A Women's Relief Society Lesson based on a conference talk by Elder Oaks

I used this as part of a lesson I gave last Sunday. The basis for this Relief Society Lesson given in Monticello Branch October 27, 2013 by Sister Wadsworth is a Talk by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, given in April General Conference 2013. Titeled; “NO OTHER GODS, - Are we serving priorities or gods ahead of the God we profess to worship?” “WHAT IS OUR ULTIMATE PRIORITY ?” “ If we love the Lord we will keep his commandments!” “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3) “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:36) “Thus we offend God when we 'serve' other gods- when we have other first priorities. (Elder Oakes, see Exodus 20:4-6 and footnote b, Doctrine and Covenants 124: 84 ) “What other priorities are being “served”ahead of God by persons- even religious persons of our day?” Here are some areas that can be taken to extreems which take us away from our Heavenly Father. How might someone be lead away in these areas and how can they stay close to God in these areas? 1. Cultural & Family traditions __________________________________________________ 2. Political correctness ________________________________________________________ 3. Career asprirations _________________________________________________________ 4. Material possessions _______________________________________________________ 5. Recreational pursuits _______________________________________________________ 6. Power, prominence and prestige ______________________________________________ God has given commandments from the beginning to Adam and Eve in marriage, to multiply, and other commandments to not misuse procreative powers outside of marriage (Exodus 20:14, 1 Thess 4:3) God gives us commandments that if we obey, we will be happier than if we break them. “...neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. 1 Cor 11:11 The restoration of the gospel teaches us that we dwelt as spirits with Our Father in Heaven before we were born on Earth and when we die, our spirits return to the world of Spirits (either Paradise or Spirit Prison depending on how we live) where we can have some time to be taught as the Savior taught, which is told about in 1 Peter 1:19-20, before we are resurrected. Also restored is the sealing power that was given to Peter, that what he sealed on Earth would be sealed in Heaven. What is it that can be sealed in Heaven? Families! Which then makes sense of Malichi 4:5-6 about turning the hearts of the fathers to the children and children to their fathers. The pattern of God is Families- Eph. 3:15 “… of whom all the family in heaven and earth are named” as also on the earth, a spirit comes to a body created by the union of a male and female and is best protected and nutured if that couple are in, and stay in, a committed, righteous marriage. Cohabitation (living together without marriage) is no longer illegal in many countries, and some countries have authorized same gender marriages. Abortain has been legal in the US for decades. These things have been destroying families. “ Our twelfth Article of Faith states our belief in being subject to civil authoity and 'in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.' But man's laws cannot make moral what God has declared immoral.” “ May God help us to understand this priority and to be understood by others as we seek to pursue it in a wise and loving way, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

The Family is the basic unit of the universe

The family is the basic unit of the universe. God taught us to call him Father and sent his only begotten Son to make it possible for all who will repent and continue to work to obey the commandments, though none of us can do it perfectly so Jesus Atonement is applied to enable us to return to live with them and the rest of our loved ones after this life. Even those who will not obey God still receive from Jesus Christ the free gift of resurrection (uniting our spirit with a glorified body that will never die again) yet they will be unable to join with the rest of Gods children who repent of their choices that took them away from our Heavenly Father path to true happiness. The Scriptures even talk of the "family in heaven" in Ephesians 3:15.

We had one Family Reunion here and plan to go again for another this summer.

http://www.albionbedandbreakfast.com/ Rock climbing, kayaking, and a ski resort all very close by and for an incredibly inexpensive price. Plus the owner makes fresh bread and is a massage therapist.

A candida cleanse seems to be helping my health (work) !

