We've got a lot of news this week, so please read carefully!
Dates to Remember:
June 14 - Last day of school
June 17 - Father's Day
June 17 - Book of Mormon summer reading challenge begins
June 19 - Relief Society Meeting Night
Book of Mormon Challenge:
Our annual summer Book of Mormon reading will start on June 17, so get ready! This is a great opportunity to encourage your children to read the entire book when they don't have homework or other school activities to distract them. It's also a great time to read it yourself! Reading it in a short amount of time gives you a whole new perspective on scriptures that may already be familiar. Look for flyers next Sunday!
Visiting Teaching:
Here is the link for this months visiting teaching message and a cute handout. Only two weeks until kids are out of school, so schedule your appointments soon before summer madness starts.
Summer Service Opportunities:
Adam Andrews is leaving for Peru for a service project this Wednesday (June 13). He is taking shoes and clothing to children there who are desperately in need. If you have anything to donate, please contact him at 235-3818 or adamandrews92@gmail.com,
Linda Denos, a former member of our ward, has been in a care facility for many months now and has made a miraculous recovery after she wasn't expected to live. She loves getting letters and visitors. If you would like to send her a short note you can send it to her c/o Rob Denos, 20702 El Toro Rd., #583 Lake Forest, Ca 92630
Missionary News:
If you would like to feed the missionaries, please contact Lauri Rex at laurirex@yahoo.com or 589-2929.
Don't forget to keep not only the elders serving in our ward in your prayers, but also the elders serving from our ward. Patrick Carlile is in the Berlin, Germany mission and Landon Gold is serving in Durban, South Africa.
Don't forget to keep not only the elders serving in our ward in your prayers, but also the elders serving from our ward. Patrick Carlile is in the Berlin, Germany mission and Landon Gold is serving in Durban, South Africa.
Temple Theme:
One of our goals as a Relief Society Presidency and the focus of our Stake Relief Society Presidency is to get sisters to the temple, so when I found this video of President Monson talking about the purpose and importance of temples, I had to share it. Please watch it when you have a chance!
Father's Day Gifts:
Summer Fun Days:
School is out in this week, so let's get ready for some fun! Here are some of the fun things a lot of local moms will be doing:
Mondays - Swim at Altisima Pool
Tuesdays - Head to the beach (changes from week to week, but usually San Clemente area)
Wednesdays - Free movie www.regmovies.com/summermovieexpress
Thursdays - Mission Viejo Lake (contact a MV resident to get on the list to get in)
Fridays- RSM beach club (contact RSM resident to get on the list to get in)
For Our Singles:
Looking for a special gift to give Dad on Fathers' Day? How about some hand dipped chocolate covered pretzels made with love. Proceeds help to pay for Girls Camp. The cost is $10. Order through Becca Haggard at cheri@FamilyHistory123.com.
Thank you, Lark Curry, Ashley Smith, Caity Hassell and Becca Haggard
Need Stuff?:
Need Stuff?:
Jessie Bair is moving and is giving away a lot of her things: napkins, patio furniture, appliances, etc. If you are interested in any of it please call her at 305-7858. She lives in the Madrid Apts. #5107 (28401 Los Alisos).
Summer Fun Days:
School is out in this week, so let's get ready for some fun! Here are some of the fun things a lot of local moms will be doing:
Mondays - Swim at Altisima Pool
Tuesdays - Head to the beach (changes from week to week, but usually San Clemente area)
Wednesdays - Free movie www.regmovies.com/summermovieexpress
Thursdays - Mission Viejo Lake (contact a MV resident to get on the list to get in)
Fridays- RSM beach club (contact RSM resident to get on the list to get in)
For Our Singles:
June 11: Simple Answers to Gospel Questions fireside for 31+ singles' FHE with Brother Russ Greiner. 7 pm at the Altisma building in the Relief Society Room. Refreshments served.
Aug. 2 - 6: Orange County Singles Conference: Pursue Your Path to Happiness. Contact ocbconference@gmail.com with questions or talk to sister Cassandra Leonard.
