June 2018 Kanesville Stake Relief Society Message

June 2018

“Ministering” is a term we have heard and said frequently since our most recent general conference.  When I think of ministering, I think about how I can more effectively love and care for those around me – my family, friends, and neighbors.  I strive to be sensitive to the whisperings of the Holy Ghost to guide me in how I might best serve.  My prayers include asking for direction about who I might serve.  I know many of you are doing the same as we adjust to a holier way of caring for each other through our assignments as ministering companionships and through individual opportunities to minister.  Our lives and the lives of those to whom we minister will be greatly blessed as we prayerfully participate in the Lord’s work.

There is another work of ministering that also brings great blessings.  Elder Dale G. Renlund said, “Family history and temple work is not only for the dead but blesses the living as well …. It is breathtakingly amazing that, through family history and temple work, we can help to redeem the dead…. as we participate in family history and temple work today we also lay claim to ‘healing’ blessings promised by prophets and apostles.”  He also said, “When we gather our family histories and go to the temple on behalf of our ancestors, God fulfills promised blessings simultaneously on both sides of the veil”.   In other words, as we minister for the dead through family history and temple work, they “minister” to us.  President Joseph F. Smith said, “When messengers are sent to minister to the inhabitants of this earth, they are not strangers, but from the ranks of our kindred [and] friends.”  Elder Renlund goes on to describe some of the promised blessings resulting from family history and temple work.  They include: Increased influence of the Holy Ghost to feel strength and direction for our own lives; Increased faith, so that conversion to the Savior becomes deep and abiding; Increased family blessings, no matter our current, past or future family situation or how imperfect our family tree may be; and Increased protection from temptation and the intensifying influence of the adversary.  Have you prayed for any of these blessings?  Family history and temple work is one way we can call these blessings down from heaven and enlist the help of angels – our ancestors and other loved ones – to help us with whatever we need!

I recently had an experience that caused me to reflect on our relationship and responsibility to those on the other side of the veil.  We cannot see them but they are near! had the privilege of being with a friend as she passed from this life to the next.  I held her hand and watched as her breathing shallowed and her heart slowed.  I was sad to watch her go – I will miss her! But, I was also happy as I imagined her free from her aged body and greeting loved ones who surely were waiting for her beyond the veil of this mortal life.  I reflected on the blessing of temples and the privilege to make sacred covenants and be sealed as families for eternity.  My friend was not a member of the church and had not received the gift of temple blessings.  Her death doesn’t take away her opportunity but she now must depend on us to perform those ordinances for her – to minister to her – and I believe she will have the opportunity to minister to us.

Sisters, I encourage you to accept President Nelson’s invitation to “prayerfully consider what kind of sacrifice – preferably a sacrifice of time – you can make [to] do more temple and family history work.”   As we do so, I testify we will be blessed in ways we never imagined! We will be sanctified, strengthened, and healed.

Love,
Michelle Holt
President


Resources for Study

•    Malachi 4

•    Dale G. Renlund, “Family History and Temple Work: Sealing and Healing,” Ensign, May 2018, 46.

•    Taniela B. Wakolo, “Saving Ordinances Will Bring Us Marvelous Light.” Ensign, May 2018, 39.

•    Russell M. Nelson and Wendy W. Nelson, “Open the Heavens through Temple and Family History Work,” Ensign, Oct. 2017, 39.

•    FamilySearch.org

•    JustServe.org – There are currently 113 opportunities within 5 miles of Roy and 86 within 5 miles of Ogden

•    The Family: A Proclamation to the World

•    “Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple” – a church publication available at lds.org

Relative Finder

A group has been created for members of the Kanesville Stake on a website called RelativeFinder.org. Relative Finder is a web site that allows you to see how you are related to historical figures, prophets, early members of the Church, signers of the Declaration of Independence, European Royalty, movie stars, and more by logging into the web site with your FamilySearch account.

If you would like to see how you are related to other members of the stake, go to https://www.relativefinder.org/#/groups/92405/join and click "Login with FamilySearch". Enter your FamilySearch username and password and then click on Groups, then Join. Type in Kanesville and click on the group called Kanesville Stake. The password is ColonelKane.

Aug 2014 -Sisterhood - The Joys of Family History Work

My name is Kristi C and I am a member of the Pheasant Meadow ward.  I am currently teaching the 16 year old Sunday School class and am a mother of six.  I was visiting with Sister Wintle recently and she asked that I share an experience I had with genealogy this past month.

I feel like this all started with Elder Holland's talk in October 2008; The ministry of angels.  At the end of his talk he said something that caught my attention, he said "Pray for angels to attend us."  I had never thought about actually asking them to attend to me, or assist me.  The last few years I have thought of this often, even thinking that I shouldn't call on them because they are probably too busy and I didn't want to disturb them.

Recently I downloaded the book; Angels: Agents of Light, Love and Power by Donald W. Perry, a BYU professor.  As I was reading this book in the quiet of our family room one evening, I felt the presence of someone to my left.  I turned and looked, but didn't have eyes to see.  I said, "I know you're here, but I can't see you."  The word genealogy came into my mind.  I was thinking, "All I know how to do is indexing."  After struggling with this for a few minutes I decided to go get the laptop.  Just as I decided to do so, my son's friend left, and I remembered that Tate, my 18 year old son, had been working on a line.  I asked him to pull up his Family Search account.  We saw that he had a family of seven reserved, but had not been printed.  I said, "Tate, I think this family wants their temple work done."  Tate pushed print on the computer and the room almost felt giddy, this family was so excited to finally move forward.  I asked Tate if he could feel it, he said "The room feels very light."

The next evening, which was a Friday I searched the parents names and found two more sons.  Our family would be leaving for vacation for a week in the next few days and our schedule was full until then and after.  I felt very strongly that I had to complete their work as soon as possible.

So,Saturday morning, my oldest four children and I went to the Brigham City temple, and were able to complete the baptisms for this family.  Tate took Korin and Kiera home, and I stayed with Zack to perform the initiatory.  What a blessing to be able to do the work for a mother and four of her daughters.

That evening we were able to attend the Bountiful temple with seven other family members, so a family of nine could receive the blessings of the endowment and being sealed together as a family.

This experience has begun to turned my heart to my fathers.  I want to find out about my family and tie us all together.  The reason I said that I thought this all started with Elder Holland's talk, is because I feel like it opened my mind to be more aware of the spirit world around me.   And because I was reading about angels my mind was more alert to their world and able to feel when they were in need of my attention.

I am grateful that the spirit world is here among us and at special moments they make themselves known to us.  I am also grateful for the love our Father in Heaven has for each of us, and for the experiences he gives us to grow and feel His love.