I'm so pleased that I am sleeping better, now waking most of the time around 6:00 instead or one or two in the morning, plus getting to sleep easier and feeling rested when I wake up. :) I have more energy, have lost inches (don't know about the pounds as I don't have scales but my clothes fit better and muscle weights more than fat anyway :) My thinking is less foggy, I am not craving sweets or carbs all the time and I am eating way less. The eating plan that goes with this is to eat mostly the non starchy vegetables plus eggs, and protein, almonds or walnuts, seafood and some meats preferably organic in all things. No fruits, no sugars or fake sugars, even no syrup or honey. No grains except oatmeal. No vinegar and no mushrooms. Olive or Coconut oil is good. Plus I'm taking enzymes to weaken the overgrowth candida yeast cell walls, and some natural herbs that kill it, plus probiotics to refresh the intestine with the good guys. This should help my purpose in life/work :)

Well, when you die, you can't take your toys, homes, clothes etc with you! So, as preparation for the rest of our lives, we have sold our family home (Woodhaven Castle) of over 25 years. We used most of the money to invest in our family, (instead of banks or businesses etc) by loaning/giving enough of it to three of them, to get homes for themselves in safe cities. We plan to use the remaining for our mission expenses. Two of our family now have their "new" homes, and the last is having one built in the area where he will be attending medical school for 4 years, as after much research they discovered that was the best value way to do it Oh, and we have a new grand baby expected any day! That will make 3 for our son Richard, with the oldest child just having turned 3! It was really difficult to let my dream home go, but with GETTING better housing for our kids, then it felt it was finally worth it. I believe it will also make a huge difference in the lives of our grandchildren to not have to go to inner city schools, but be in cities/states with many of the neighbors having values similar to theirs, with less crime etc. Also with this they are saving money as rent was more expensive than mortgage payments to us, and a second bathroom means a lot in a family of six! Plus, now they can get equity and grow food for their use, canning etc. With less stress on the whole family to have enough storage, play areas, and convenience for Mommies to raise their kids and have a little time for themselves too. Of course better for visiting grandparents too ;) We are presently living in a used 5th wheel RV we bought, that has 3 slides. It is quite homey, but I am already missing storage. :( We may need to buy a small Granny house when we return from our mission. At least most of our family is gathering in the Boise Idaho area. :) We are presently working on getting the physicals etc ( I need new glasses too) done for our applications for our Senior couple mission. It is looking like we will state our preference as Brazil, as that is where my husband Ray went on his mission before we were married, and they just divided several of the missions there, as so many new young missionaries came into the field with lowering the age limit. Yet they need mature couples to also work in offices etc to let the young missionaries get out to the people, though I love to share the gospel too. It will all work out. :) Anyway, we got a computer program for me to learn Brazilian Portuguese, and as it is quite similar to Spanish, it should make that possible to understand too. :) We understand that it is about 6-7 months after turning in papers and getting a call that the visas to Brazil come through. So, we may not be out in the mission field until Sept. We had planned on June. :/ Still it may be for the best, as Ray has the best looking opportunity so far to get his Total Bone Removal System (for wild Salmon) into the industry in AK this summer, plus he is scheduled to spot fish for several boats too. I am re-reading the Book of Mormon, with a goal of finishing it before we go, and hopefully also the Preach My Gospel again, plus the New Testament (again). :) I'm also working to improve my wardrobe to Sister Missionary standards. :) It will be awkward to wear skirts or dresses most everyday instead of Levis or pants, but I suppose as I won't be doing my usual work, I will soon feel right at home. At least I'm already used to wearing such clothes every Sunday.

