The purpose of Relief Society is to help prepare women for the blessings of eternal life as they increase faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and His Atonement. To strengthen individuals, families, and homes through ordinances and covenants. To work in unity to help those in need.
This blog was created for the Woodland Hills Ward Relief Society sisters. It's purpose is to share information, unite and help each sister grow closer to Jesus Christ. This is not an official site of the LDS Church, and the opinions and statements are not representative of the church as a whole.
Each Christmas, we celebrate the life of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. By following His teachings, we let his light shine—in our lives and in the lives of others. This year, use this calendar for inspiration as you plan your Christmas activities to help #LightTheWorld by serving those in need.
Laura is now at home, and is doing well. Any calls, visits, and cards would definitely lift Laura's spirits as she continues to recover. Please refer to the Ward Directory for her address and phone number.
Come learn some historical facts, ideas on how to prepare for for the Temple, and how to enhance our Temple experience from Julie and Gregg Olsen. The Young Women, Young Men, and Elders Quorum are also invited. Please meet at 7pm in the Relief Society room.
All members of the Church are invited to participate in the 189th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The First Presidency, members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and other General Authorities and General Officers of the Church will deliver messages of inspiration and guidance in five sessions:
The general priesthood session for all Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood holders will be Saturday, April 6, at 6:00 p.m. mountain daylight time (MDT).
The general sessions for individuals and families will be Saturday, April 6, and Sunday, April 7, at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Prepare for conference
Conference provides an opportunity to receive personal revelation as living prophets give counsel and direction. Asking questions can help you prepare for conference, increasing personal revelation while you watch.
Those of other faiths are welcome to participate in general conference. Members are encouraged to invite others in person or using social media.
Live viewing options
All sessions will be streamed live on the home page ofChurchofJesusChrist.org. Sessions are also available via the Church satellite system, Mormon Channel, radio, television, satellite, and other digital channels.
The Savior is putting His name in your hearts. And you are feeling the pure love of Christ for others and for yourself.
My dear brothers and sisters, I am grateful for the opportunity to speak with you. This conference has been uplifting and edifying for me. The music sung and the words spoken have been carried to our hearts by the Holy Ghost. I pray that what I say will be conveyed to you by that same Spirit.
Many years ago, I was first counselor to a district president in the eastern United States. More than once, as we were driving to our little branches, he said to me, “Hal, when you meet someone, treat them as if they were in serious trouble, and you will be right more than half the time.” Not only was he right, but I have learned over the years that he was too low in his estimate. Today I wish to encourage you in the troubles you face.
Our mortal life is designed by a loving God to be a test and source of growth for each of us. You remember God’s words regarding His children at the Creation of the world: “And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.”1
Since the beginning, the tests have not been easy. We face trials that come from having mortal bodies. All of us live in a world where Satan’s war against truth and against our personal happiness is becoming more intense. The world and your life can seem to you to be in increasing commotion.
My reassurance is this: the loving God who allowed these tests for you also designed a sure way to pass through them. Heavenly Father so loved the world that He sent His Beloved Son to help us.2His Son, Jesus Christ, gave His life for us. Jesus Christ bore in Gethsemane and on the cross the weight of all our sins. He experienced all the sorrows, the pains, and the effects of our sins so that He could comfort and strengthen us through every test in life.3
You remember that the Lord said to His servants: “The Father and I are one. I am in the Father and the Father in me; and inasmuch as ye have received me, ye are in me and I in you. “Wherefore, I am in your midst, and I am the good shepherd, and the stone of Israel. He that buildeth upon this rock shall never fall.”4
Our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, has also given that same assurance. Moreover, he described a way we might build upon that rock and put the Lord’s name upon our hearts to guide us through our trials. He said: “You who may be momentarily disheartened, remember, life is not meant to be easy. Trials must be borne and grief endured along the way. As you remember that ‘with God nothing shall be impossible’ (Luke 1:37), know that He is your Father. You are a son or daughter created in His image, entitled through your worthiness to receive revelation to help with your righteous endeavors. You may take upon you the holy name of the Lord. You can qualify to speak in the sacred name of God (seeD&C 1:20).”5
President Nelson’s words remind us of the promise found in the sacramental prayer, a promise our Heavenly Father fulfills as we do what we in turn promise. Listen to the words: “O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.”6
Each time we say the wordamenwhen that prayer is offered on our behalf, we pledge that by partaking of the bread, we are willing to take upon us the holy name of Jesus Christ, always remember Him, and keep His commandments. In turn, we are promised that we may always have His Spirit to be with us. Because of these promises, the Savior is the rock upon which we can stand safely and without fear in every storm we face. As I have pondered the covenant words and corresponding blessings promised, I have wondered what it means to be willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ.
