July Calendar

The summer is in full swing! Here is our schedule of events for July. Hope to see you often!

Combined Lesson on Sunday

We, Joel and Kim Adair, have been responsible for creating our Ward Emergency Plan. During our third hour combined Relief Society and Priesthood meeting on Sunday, we will present this plan to our ward members. We will explain the communication plan, and leaders' and members' roles in preparation for and during an emergency, if one should occur in our area. Our ward and stake leaders care very much about our well being, and we look forward to sharing with you the peace and comfort which can be felt through having a knowledge of our ward's emergency plan.

We have a handout for each family which contains important information. If you have a calling which keeps you from coming to our combined meeting, please let us know so we can get your family a copy of the information. See you Sunday!

Kim Adair

Be the Light

"Ye are the light of the world.
A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid."

Hastening the Work of Salvation

At the "Work of Salvation" broadcast tonight, the Church introduced a new vision for the work of salvation and a new web page on www.lds.org, "Hastening the Work of Salvation".  You can visit this website by clicking HERE and we've also added the link to the Helpful Links section on the right side of the blog. As the website explains, "This site will help you capture the vision of the work, understand your role, and inspire others to participate." The Lord will bless us all as we become more committed to assisting in missionary work, the work of salvation. If there is anything we can do to help you in your efforts, please let us know!

"The Work of Salvation" Missionary Broadcast

As a reminder, we have been invited to participate in "The Work of Salvation" broadcast tomorrow, Sunday, June 23 at 5:00 p.m. central daylight time. This special session of the Seminar for New Mission Presidents will be broadcast at the Meandering Way building. The invitation from the First Presidency can be found HERE and is as follows:

Ward and stake council members, their spouses, full-time missionaries, and other interested Church members are invited to participate in a special session of the Seminar for New Mission Presidents entitled "The Work of Salvation," which will be broadcast from the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah, on Sunday, June 23 at 4:00 p.m. mountain daylight time. [5:00 p.m. Dallas time] This program will be subsequently rebroadcast to many areas of the world. President Thomas S. Monson, President Boyd K. Packer, and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will share messages about how members and missionaries work together in a unified effort.

Where necessary, local leaders should adjust scheduled worship services so that members are able to participate in the live broadcast of this historic event.

A schedule including broadcast information for the Church satellite system, the Internet, and other media is available online at broadcastinfo.lds.org.  

 A new website titled "Hastening the Work of Savlation: A Unified Effort in Conversion, Retention, and Activation" will accompany the broadcast. The site provides information and helps for priesthood leaders, for ward councils and ward mission leaders, and for members and missionaries. It also helps youth know how they can best prepare for and participate in the work of salvation as they serve in the priesthood, receive temple ordinances, and accept calls as full-time missionaries.

Teachings for Our Time Lessons for July-December 2013

These are the talks the Richardson Stake will be using for our Teachings for Our Times lessons for the remainder of 2013. The titles below are links to the talks and the page numbers listed correspond to the May 2013 Ensign.

• July 28: "This is My Work and Glory" by Elder M. Russell Ballard, p. 18
• August 25: "We are Daughters of Our Heavenly Father" by Sister Elaine S. Dalton, p. 12
• September 22: "Marriage: Watch and Learn" by Elder L. Whitney Clayton, p. 83
• October 27: "It's a Miracle" by Elder Neil L. Andersen, p. 77
• November 24: "Obedience to Law is Liberty" by Elder L. Tom Perry, p. 86
• December 22: "For Peace at Home" by Elder Richard G. Scott, p. 29

Joy in the Journey

"Of Regrets and Resolutions"

Are you living a life of regrets? "If only...", "What if?...", "I wish I had...". Heavenly Father did not envision our lives full of guilt, depression, regret. He does not want us caught up in the "what ifs". He has given us a path to follow which leads us to a fulfilling life of worth and happiness. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13)

Sunday's discussion will revolve around "Of Regrets and Resolutions" by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf from the October 2012 conference and our own regrets in life; how to overcome the regrets and move forward and secure that life God intended for each of us. Heavenly Father in his infinite wisdom has provided the way to live up to our potential, our eternal potential, to "lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal". (Matthew 6:20)

Marcia Lindley

Additional Events in June

We've been invited to two additional events in June. These have been added to the Activities Calendar on the left side of the blog, but we wanted to make sure you didn't miss them!

• On Friday, June 21, at 7:00 p.m. at the Meandering Way building, the missionaries have invited us to a showing of "The Testaments of One Fold and One Shepherd". Please feel free to bring family and friends, bring blankets and pillows to sit on (in addition to the folding chairs at the church) and bring snacks to enjoy during the movie!
• On Sunday, June 23, at 5:00 p.m. at the Meandering Way building, the First Presidency of the church has invited us to attend a broadcast of "The Work of Salvation", a special session of the Seminar for New Mission Presidents. More information about this broadcast can be found HERE.

Happy Father's Day!