I wrote this January 24, 2013, and then sent it to myself, to put on my blog, which I'm finally doing today. Thinking this--- "to sleep or to work on with what probably amounts to compromised awareness/skills from a brain shutting down to defragment plus my bodies need to recharge it's life source" --- is something I have increasingly dealt with as I've aged. I've come to the conclusion that my mind gets numbed from needing to sleep and that my bodies immune defenses are lowered so with also then making mistakes in my work that I'm farther ahead to just "select what I need to neglect" Stop and rejuvenate with sleep or I'll regret it!!! Along with that I find it steals the joy today from doing the work well and extracts joy later with illness or lessened ability to enjoy my company because I'm so tired that I'm practically a zombie! ( we have been doing major maintenance on our home in prep for selling it and ALSO for a cousin gathering that begins today) While I have put aside the costume making that I love, to do things like scoop handfuls of muck out of gutters and scrape moss off deck railings- because I only had a little time to work WITH our son on it and we could talk during the working. :) --- I also find if I sleep when needed, THEN joy returns and the things that seemed important ( but in hindsight were only things that may have been more fun --- if--- I hadn't bankrupted my body to do them ) --- Still each must decide the level of joy lost or added, and or the personal "physical debt" they can be comfortable with OR --- IF their body is likely to go "on strike" ( get sick or their back go out, etc?) --- then too, I no longer have nestlings so I can sleep in later? --- there are some benefits in age !"