President Dallin H. Oaks explains: “It is significant that when we partake of the sacrament we do not witness that wetake upon usthe name of Jesus Christ. We witness that we arewillingto do so. (SeeD&C 20:77.) The fact that we only witness to our willingness suggests that something else must happen before we actually take that sacred name upon us in the most important sense.”7 The statement that we are “willing to take upon [us]” His name tells us that while we first took the Savior’s name when we were baptized, taking His name is not finished at baptism. We must work continually to take His name throughout our lives, including when we renew covenants at the sacrament table and make covenants in the Lord’s holy temples.
So two crucial questions for each of us become “What must I be doing to take His name upon me?” and “How will I know when I am making progress?” The statement of President Nelson suggests one helpful answer. He said that we could take the name of the Savior upon us and that we could speak for Him. When we speak for Him, we serve Him. “For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?”8
Speaking for Him requires a prayer of faith. It takes a fervent prayer to Heavenly Father to learn what words we could speak to help the Savior in His work. We must qualify for the promise: “Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.”9 Yet it takes more than speaking for Him to take His name upon us. There are feelings in our hearts we must have to qualify as His servants.
The prophet Mormon described the feelings that qualify us and enable us to take His name upon us. These feelings include faith, hope, and charity, which is the pure love of Christ.
Mormon explained: “For I judge that ye have faith in Christ because of your meekness; for if ye have not faith in him then ye are not fit to be numbered among the people of his church. “And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning hope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope? “And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.
“Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope. “And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart. “If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.”
After describing charity, Mormon goes on to say: “But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him. “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.”10
My testimony is that the Savior is putting His name in your hearts. For many of you, your faith in Him is increasing. You are feeling more hope and optimism. And you are feeling the pure love of Christ for others and for yourself. I see it in missionaries serving all over the world. I see it in members who are speaking to their friends and family members about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Men, women, young people, and even children are ministering out of love for the Savior and for their neighbors.
At the first report of disasters across the world, members make plans to go to the rescue, sometimes across oceans, without being asked. They sometimes find it hard to wait until the devastated areas can receive them. I realize that some of you listening today may feel that your faith and hope are being overcome by your troubles. And you may yearn to feel love.
Brothers and sisters, the Lord has opportunities near you to feel and to share His love. You can pray with confidence for the Lord to lead you to love someone for Him. He answers the prayers of meek volunteers like you. You will feel the love of God for you and for the person you serve for Him. As you help children of God in their troubles, your own troubles will seem lighter. Your faith and your hope will be strengthened. I am an eyewitness of that truth. Over a lifetime, my wife has spoken for the Lord and served people for Him. As I’ve mentioned before, one of our bishops once said to me: “I’m amazed. Every time I hear of a person in the ward who is in trouble, I hurry to help. Yet by the time I arrive, it seems that your wife has always already been there.” That has been true in all the places we have lived for 56 years.
Now she can speak only a few words a day. She is visited by people she loved for the Lord. Every night and morning I sing hymns with her and we pray. I have to be voice in the prayers and in the songs. Sometimes I can see her mouthing the words of the hymns. She prefers children’s songs. The sentiment she seems to like best is summarized in the song “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus.”11 The other day, after singing the words of the chorus: “Love one another as Jesus loves you. Try to show kindness in all that you do,” she said softly, but clearly, “Try, try, try.” I think that she will find, when she sees Him, that our Savior has put His name into her heart and that she has become like Him. He is carrying her through her troubles now, as He will carry you through yours.
I bear you my witness that the Savior knows and loves you. He knows your name as you know His. He knows your troubles. He has experienced them. By His Atonement, He has overcome the world. By your being willing to take His name upon you, you will lift the burdens of countless others. And you will find in time that you know the Savior better and that you love Him more. His name will be in your heart and fixed in your memory. It is the name by which you will be called. I so witness, with gratitude for His loving-kindness to me, to my loved ones, and to you, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Canoga Park Stake Relief Society Women's Conference
March 23, 2019
9:30am-12pm
@ The Stake Center
Luncheon Served
This year the Stake Relief Society would like us to participate in the "Jared Box Project." We are asked to provide the contents of 12 boxes for tweens and teens (8 and up), for patients at the Los Angeles Children's Hospital. A "Jared Box" is a plastic storage box filled with crayons, toys, games, small gifts, and fun activities. Each box is selected for a specific age and gender. Each box provides a special diversion for young patients in the emergency rooms, patient rooms, surgical centers, and clinics as these special patients receive chemotherapy. "Jared Boxes" brings smiles and laughter and the lifts the spirits of children in the hospital.
