Ladies,

Our lesson this week takes us back to one of the best weekends of the year - General Conference! We will discuss Elder Hales message, "General Conference: Strengthening Faith and Testimony." Find it here.

How wonderful it is to have living prophets on the earth today to guide and direct us. Conference is an amazing opportunity we have twice a year to spiritually recharge our battery and increase our reserve of faith. As you revisit Elder Hales' talk, I invite you to think of the role that Conference has played in your life and the development of your testimony. 

I hope we can learn from each other and benefit from hearing the different ways we each participate in General Conference. 

With Love,

Annie Reid

Joseph & Hyrum Smith, Witnesses for Jesus Christ

"Oh how lovely was the morning. radiant beamed the sun above - when within the shady woodland, Joseph sought the God of love." 

Of course we understand from that beautiful hymn, Joseph was our beloved prophet of the restoration, Joseph Smith. who as a mere 14 year old boy sought in prayer God the Father. Please ponder the following thoughts as you read lesson #7 in the JFS manual.

• Do you have a personal testimony of the First Vision? Have you ever prayed for one?
• Is it a necessary foundation of a testimony?
• What did we learn from the First Vision?

This lesson is about both Joseph and Hyrum Smith,and here are a few more questions to ponder when you read.

• What role did Hyrum play in the restoration?
• Could Joseph have accomplished it without Hyrum?
• Have you ever felt the closeness that Joseph and Hyrum had with a friend, brother, sister or family member?
• How are they related to our author Joseph Fielding Smith? See any similarities?
• How did Joseph and Hyrum continually testify of Christ?

I look forward to Easter Sunday Sisters - Jesus Christ Is Risen Again! and so shall we! Jesus Christ was the God of this World, raised again to Godhood, because He was perfect. Let us ponder this Easter if we have lived up to our Covenants so that we may come forward in the Morning of the First Resurrection, clothed with glory, immortality and eternal life!

Sister Karen Bateman

He Is Risen

Read this article to help you prepare for Easter:

5 Minutes A Day For A Christ-Centered Easter Week

Stake RS Women's Conference

The Significance of the Sacrament

Joseph Fielding Smith said; "In my judgment the sacrament meeting is the most sacred; the most holy, of all the meetings of the Church. When I reflect upon the gathering of the Savior and his apostles on that memorable night when he introduced the sacrament; when I think of that solemn occasion my heart is filled with wonderment and my feelings are touched. I consider that gathering one of the most solemn and wonderful since the beginning of time".

Sisters, please come to Sacrament Meeting with renewed thoughts about partaking of the Sacrament and the impact this ordinace has on your life. Please be ready to share.

Love,

Karen Armstrong

April Service

For the month of April, Relief Society will be collecting vases for a local JustServe need. Petals for Patients is a program offered by Silverado Hospice for patients in their home environment. Donated vases will be used to make new flower arrangements for patients who are at the end of their journey.  Everyone loves flowers.  We need only supply the vase. 

Some Favorite General Conference Memes

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General Conference

General Conference

General Conference

Saturday & Sunday

11:00 a.m. & 3:00 p.m.

Meandering Way Chapel

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Watch "The Blessings of Conference" (below)

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"Outmatched"

  

  The mouthguard made it difficult to breathe and the taekwondo sparring gear only contributed to the claustrophobia. On Friday nights the blackbelts at my taekwondo school duke it out in sparring matches. My opponent was an extremely quick and fit sixteen year old young man who was luring me into a corner of the ring and patiently waiting. My instructor yelled, "Come on, Rachel!" as I reluctantly tried to move in for a series of kicks. That is precisely when my opponent twirled around with seemless ease and kicked the tar out of me several times. Reeling from the acute pain of the blows, the pitiful sound of my jagged breaths taunted me as I tried to compose myself. What in the world was I even doing here? What was I trying to prove? The thought of being a thirty-eight year old overweight woman who could barely breathe let alone fight just crushed my spirit. 

  It had been this way in my personal life as well for several months now. Just as progress was starting to be made a sneak attack from the adversary seemed to pummel the hope right out of me. In my taekwondo sparring gear and in my personal life one fact was becoming more and more apparent. I was completely and totally outmatched. 

  For about ten seconds the thought of just quitting, getting out of the ring and just sitting down filled my mind. The thought was interrupted by the voice of my taewondo Master yelling, "Come on, Rachel. Side kick. Defense. More!" My taekwondo Master would not have put in me in this match had he not thought that I would learn something. And likewise Heavenly Father doesn't put us into battle without good cause. In that critical moment, the realization that it is alright to be outmatched overtook me. The resolve to play defense and just withstand the physical and spiritual blows gave me a sense of peace and satisfaction. Losing the match is acceptable as long as we stay in the fight and retain our dignity. As believers, we know who wins in the end.

D&C 88:112-116