Mission President Jordan and his wife both in Sacrament and again in our Joint RS/PH lesson as well as hearing beautiful testimonies from some of our new members.

In the lesson President & Sister Jordan expanded on the message with specific emphasis on retaining our new converts.

We began by watching a section of the following talk from President Gordon B Hinckley:

CLICK HERE  (We watched from 7:41 on the video where he began to talk about the new converts to the end of the mans letter)

Many of us will have heard before the three things President Hinckley said each and every new convert needs and President Jordan challenged each of us to think what can I do to help this happen?

The thoughts shared were as follows:

1. A FRIEND - Introduce yourself / Attend each baptism / Sit next to converts at church and help explain things that arise in class / Be aware of who the missionaries are teaching / Invite them into our homes / Connect with them / Show an interest in them.

2. A RESPONSIBILITY - Take them VT or HT with you / Give assignments to them within a lesson / Assign them prayers / Take them to the temple grounds / Help them prepare names to take to the temple / Teach them about preparing FHE / Assign them to bless and pass the sacrament / Serve them and invite them to serve with you / Teach them how to get involved / Say thank you for what they do.

3. NOURISHING WITH THE GOOD WORD OF GOD - Share quotes and interact over Social Media / Invite them to our FHE / Help them start new traditions / Be a good VT/HT to them / Help them find scriptures during lessons / Fulfill our callings / Help with after baptism lessons.

Sister Jordan said we as ward members can truly stop the sadness of these new converts drifting away.

Then President Jordan posed an interesting question - if we so clearly know the answers, then why don't we always do it !!!???  It is time every one of us assumed this responsibility and stopped assuming someone else will.  It needs every one of us.

There was a lovely spirit as President Jordan called Fernando, and then Liam and Lois up to the front where they shared how they had felt the wonderful hand of friendship within the ward family.  Lois specifically spoke of the wonderful help Gloria Watson has been to her, the welcome she received, the explanations given when she didn't understand, and the arm around her on a Sunday.  This is something every one of us can do!

President Jordan planned on showing the following video but it wouldn't work - but here we go:

New and Returning Members Progress

Brothers & Sisters each Sunday we have the opportunity to keep our covenants to be fellow citizens with the Saints.  And President Jordan promised us that as we continue to do that, our wonderful new converts will stay and not wander away.  What a blessing. 

What do YOU intend to do about it?

Announcements & Lesson - 24 August 2014

Announcements:

Tomorrow we have our ward fun day activity.  This will begin at the Chapel at 10.30am, please bring a picnic for your family.  Ice cream will be provided :)

On Tuesday September 9th from 6-8pm there will a Europe Area sisters meeting to which all sisters 12+ are invited.  There will be refreshments afterwards.  Please invite the sisters you visit teach.  This will take the place of the YW activity that evening.

Kim Spencer has a friend who has a single divan bed with mattress, free to anyone who would like it.  Please speak to Kim if this is of use to you.

Lesson:

What a wonderful lesson we had today with Sister Ashlea Sousa, who taught from Elder Nelson's April Conference talk - Let Your Faith Show. 

The talk can be seen HERE.

Elder Nelson shared the following story:  "On a recent flight, our pilot announced that we would encounter turbulence during our descent and that all passengers must fasten their seat belts securely.  Sure enough, turbulence came.  It was really rough.  Across the aisle and a couple of rows behind me, a terrified woman panicked.  With each frightening drop and jarring bump, she screamed loudly.  Her husband tried to comfort her but to no avail.  Her hysterical shouts persisted until we passed through that zone of turbulence to a safe landing.  During her period of anxiety, I felt sorry for her.  Because faith is the antidote for fear, I silently wished that I could have strengthened her faith.  Later as passengers were leaving the aircraft this woman's husband spoke to me.  He said 'I'm sorry my wife was so terrified.  The only way I could comfort her was to tell her that Elder Nelson is on this flight, so you don't need to worry.