Big Giant X

A smile crept across my face as I put a big giant "X" over June 11, 2013 on the calendar. My plan was to spend the entire day at the temple. Not even once did I plan on checking my phone for the latest crisis of the day. The stack of emails, list of voice mails, and piles of snail mail would just have to wait for a full twenty-four hours. My line of thinking was that many problems require much reflection. I desperately needed divine direction which I am finding all the more frequently inside the walls of the holy temple. Spending an entire day at the temple is a much different experience than spending two and a half hours inside of the temple. It allows for a complete sense of relaxation, contemplation, and decision-making that is not possible in a shorter duration of time. Seeking answers through personal revelation requires time, reflection, persistence and active listening to the voice of the Holy Ghost. Sitting in the Celestial Room without the need to rush off and pick up kids affords more complete answers to more difficult questions. Our bishop has encouraged us this year to make temple attendance a priority. Let us eagerly heed this wise counsel. May you enjoy the same sense of satisfaction as you block out a day on your calendar with a big giant "X".

Rachel Roark

Mom and Baby Swim Days at the Reids

"Come to the Temple"

Sisters,

This week we all had the opportunity to spend time with our Relief Society sisters in the Dallas Temple.

Our Lorenzo Snow lesson this week, #10 "Come to the Temple", is an invitation from a prophet of God to attend the temple. The gospel of Jesus Christ and all of its saving ordinances flow through the temple. The prophet Joseph Smith, with whom President Lorenzo Snow was intimately associated, knew how important the founding, building and completion of temples was, in which the ordinances "hid from before the foundation of the world" might be given.

Lorenzo Snow was associated with the Kirtland, Nauvoo and Salt Lake temples and was called to be the first president of the Salt Lake temple. On Sunday, let's discuss the blessings of the temple, and how it binds the families of the earth.

President Gordon B. Hinckley said that all the answers we need today about our earth life are not found in the wisdom of men, they are found in the revealed word in the temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sisters of the Dallas Fourth Ward Relief Society, we have one of these temples within our ward boundaries -- how blessed are we?

Karen Bateman

June 11th Relief Society Day at the Temple

June 11th Relief Society Day at the Temple

Dear Sisters,
I have come upon some wonderful quotes from the Brethren regarding the temple in an effort to inspire you to join us on June 11th for our RS Day at the Temple.

"If we are a temple-going people, we will be a better people, we will be better fathers and husbands; we will be better wives and mothers. I know your lives are busy. I know that you have much to do. But I make you a promise that if you will go to the House of the Lord, you will be blessed; life will be better for you. Now, please, please, my beloved brethren and sisters, avail yourselves of the great opportunity to go to the Lord's House and thereby partake of all the marvelous blessings that are yours to be received there."  - President Gordon B. Hinckley

Elder John A Widtsoe said that any of us "can solve his problems better and more quickly in the House of the Lord than anywhere else."

"When within the sacred walls of these buildings, where you are entitled to the Spirit of the Lord, in the silent moments the answers will come."  - Elder Melvin J. Ballard

Faithful temple service offers one of the best opportunities there is to serve our fellow men and women in this life and to serve those who have gone beyond the veil. We are blessed beyond measure to be able to serve in the place that offers the ultimate protection from the storms of life. Thus the temple is a fortress and there we withdraw from the world in order to return to the struggles armed with the power to better deal with what the prophet Joseph Smith called the "vicissitudes of life."

Love,
Debra Newcum

Sacred Family Relationships

Sisters,
On Sunday we will be discussing Lesson #9 from the Lorenzo Snow manual, "Sacred Family Relationships". President Snow teaches, "that if we are faithful we will associate with each other in an immortal and glorious state; that those connections formed here, that are of the most enduring character, shall exist in eternity." He goes on to explain:

This is not our work that we are engaged in, it is the work of God. We are directed in our movements by a superior intelligence. ... The future of this kingdom will rest on our offspring; and its power and ultimate triumph, on their education and proper training. If we wish to sway a proper influence over our families, we must show them good examples as well as give them good precepts. We should be able to say, do as I do, as well as to say do as I say.

Please read the lesson over the next few days and think about your own families. What more can we do to build and strengthen our sacred family relationships? How can we become more unified in our families? What more can we do to strengthen and teach our children and the youth of the church so that these sacred family relationships continue as the work of God rolls on?

Safety for the Soul

"The Book of Mormon is no ordinary book.

It was translated from gold plates which were delivered to Joseph Smith by an angel of God. It was translated by the gift and power of God. Oliver Cowdery, who was the scribe, said, "I wrote, with my own pen, the entire Book of Mormon (save a few pages,) as it fell from the lips of the Prophet Joseph Smith as he translated it ... by means of the Urim and Thummim." (Millennial Star 21 [1859]:544.)

It gives an account of Christ's visit to the people of this continent. It corroborates and complements the Bible. It establishes the truth of the Bible. The central theme of the Book of Mormon concerns Jesus Christ and his mission. It is for the convincing of the Jews and the gentiles that Jesus is the Christ." ("The Book of Mormon", James A. Cullimore 1976)

This Sunday we  will be discussing the talk, "Safety for the Soul", by Elder Holland from the October 2009 General Conference. This is one of my all-time favorite talks. The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion, and our testimonies must be unwavering, especially in times of difficulty. Sisters, the Book of Mormon is powerful. It is the word of God. It changes lives. Has it changed your life?

Kristi Chesnut