Nov 11th Weekly Connection

It's a Wrap.... What will you do with it now?

"For Him" by Joy D. Jones - lesson led by Alissa Allen

Alissa put a list on the board of thngs that touch our hearts about service, and then asked the sisters to choose which ones meant the most to us. Some of the ones that the sisters chose were:

• A more excellent way
• Divinity within us
• Acts of kindness
• Care for others
• Greater perspective

It was brought out that we serve for "Him", and not for the glory we might receive from others....service isn't about us, it's about "Him", and those we serve. We serve our Father as we serve each other and Christ as our brother.

Is it easy to serve?

Some people are easy to serve and others are not. When we keep trying to serve someone who is not receptive, how do we change our mindset to continue to serve?

• We must remember we are in fact serving Heavenly Father rather than the person
• Seek direction from the scriptures: Mosiah 2:17 "And Behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.
• Remember that service is about sharing loving and planting the seeds of the gospel

Ask yourself: Are we serving out of love for the Lord or are we serving out of duty?

We should serve our less active sisters not to bring them back into activity, but to build friendships and love between one another.

As mothers, we often serve or children without eceiving gatitude from the. But we must remember they show it later in ways you don't expect, or they may not show it at all.

Sister Beecher reminded us that we are not responsible for what we can't control. So if people don't accept our service or show gratitude for it, that's not in our control. But what we are in control of is that we continue to serve with love and sincerity.

It was also mentioned that bearing our heartfelt testimony and sharing the gospel is serving those around us.

Remember these words of wisdo that wer found on the wall of an orphanage in Calcutta, India:

“If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight. Build anyway. The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give the world the best you’ve got anyway. You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God … anyway.”

Sisters, it is always between us and the Lord. As President James E. Faust said: “‘What is the greatest need in the world?’ … ‘Is not the greatest need in all of the world for every person to have a personal, ongoing, daily, continuing relationship with the Savior?’ Having such a relationship can unchain the divinity within us, and nothing can make a greater difference in our lives as we come to know and understand our divine relationship with God.”

Upcoming Lessons
Nov. 18th - Divine Discontent by Michelle D. Craig
Nov. 25th - Consistency in Gospel Study and Personal Scripture Study

You only have 2 more days to sign up for your ministering interviews...

If you haven't signed up yet click this link to take you to the sign up list

Birthdays

  

14-Trinie Martinez

15-Sandra Webb

Upcoming Events - Mark your calendars

Ministering Interviews - Nov 11th & 15th

Save the Date:
Dec 8th - Relief Society Christmas Breakfast
Jan 26th - A holiday Message From Your Stake Relief Society Staket Presidency


Ministering to the Sisters

To “minister” is to give service, care, or aid that contributes to the comfort or happiness of another. Visiting teaching is about discovering ways to minister to those we visit. Jesus Christ ministered to all—anytime and anywhere. He fed the 5,000, comforted Mary and Martha at the death of their brother, and taught His gospel to the woman at the well. He did it because of His sincere love.

Making Ministering Interviews Meaningful 

In supporting President Russell M. Nelson’s statement that the ministering program will be a hinge point on which the course of the Church will swing, Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught, “The realization of his vision … might be predicated upon how well ministering brothers and sisters are taught and engaged in the ministering interview.”

Four tips for ministering brothers and sisters:

• Go to the interview seeking counsel. Be ready to learn.
• Be prepared to discuss needs that you may need help meeting.
• Focus on the individual’s strengths and abilities, not just needs.
• Contact the presidency to counsel between quarterly interviews as needed.

Ministering Interviews

These quarterly interviews between ministering sisters and the Relief Society presidency or ministering brothers and the elders quorum presidency are the only formal report we make regarding those we minister to. The interview is an opportunity on at least a quarterly basis to (1) counsel about the strengths, needs, and challenges of assigned families and individuals; (2) determine what needs the quorum, Relief Society, or ward council might assist with; and (3) learn from leaders and be encouraged in ministering efforts.

The elders quorum president and the Relief Society president communicate important needs directly to the bishop and will receive counsel and direction from him.

"A new name, new flexibility, and fewer reports will not make one ounce of difference in our service unless we see this as an invitation to care for one another in a bold new holier way."  

MINISTERING WEBSITE

Prayers for....

Please keep Charai Layton and her family in your prayers...

Pray for those you minister to...

Do you know of anyone in need of our prayers?  Please contact a presidency member.

Service Opportunities 

Take a moment and drop a letter or a card to one of our missionaries:

Sister Ellie Ross
Santa Rosa CA Mission
5301 Badger Rd
Santa Rosa, CA 95409
ellie.ross@myldsmail.net

Elder Ethan Graham
Taipei Taiwan Mission
ethan.graham@myldsmail.net

Sister Jordan Fitting
California Ventura Mission
3301 W Gonzales Rd
Oxnard, CA 93036
jordan.fitting@myldsmail.net

Just Serve 

Stake Institute
Every Tuesday 10:00 - 11:15
Stake Center (Tanner Lane)
Bring your scriptures
No babysitting

Click on this link for the schedule of YSA activities

LDS Tools Info

1.  Are you using LDS Tools on your phone or tablet? 

We encourage you to use LDS Tools to access the ward directory, Your Ministering Assignments, Calendar, Temple Info, Missionary Info and more!

2.  Do you have a current photo of you and/or your family? 

Please take a few minutes and follow these instructions. 

3.  Is your contact info correct?  

If not and you need to change or update your info, go to your name in the directory (on a mobile device) and touch the red circle with a pencil and you can edit from there.  If you are signed on at lds.org, click on your name and then the edit button.

4.  Do you know how to access your ministering assignment?

On your mobile device click on your name.  Directly underneath your name is a blue bar that says:  contact, household, membership information, callings and classes and ministering (you must scroll across to access each of these headings.)  Click on ministering and it will list those that minister to you and who you minister to.

Do you have any other questions about LDS Tools?