Lesson Schedule:
June 10: George A. Smith Ch. 11 Revelation from God to His Children
June 17: George A. Smith ch. 12 An Enthusiastic Desire to Share the Gospel
June 24: TFOT: And a Little Child Shall Lead Them
Sister Flint taught our lesson today from the manual. She did an incredible job teaching us about the important principle of revelation and how unique our church is in our belief in modern-day revelation. Jospeh Smith taught that, "salvation cannot come without revelation."
President George Albert Smith taught that
In our April General Conference, Elder Richard G Scott gave a talk entitled How to Obtain Revelation. Some of the practical principles he gave for receiving revelation were to exercise, eat well, and get enough sleep. In addition to these basic things, he spoke on other ways revelation received, including the following:
Dreams-
Temple
Blessings
Promptings
Prayer
Scripture
Talks/ testimonies
The distinction between this great Church and that of all other churches from the beginning has been that we believe in divine revelation; we believe that our Father speaks to man today as he has done from the time of Adam. We believe and we know—which is more than mere belief—that our Father has set his hand in this world for the salvation of the children of men.3
It is not only because we have faith in these books [the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price] that we are considered a peculiar people but also because we confidently believe that our Father in heaven has spoken in this day and age. In fact, we know that there is communication with the heavens. We believe that Jehovah has the same feeling towards us, the same influence over us that he had for and over his children who lived in this world in times that are past.
By the unbeliever, the members of the Church of Jesus Christ in all ages of the world have been considered a peculiar people. When the Lord has spoken through his servants, there have been at different periods of time many people in the earth who have said, “I do not believe in revelation.” This age is no exception to the rule. The thousands, yes, the millions, of our Father’s children who live in the earth are but repeating the history of the past when they deny that God has revealed again his will to the children of men, and say that they have no need of any further revelation.4
We do not believe that the heavens are sealed over our heads, but that the same Father who loved and cherished the children of Israel loves and cherishes us. We believe that we are as much in need of the assistance of our Heavenly Father in the directing of our lives as they were. We know that in the day and age in which we live the seal has been broken, and God has again spoken from the heavens
Sister Flint shared with us a story from President Smith's life that he felt illustrated how revelation works.
“Near Milford, Utah, we suddenly flew into one of the worst fogs I have ever seen. I tried to look out of the window of the plane but could not see anything through the fog. Not a thing could be seen in any direction outside the plane.
“I knew that we were approaching the mountains at the approximate rate of three miles a minute, that we were compelled to pass over them to get into the Salt Lake Valley. I was worried and asked myself, ‘How can the pilot find the way when he cannot see a thing?’ He had his compass but the plane might drift off its course. He had instruments indicating our distance above sea level but he had no way of knowing how far we were from the ground. I thought he might fly high enough to clear the mountains between us and the Salt Lake Valley and try to find the landing field by the flash of the beacons if we got close enough, but I chilled when I thought of the danger of losing our way and missing the beacons and the airport.
“In my anxiety I went up into the space that was occupied by the pilot and the co-pilot to see how they knew where we were going. I could not tell whether we were a hundred feet, a thousand feet or ten thousand feet above the ground and I did not know how they could tell, except approximately. I noticed that the pilot had a little device over his ear like operators in telephone offices use to receive with. I inquired of the co-pilot how they could tell whether we were flying in the right direction or know if we were off course. He replied, ‘When we cannot see we are guided by the radio beam.’
“‘What is that?’ I asked. He explained that the beam might be likened to an electric highway between two points, and in our case the points were Milford and Salt Lake City. He said that the device over the pilot’s ear operated so that when the plane was in the beam a low, purring sound continued to be heard, but if the plane goes to the right or left the sound changes and the pilot is warned by clicking as of a telegraph key. If he … pulls back to the beam or highway, on to the path of safety, the clicking ceases and the purring resumes. If we continue on the beam we will arrive at our destination in safety.