"I'm not sure my presence on the flight should have given her any comfort, but I will say that one of the realities of mortal life is that our faith will be tested and challenged."

And that is one thing we can all be sure of - our faith will be tried whilst here on earth.  It may not happen in a life and death situation but the world we live in can threaten all we hold dear and believe if we do not consistently live our lives with faith.  We discussed it being an action word, that the Lord requires to do something, to faithfully act out our lives.

Ashlea shared that the word religion means 'to tie back' to God and posed the question we could all consider 'Are we securely tied to God?' or in life do we become tempted to tie ourselves to something else more worldly, money, power, popularity.

We looked at how we do live with faith in our lives, and Ashlea had each sister share one thing they had done that week which showed their faith....these were the responses:

* Remembering I am a Latter Day Saint and choosing to pray and read the scriptures.
* Helped a friend by giving hope
* I told the exercise class that I would be away for two weeks, they assumed it was a holiday but I told them I would be serving in the temple.
* Missionary Work - Trying to help people that want to know about the gospel.  And praying to the Lord for help with my finances
* Every day I pray for faith to cope with the days events - and it works!
* I had some spare money left this week and felt it would be well spent buying things from the LDS site to help my children learn and understand the Lord's way. I have faith in these things and in the lord to show me how to teach them.
* Visit to hospital and faith to follow their counsel
* Showing patience in the Lord's timing
* Having family scripture time even when the children were pushing each and every button!
* Gospel conversations at work
* Faith shown by asking the Lord for help in the daily life activities, and believed to receive help.
* Standing up for my standards regarding the Word of Wisdom and telling others why I live those standards
* Faith that God would answer my prayers to help me have strength for the day and to help me at work through the spirit to make the right decisions and say the right things.

We then reviewed Isaiah 5:20 and discussed how the world can confuse us if we are not truly tied to the Lord, it can give very convincing arguments about what is right and wrong...Just as Ashlea did as she said we could have grapes and then produced a tub of strawberries, trying to convince us to believe her they really were grapes!  We talked about the dangers of allowing our faith to lessen and what we can do to try and keep strong and close to the Lord. 

We ended the lesson by watching a beautiful video...Faith to move mountains.

As you watch this Sisters, think about your own faith, what will you do to strengthen it?  How will you build on the faith you now have to help protect not only yourselves but your families also?

Faith to Move Mountains

As Elder Nelson stated: "I please with you my brothers and sisters, Day after day, on your path toward your eternal destiny, increase your faith. Proclaim your faith!  Let your faith show."

Exciting Invitation

Sisters, we have just heard that there is to be a special Sisters' meeting for all Young Women and Relief Society members in the Europe area.  It will be on Tuesday 9th September at 6-8pm.

This will be streamed live from Germany and will be shown in Ipswich, Cambridge and Chelmsford chapels.

Please come along and join us.  We will be hearing from Elder M Russell Ballard, Elder David A Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve and Elder Donald L Hallstrom from the Presidency of the Seventy.

This will take the place of the Young Women activity that evening.

 

 

Also sisters, a huge thank you for all those who came to our annual fish and chip evening last night.  What fun we had :)  It was a beautiful late summer evening.

Announcements & Lesson 17 August 2014

Announcements:

A big welcome to lovely Eliza who is the newest member of our Relief Society after being baptised yesterday.  She is a wonderful, happy sister with a beautiful smile.

This Wednesday we have our annual Fish and Chip evening.  We will be meeting outside the Felixstowe Leisure Centre at 7.30pm.  If you would like to come and need transportation to Felixstowe, please let Sara, Miriam or Yvonne know.

The cleaning team for this week is:  Mervyn Holmes, Mel Holmes and Yvonne & Graham Holmes.

There is a Ward Fun Day activity on Bank Holiday Monday which will be at the park near the chapel.  Please bring a picnic for your family.

Lesson:

Raquel taught our lesson today on Chapter 16 of The Teachings of President Joseph Fielding Smith: Bringing up Children in Light and Truth.

