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

Sept 2014- Sisterhood - A True Love Story

         I wanted to thank the youth and leaders of our ward and stake for doing the baptisms for the names which I and others have submitted. What you are doing is making a great difference to people on both sides of the veil!

         Among the names I submitted was the name of James (Jimmy) K and his parents. He was a very nice Catholic man who was engaged to my Aunt Margurite H (an active member of the church) for over 55 years, although they never married. They both passed away many years ago, but I'd received a strong impression that I should work to get them sealed together.  After Jimmy's baptism and temple work were recently completed,  I wrote the following letter to the First Presidency, and received the following reply.  Needless to say we were crying with happiness when we opened and read the reply.  The happy ending to their love story is that we are going to have them sealed in the Rexburg temple on Saturday, Sept. 13, where they will be joined together forever! Thank you all for the important work you are doing!  I know Jimmy and Margurite, and our family, will be eternally grateful for your dedication to do temple work, as will all of the others for whom you have done baptisms.   With love and gratitude,     

                                         Sister Maggie (Margaret) J, Fairgrove Ward.

Letter to 1st presidency

Dear First Presidency,

I am writing this letter related to my LDS Aunt, Margurite H (name removed) , and her fiancé, James (Jimmy) K (name removed), who was a Catholic. Although they never got married, they were engaged about 55 years, and I have had a very strong impression for the past few years that I should do his temple work and get them sealed. When I asked my Stake President as to how to do this, he said that after the temple endowments are completed that I should ask the First Presidency for permission and direction as to how I should proceed. This same advice was also stated by the Bountiful Temple recorder about two weeks ago when I inquired there.

Here is some background on their engagement.

Margurite , who was strong LDS, and Jimmy, who was Catholic, met in their 20’s and fell in love and were engaged to be married in Great Falls, Montana. When they decided to get married, the Catholic Church at that time requested that they sign a document that any children they had would be raised in the Catholic Church. When Margurite refused to sign it, she and Jimmy decided it would be better if they postponed the marriage, and basically stayed engaged for about 55 years until she passed away.

They did not live together, and were morally clean, but saw each other almost every day. Margurite would light up when he walked in the room, smiling, and both talking very kindly to each other. Jimmy was a mild mannered man, a perfect gentleman. He was always there in the background, and never interfered with Margurite’s church attendance or beliefs. They were totally devoted to each other, and he was an important part of Margurite’s life. She stayed active in the church, and continued to attend in her later years even when she had crippling arthritis and had difficulty getting in or out of a car.

She was instrumental in my family’s membership in the church. My dad, her brother, was also LDS, but totally inactive, and married my mother who was Episcopalian. The H (family) came from pioneer stock, and Margurite and my dad were from a family of 12 children, my dad Arnold being the youngest. We lived about 8 blocks from Margurite, and had such a close association with her. She was like a second mom to us, and we were like her children since she had none of her own.

As we got older, she would occasionally pick up us older children in a big black taxi to take us to Sunday School. At times Jimmy drove all of us to church and dropped us off. I remember enjoying the experience of being at church. When I was about 8 years old, my friend Linda who was LDS, started taking me to Primary. I loved it and also brought my older sister and younger brother. Then the missionaries came to teach mom and our family the gospel, and the four of us were baptized. Eventually my other three siblings also were baptized when they were old enough. I am sorry that my dad never got active, but before he died he said that he knew the church was true and wished that he had done things differently.

Margurite was a very big influence for good in our lives. Now I would love to finish their love story by having them sealed in the temple. I hope you can give me direction in this matter, which I humbly submit for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Margaret Ellen H

Member of the Kanesville Stake, Fairgrove Ward

Response

Jul 2014 -Thoughts on The Beginning of Better Days

July: Thoughts, Feelings or Insights from Andrea B, Prairie Crossing

Thoughts on the Book The Beginning of Better Days

What an inspiring book! For me, Sister Dew and Sister Pearce helped define what the Priesthood actually is and how we as sisters can share it. Personally, I have never found myself worried that I have not been ordained to hold the Priesthood. However, I have contemplated how I can better use it in my life with or without my husband who is a Priesthood holder. This divine instruction helped me understand the need for humility, faith and gratitude while on the path in utilizing Heavenly Fathers Priesthood's powers and blessings and to not make light of them. I enjoyed the part where Sister Dew emphasized that women are blessed with the keys of knowledge, intelligence and power to discern falsehoods.  How much better off would we as sisters be if we would not covet or be jealous of one another's intelligence or knowledge and be open-minded to their wisdom.  This book also helped me realize on a larger scale just how important the Lord's Temple is and that I too had better re-think my attendance. I had no idea the temple was based on the Priesthood. Thank you for that revelation. As far as Joseph Smith's sermons, they each had a few concepts that opened my eyes. Joseph talked a lot about women back-biting, gossiping and self-righteousness. As much as I hope to attain the innocence and righteous behaviors in this "make-believe" world. I realize I'm human and that Heavenly Father knows my heart and my intentions, even though sometimes my example says otherwise. One last thought, I loved the story of the sister who was having a bad day and stormed out of a meeting and how her friendly associates came over to her house not only to give her dinner, but to show that they cared. I loved that example of charity. Overall, this book was wonderful and I recommend it to everyone!

 Andrea B