Announcements:
We are sad to announce the passing of Brother Peter Talbot-Ashby this week after a long battle with cancer. We are awaiting confirmation of the date of the funeral but will let you know as soon as possible. We will be helping with food for the funeral so some sisters may be contacted by Kim Spencer who will be co-ordinating this. Family have requested family flowers only, with donations to be made to RNLI or St Elizabeth's Hospice where they hope to purchase a 5 year leaf tribute to Peter on the memorial tree.
Next Sunday we have our Ward Conference which will be followed by a Munch and Mingle. Sister Paula Pereira is co-ordinating this and has requested each family bring a meal (hot) and dessert to share. Any problems please see Paula.
This week is our Stake Temple Week and all are encouraged to attend where possible.
We have a number of sisters who are unwell and having a difficult time - please take time to remember them in your prayers and maybe send a card.
We are now halfway through the month - please ensure you are arranging your VT visits and serving your sisters and showing you care.
Lesson:
Sister Margaret Benmore taught our lesson today from Chapter 4 of Pres Joseph Fielding Smiths teachings on Strengthening and Preserving the Family - a topic close to many of our hearts.
What a wonderful example Joseph Fielding Smith was of this - listen to how this wife Ethel described him:
"You ask me to tell of the man I know. I have often thought when he is gone people will say, he is a very good man, sincere, orthodox etc. They will speak of him as the public knows him, but the man they have in mind is very different from the man I know. The man I know is a kind, loving husband and father whose greatest ambition in life is to make his family happy, entirely forgetful of self in his efforts to do this. He is the man that lulls to sleep the fretful child, who tells bedtime stories to the little ones, who is never too tired or too busy to sit up late at night or to get up early in the morning to help the older children solve perplexing school problems. When illness comes the man I know watches tenderly over the afflicted one and waits upon him. It is their father for whom they cry, feeling his presence a panacea for their ills. It is his hands that bind up the wounds, his arms that give courage to the sufferer, his voice that remonstrates with them gently when they err, until it becomes their happiness to do the thing that will make him happy...The man I know is unselfish, uncomplaining, considerate, thoughtful, sympathetic, doing everything within his power to make life a supreme joy for his loved ones. That is the man I know."
We discussed how with the family being THE most important unit it needs our very best efforts just as President Smith ensured was the case in his family.
There are so many ways in which the world is attacking that family unit and no longer will a half hearted effort keep us safe. We discussed what some of these dangers are - including peer pressure, too much time spent on careers outside the home (both for mother and father), pornography, not valuing the law of chastity, media and the internet, immoral music, the acceptance of gay marriage and societal views of marriage as important to name just a few. And then spent much of the lesson discussing the steps we can take to protect our families from such attacks.
Some ideas suggested were to be cautious on the influences allowed in the home, on voicing our concerns when we don't agree with programmes used in schools or on the TV, having open communication with our children so they can speak to us about concerns. Also mentioned was that we live in this world and it will continue to get worse so one of the best things we can do to ensure safety in the family is to help our children know the standards and gain testimonies of them for themselves - help them have spiritual experiences and grow in faith so they will WANT to live the Lord's way.
Margaret left us to ponder over this coming week some questions posed by President Smith:
Do you spend as much time making your family and home successful as you do in pursuing social and professional success?
Are you devoting your best creative energy to the most important unit in society - the family?
Or is your relationship with your family merely a routine, unrewarding part of life?
Parent and child must be willing to put family responsibilities first in order to achieve family exaltation....
Sisters are we willing?