It was a wonderful lesson where Raquel had the sisters share reasons why we need to raise our children to love the Lord and the people who are involved in that process.  Whilst the main responsibility is of course the parents, we discussed how no matter the position we are currently in, we can have a great influence, for good or bad, to the children in our lives.

As President Smith stated: "There are many great and real dangers to be reckoned with and those which concern us more than all others combined have to do with our children.  The only real protection or adequate defense can be afforded by the home and its influences." 

Raquel reminded us of the talk given by Sister Linda S Reeves in the most recent General Conference where she told us the "only real filter that will ultimately work is the personal internal filter that comes from a deep and abiding testimony".  So for the remainder of the lesson in groups we discussed the HOW.  How do we ensure we are raising children with those kinds of testimonies.  This is what was suggested:

1. Set a Righteous Example:

Be honest in all YOUR doings / Don't be hypocritical in your actions / Work side by side with your children / Serve together / Don't criticize others / Put forward your best efforts / Go to church activities WITH your children / Encourage and teach them to do things, even if it is easier or quicker to do it yourself / Let them see you living the gospel, praying and studying / Take them to the temple / Be positive about your calling / Take them to tithing settlement with you.

2. Begin Teaching Children when they are young:

Our example begins from Day One / Involve them from birth in FHE, prayers and scripture study / Build an open relationship with your children so they can approach you about anything / Discuss lessons and their days over dinner / Find teaching moments everywhere / Teach them about their 'inner filter', so they start choosing the right and have the responsibility / Teach them the dangers of the internet from the start / Become their friends and get to know their friends and their parents.

3. Teach Children to Pray:

Be an example / Use Primary songs / Teach them who we pray to / Start with small and simple steps / Use encouragement and praise / Include them as much as possible in Family Prayer / Have a daily routine with prayer / Get the young children to repeat what you say / Teach them to say their own prayers / Have a positive attitude and cheerful heart when it comes to prayer.

4. Introduce Children to the Scriptures:

Use Cartoon scripture videos and LDS scripture story books / Have family, daily scripture study / Act out and role play stories / Use Internet resources eg Mormon Channel / LDS.org / Use the Friend magazine / Read to them until they can read themselves / Show pictures.

5. Hold Family Home Evenings:

Choose gospel topics relevant to your family / Make it a special together time / Be constant / Learn together / Get everyone involved / Invite friends and family / Serve one another / Grow in love / Utilise technology.

6. Teach Children Virtue, Chastity and Morality:

Follow For The Strength of Youth / Be an example / Learn from others mistakes / Be open so your children can come to you / Answer questions honestly, even when it is not easy / Dress modestly.

7. Prepare Children to be Witnesses of the Truth and to Serve Missions:

Talk about missions from Day One / Talk about your own mission experiences and those of your extended family / Read the Book of Mormon and other scriptures / Start a mission fund / Show integrity and honesty in all aspects of your life / Provide children opportunities to work / Invite the missionaries into your home for meals / Serve with the missionaries / Encourage boys 14+ to go Home Teaching / Dress modestly / Have FHE / Invite returned missionaries into your home / Write to the missionaries / Help your children to know and recognize the Spirit / Study Preach My Gospel / Understand the Atonement / Give children opportunities to lead scripture study / Encourage participation in Seminary, Institute and the youth programme.

8. Help Children Prepare to have Eternal Families of their own:

Show them photos of your own Temple wedding / Have pictures of the temple in your home / Practice the principles from The Proclamation of the Family / Take your children to the temple to see wedding parties emerge / Hold FHE, family prayer and scripture study / Teach them basic principles and then help them to see the blessings of it in their lives / Encourage dating within the church.

Our children and youth are precious - let us follow the counsel of President Smith:

"Let us try humbly to keep our families intact, to keep them under the influence of the Spirit of the Lord, trained in the principles of the gospel that they may grow up in righteousness and truth...Children are given to us that we might train them in the ways of life, eternal life, that they might come back again into the presence of the God, their Father."