“I returned to my seat greatly comforted to know that notwithstanding we were enveloped in fog and darkness and could neither see nor feel where we were, the pilot was receiving information constantly that we were on the highway and he knew that we would soon arrive at our destination. A few minutes later I felt the plane descending. We had passed over the mountain tops and were nearing the airport. When we were nearly down we could see the powerful lights of the field indicating where to land and the plane with its precious cargo touched the ground gently as a seagull lights on water, slowly came to a stop and we stepped from our conveyance to the ground, happy to be at home again. …
“I have thought many times of the lesson I learned on the plane and have applied it to experience in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. …
“Not only has the Lord given us the advice already recorded in the scriptures to guide us but he has placed a leader in this Church, one of his sons who has been chosen and ordained and set apart to be the President. He is our pilot and he will be directed by a voice that will enable him to lead us where we should go. If we are wise we will not set up our judgment against him but will be happy to honor him in his place as long as the Lord sustains him...
If we are living as we know that we should we are entitled to the whispering of a still small voice calling attention to danger, saying this is the pathway of safety, walk ye in it. … If we have erred in our conduct the voice will whisper to us ‘turn back, you have made a mistake; you have disregarded the advice of your Heavenly Father.’ Turn from the error of your way while there is yet time, for if you go too far from the right path you will not hear the voice and you may be hopelessly lost. …
“My advice to you is to get the Spirit of God and keep it and the only way we will retain it is by living near him, by keeping his commandments. … Listen to the still small voice that will always direct you if you are worthy of it in a path that means eternal happiness
The prophet is Christ's representative on earth. He is the only one who can receive revelation for the church. President Smith said of this doctrine:
We have had misguided souls in the Church who have, in their ignorance, opposed the advice of the [President of the Church], not sensing the fact that they were opposing the Lord and they have fallen into darkness and sorrow, and unless they repent they will not find a place in the celestial kingdom.
Let us remember that the President of this Church has been officially designated as the pilot of the Church here in mortality to represent the Master of heaven and earth.8
When men, as they have sometimes done in order to win their success along some line or another, have come to an individual or individuals and said, “I have had this dream and this is what the Lord wants us to do,” you may know that they are not on the Lord’s side of the line. The dreams and visions and revelations of God to the children of men have always come through his regularly appointed servant. You may have dreams and manifestations for your own comfort or for your own satisfaction, but you will not have them for the Church. … We need not be deceived.9
My soul is filled with gratitude this day to know that as we continue our membership in the Church we do have a pilot who knows the way, and if we will follow his direction … we will not meet the spiritual disasters that the world is meeting but we will go about doing good, blessing mankind, and rejoicing in the companionship of those we love.
We are entitled to personal revelation and it is important that we use this gift. President Smith said of this gift,
I believe in you, my brethren and sisters. … You are entitled to the same knowledge that he is who presides over the Church. You are entitled to the same inspiration that flows to those whom God has caused to be ordained as His leaders. You are entitled to the inspiration of the Spirit, and the knowledge that He is your Father, and when I say “you” I speak of all those who have obeyed the commandments of our Father, and have partaken of the sweet influence of the Spirit of the Lord in the Church of Christ. … Each of us is entitled to the inspiration of the Lord in proportion to the manner in which we live a godly life.
In our April General Conference, Elder Richard G Scott gave a talk entitled How to Obtain Revelation. Some of the practical principles he gave for receiving revelation were to exercise, eat well, and get enough sleep. In addition to these basic things, he spoke on other ways revelation received, including the following:
Dreams-
Temple
Blessings
Promptings
Prayer
Scripture
Talks/ testimonies
Sister Flint shared a beautiful story with us about a dream she had after her mother died where she was able to hug her and say the good-bye she didn't have the chance to say before her mother's sudden death. This dream brought her great peace and comfort and is a great example of how revelation can work in unexpected ways.
The Holy Ghost is for us and it is through him that we receive revelation. It is the Spirit of the Lord that confirms truth so we must have it. To close her lesson, Sister Flint shared the following video with us.
The Holy Ghost is for us and it is through him that we receive revelation. It is the Spirit of the Lord that confirms truth so we must have it. To close her lesson, Sister Flint shared the following video with us.
Thank you Annette for a great lesson!
Have a great week!
Brittany Larsen
Presidency members:
Geralene Beckett - Presidentbeckettbunch@cox.net
Diane Smith - 1st Counselordianebsmith.smith5@gmail.com
Katie Anderson - 2nd Counselorkatiewoodanderson@gmail.com
Shannon Lo - Secretaryfoxymomsml@cox.net
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