This is an awesome article, that I am already benefiting from in facing the stresses in my life! My prayer is that it will help others too. :) Meridian Magazine Facing the New Year with Trust in the Lord By Darla Isackson “O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever.” (2 Nephi 4:34) The year 2012 has brought unprecedented challenges--to me personally and to the world in general. Paul’s words seem appropriate: “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). Today I admit to distress, but my belief in God’s infinite loving careiskeeping me from despair. Pondering the pending New Year, I am glad I have no specific knowledge of what it might bring. Had I stood on the threshold of 2012 and been shown all at once what the world and I would have to deal with, it would have been supremely difficult to muster the courage to face it. However, “sufficient to the day is the evil thereof” and one day at a time, with the Lord’s help, 2012 has been a year rich in love and learning. Now, I’m reaching out for and claiming trust that whatever difficult things might happen in 2013, the Lord’s words to Joseph Smith in D&C 122:7 will apply to each of us: “all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.” Unexpected Blessings One of the great compensations of my semi-invalid state this past year has been time to read and listen to inspiring fiction. Many of the series show the slow but amazing softening of people’s hearts over time through the refiner’s fire of difficult experiences. I’ve lived long enough to see this process in the lives of so many people I know. I’ve experienced it in my own life. Paul’s word’s capture the essence: And not only so, but we glory in tribulation also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope:” (Romans 4: 3-4) Experience can bring us hope, because we see that if we persevere long enough, trust in the Lord long enough, God’s purposes begin to unfold in our lives in an unmistakable way. Anyone who considers suicide has likely not lived long enough or looked at life hard enough to recognize that inevitable unfolding process. Knowing this keeps us from giving up on each other or ourselves. I can trace throughout my life the Lord’s patient, loving care through all my foolishness and folly. Looking back on a rich but somewhat tempestuous life, I feel strongly the Lord’s watchful care and can say as did Nephi, “Nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.” So often it has been the scriptures that have pulled me back from the brink of despair and reminded me in whom I could trust. I love Isaiah’s words, “Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Isaiah 41:10) My Will vs. “Thy Will Be Done” I know myself that those promises are faithful and true and give us every reason to trust in the Lord no matter what. The major obstacle I have found to trust is self-will--wanting things to “turn out” according to my own will, wanting to control what I can’t control. Sometimes it seems hard to trust when I just plain don’t want the hard things in my life to be happening. It is difficult to say “thy will be done” and set aside my nicely laid plans in favor of His. In Helaman 12:6 we read, “Behold, they do not desire that the Lord their God, who hath created them, should rule and reign over them; notwithstanding his great goodness and his mercy towards them, they do set at naught his counsels, and they will not that he should be their guide.” Coming to a place of trust and surrender to God’s will is just plain hard work--the hardest work we will ever attempt. It is far harder than any other “good works” and it is the one that is absolutely essential. What a different mindset to humbly plead for God’s guidance, to know and do His will, than to either coast in deep ruts of habitual behavior or plead with the Lord to change things to be the way we want them. I’m afraid I’ve wasted time in both of the above-mentioned modes. But when I have the presence of mind to ASK, I receive the gifts of the Spirit needed to rise above these natural man patterns. The quest of my life is to surrender my will to His, to recognize and do His will. When I accomplish it, I am at peace. When I fail, I am miserable. I’m blessed to have good friends whose example helps me in my quest. Years ago I went to visit my dear friend Patricia the day before she went into the hospital for a hysterectomy. She told me of her recent deepening of understanding in regard to letting go of outcomes--of the trust in the Lord that gives you the freedom to say, “Whatever happens, it’s all right.” She told of the difference between praying, “Lord, get my daughter back to church,” and “Lord, please be with my daughter and reach her in any way that is best for her. Help me to love and accept her just as she is, just where she is in her development.” Patricia said, “I’ve traditionally written a long list of questions for the New Year. The 62 I wrote last year were all about outcomes. When I started doing the same this year I stopped, and wrote only one question: ‘Will I develop a closer relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, turn my life over to Him and learn to accept His will and follow His direction?’ With that focus, whatever happens about the 62 things (and most of them are still distressing), my faith will remain intact.” Patricia had such a calm and radiant spirit that day, and I continue to learn from her and her steadfast determination to trusther future to the Lord. The results of turning to God are results I can trust. His promises are sure, unchangeable, like He is. The scriptures become more and more important in my life as I ponder them, reap the blessings from the reasons they give me for trusting God. When I experience the blessings of trusting, its fruits become delicious to me and I want more! When I worry, obsess over other people’s choices or what “might happen,” I am in the natural man state. When I trust God, pray, submit, seek the Lord’s will, I rise above the natural man and begin to taste the fruits of the Spirit. Here’s an every-day example: one year, after Thanksgiving our son had to make a twelve-hour drive in a frightful storm on treacherous roads. I was quickly going into my best worry mode. However, my husband said, “I think he’ll be fine. And if anything happens, we’ll deal with it then. Why make yourself miserable over something that probably won’t happen?” We prayed for him, turned him over to the Lord, and had a lovely day. He arrived safely. The more I experience both sides of the coin, the more appealing I find the trust mode and the less appealing I find the worry mode. It seems such a waste of time. The best news is--it’s up to me! I can choose whether to wallow in fear and worry or to bask in the sweet assurance that since all is in God’s hands, all is well.Mormon 5:23 reminds us, “Know ye not that ye are in the hands of God? Know ye not that he hath all power?” Trust in the Lord Can Make All the Difference Trust, such a small word, makes all the difference in the quality of our lives. I’m not here on earth to prove I can learn life’s lessons by myself, but to be brought to the position of trusting in God. The greatest lesson of all is our insatiable need for the Lord’s help. We can achieve self-mastery only by turning to the Master. We can find sufficiency only by turning to the One who is sufficient. Any experience we have, no matter how difficult, that pulls those ideas from theory into practice, is a blessed experience indeed. Trust eclipses doubt and makes me steadfast in belief. Trust excuses me from the ludicrous impossible job of trying to fix others, fix the world, right all wrongs, and making others SEE. As a mother of many grown children, learning this trust has proved essential to my sanity. When in the trust mode I know that I am responsible only for my own quest for trust and I can be free of imposing my perceptions on anyone else. Trust seems to be the very key to gospel living: unless I trust the Lord I will not seek His will. If I don’t trust, how can I love Him with might, mind, and strength? Unless I trust how can I say I have hope and faith? Trust is the antidote to worry and fear, the opposite of stress. Trust allows me to relax into reality and learn what is there for me to learn. Any day we remember to say, “Preserve me, O God, for in thee I put my trust” (Psalm 13:1) is a good day. Whatever happens, the Lord will not forsake us. His promises are sure. We have such never-ending reasons to trust the Lord. We can look to the year 2012 armed with that trust. Trust in God will give us light in the New Year and help us live with peace in our hearts regardless of the chaos in the world. Note: To learn more about Darla and her books, Trust God No Matter What! and After My Son’s Suicide: An LDS Mother Finds Comfort in Christ and Strength to Go On, visit her website. For ebook format, go to Amazon.com.