He Knows You By Name

On "the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of 1820," fourteen year old Joseph Smith went into the grove and knelt in prayer. He "saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above [him] in the air." He said: "One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other -- This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!" Can you imagine how 14-year-old Joseph must have felt to see God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, and to hear Heavenly Father call him by his name?

You may not have heard the Lord call you by name, but He knows each one of you and He knows your name.

"He Knows You By Name" is a beautiful and inspiring talk by Sister Elaine Dalton given in the April 2005 General Conference. Sisters, remember that Heavenly Father knows your name. He knows who you are. He knows your needs. He loves you dearly. With this great blessing, also comes great responsibility. Just as Joseph Smith had an important role to play in this great and marvelous work, we too have an important part to play in these latter days.

Please prayerfully consider your relationship with our Heavenly Father. Have you placed yourself fully in His care? Do you know what the Lord expects out of you? I look forward to sharing our thoughts and insights on Sunday!

Kristi Chesnut

March Calendar

It's almost March! Can't wait to see you all at our activities and events this month!

Can You Feel So Now?

Dear Sisters,

On Sunday, February 24, our lesson is "Can You Feel So Now?" by Elder Quentin L. Cook. This General Conference talk is from October 2012. Please take the time to read it before Sunday.

I thought this talk was definitely a feel good talk. After studying it I felt more knowledgeable about how our repentance and conversion work together. I was able to repent several times this week and feel more joyful. Of course joy is what the gospel is all about and this helped me be more converted and committed to the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

See you Sunday!

Love,
Shirlee

Two Weeks Away!!

Just a reminder about the upcoming RS Birthday event, "Celebrating our Roots" on Tuesday, March 5. Join us for some delicious garden party fare, a fun service activity and a celebration of the wonderful organization we all belong to, Relief Society. We encourage you to bring a friend and especially your VT sisters. A nursery will be provided. We hope to see each of you there!

Kristi Chesnut

Stake Conference this Weekend

Just a reminder, the adult session of Stake Conference is at 7:00 p.m. tonight at the Stake Center. Tomorrow, we have the privilege of having our Stake Conference presented by General Authorities of the Church, and broadcast from Salt Lake.  The broadcast will be shown at our Meandering Way chapel from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Hope to see you there!

"Celebrating Our Roots"

As March is quickly approaching, our thoughts begin to let go of the lingering grays of winter and are renewed with the breath of fresh air that spring promises. Life begins to take root, building a foundation that is strong enough to endure all of the showers and storms that are ahead.

In March of 1842, the Relief Society was formed and began to take root. Our foundation was built on love and service for one another. There couldn't be a better time for a birthday celebration.

Please join us at the church on March 5 at 7:00 p.m. for a Garden Party as we "Celebrate Our Roots". This will be a great opportunity to get to know one another and extend a hand of fellowship to our friends and neighbors.

Kristi Chesnut

Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost

Sisters,

This week is Lesson #2 in the Lorenzo Snow manual. It talks about the first covenant we make with our Heavenly Father that is the gateway to the Celestial Kingdom. All of us in Relief Society have had the opportunity to be baptized by immersion and have been confirmed, by the laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost. As you read the lesson this week, think about your own baptism. Were you an 8 year old child of record, or maybe a 35 year old convert? Did you understand all that was happening to you? Did you feel the Spirit of the Holy Ghost as soon as you were confirmed? Or did it take some time to understand how to feel the Spirit? Was your earthly family surrounding you, and happy for you? Or were they confused that you were joining the Church, and that they might lose you? Perhaps you have witnessed someone else's baptism, and felt a special Spirit. Please come prepared to share thoughts you have had regarding your baptism, perhaps one of your children's baptisms, or the baptism of a friend you brought into the Gospel.

Please also take the time to read Matthew 3:16-17 and John 3:23 which tells of the baptism of Jesus Christ who came and was baptized to show us the way.

Sister Karen Bateman

Hazard Pay

Yesterday I went on a house call visit to vaccinate a disabled elderly lady's four cats. After chasing these crazy semi-feral cats around her living room for an hour, the kind lady gave me a large tip which she referred to as "hazard pay". This was particularly amusing as at no time did I feel as if I was in actual danger. In fact, the only injuries that I've received this week have involved cooking. While taking off the top of a coconut, I tried unsuccessfully to slice my wrist off. Then later, when peeling an avocado I took out a sizeable chunk of my thumb. By my estimation, I should be more afraid of fresh produce than untamed cats. Anyway, it was a good reminder of how the Lord watches over our temporal and physical safety as well as our spiritual safety. I'm thankful for the myriad of angels assigned to watch over me daily. There are so many instances in my life where I have witnessed divine protection. This week let us remember to thank our Heavenly Father for providing us with temporal and spiritual safety.

By Rachel Roark

You Matter to Him!

"Sisters, the most powerful Being in the universe is the Father of your spirit. He knows you. He loves you with a perfect love. God sees you not only as a mortal being on a small planet who lives for a brief season -- He sees you as His child. He sees you as the being you are capable and designed to become. He wants you to know that you matter to Him."

I LOVE that quote by Elder Uchtdorf. I want to give you an assignment for this Sunday. Please ponder and choose a scripture that speaks to you of the love that our Father in Heaven has for you personally. Be prepared to share your scripture and why it is meaningful to you. I am so grateful for each one of you, and I will appreciate the opportunity to share our testimonies of His love when we meet together.

See you Sunday,
Sister Stoddard

Links to the Lessons

We've started including links to each Sunday's lesson in the R.S. Lesson Calendar section on the left side of the blog. Just click on the title of each lesson or talk for easy access as you prepare for our Relief Society lessons!

February Calendar

Here is a calendar of our upcoming events for the month of February. Click on the calendar below to enlarge the image so it is easier to read. We'll also pass out paper copies of the calendar in Relief Society on Sunday. We hope to see you often this month!