We need sisters to volunteer to provide the following items:
My dear brothers and sisters, it’s such a wonderful occasion to be with you in this marvelous general conference session today: to listen to inspired messages; to listen to this marvelous, amazing choir of missionaries representing the many thousands of missionaries all around the world—our daughters, our sons—and especially to be united in our faith today, again sustaining our dear President and prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, the First Presidency, and the General Officers of the Church. What a joyful day to be with you today.
The ancient King Solomon was one of the most outwardly successful human beings in history.1He seemed to have everything—money, power, adoration, honor. But after decades of self-indulgence and luxury, how did King Solomon sum up his life? “All is vanity,”2he said. This man, who had it all, ended up disillusioned, pessimistic, and unhappy, despite everything he had going for him.3 There is a word in German,Weltschmerz.Loosely defined, it means a sadness that comes from brooding about how the world is inferior to how we think it ought to be. Perhaps there is a littleWeltschmerzin all of us.
When silent sorrows creep into the corners of our lives. When sadness saturates our days and casts deep shadows over our nights. When tragedy and injustice enter the world around us, including in the lives of those we love. When we journey through our own personal and lonely path of misfortune, and pain darkens our stillness and breaches our tranquility—we might be tempted to agree with Solomon that life is vain and devoid of meaning.
The Great Hope
The good news is, there is hope. There is a solution to the emptiness, vanity, andWeltschmerzof life. There is a solution to even the deepest hopelessness and discouragement you might feel. This hope is found in the transformative power of the gospel of Jesus Christ and in the Savior’s redemptive power to heal us of our soul-sickness. “I am come,” Jesus declared, “that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”4
We achieve that abundant life not by focusing on our own needs or on our own achievements but by becoming true disciples of Jesus Christ—by following in His ways and engaging in His work. We find the abundant life by forgetting ourselves and engaging in the great cause of Christ. And what is the cause of Christ? It is to believe in Him, love as He loved, and do as He did. Jesus “went about doing good.”5He walked among the poor, the outcast, the sick, and the ashamed. He ministered to the powerless, the weak, and the friendless. He spent time with them; He spoke with them. “And he healed them all.”6 Everywhere He went, the Savior taught the “good news”7of the gospel. He shared eternal truths that set people free spiritually as well as temporally. Those who dedicate themselves to Christ’s cause discover the truth of the Savior’s promise: “Whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”8
Solomon was wrong, my dear brothers and sisters—life is not “vanity.” To the contrary, it can be full of purpose, meaning, and peace. The healing hands of Jesus Christ reach out to all who seek Him. I have come to know without a doubt that believing and loving God and striving to follow Christ can change our hearts,9soften our pain, and fill our souls with “exceedingly great joy.”10
Believe, Love, Do
Of course, we must do more than merely have an intellectual understanding of the gospel for it to have this healing influence in our lives. We must incorporate it into our lives—make it a part of who we are and what we do. May I suggest that discipleship begins with three simple words:
Believe, love,anddo.
Believing God leads to faith in Him and developing trust in His word. Faith causes our hearts to grow in our love for God and others. As that love grows, we are inspired to emulate the Savior as we continue our own great journey on the path of discipleship.
“But,” you say, “that seems a bit simplistic. Life’s problems, certainly my problems, are far too complex for such a simple prescription. You can’t cureWeltschmerzwith three simple words:Believe, love, do.” It is not the aphorism that cures. It is the love of God that rescues, restores, and revives. God knows you. You are His child. He loves you. Even when you think that you are not lovable, He reaches out to you. This very day—every day—He reaches out to you, desiring to heal you, to lift you up, and to replace the emptiness in your heart with an abiding joy. He desires to sweep away any darkness that clouds your life and fill it with the sacred and brilliant light of His unending glory. I have experienced this for myself. And it is my witness as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ that all who come unto God—all who trulybelieve, love,anddo—can experience the same.
We Believe
The scriptures teach us that “without faith it is impossible to please [God]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is.”11 For some, the act of believing is difficult. Sometimes our pride gets in the way. Perhaps we think that because we are intelligent, educated, or experienced, we simply cannot believe in God. And we begin to look at religion as foolish tradition.12
In my experience, belief is not so much like a painting we look at and admire and about which we discuss and theorize. It is more like a plow that we take into the fields and, by the sweat of our brow, create furrows in the earth that accept seeds and bear fruit that shall remain.13 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.14This is the promise to all who seek to believe.We
Love
The scriptures reveal that the more we love God and His children, the happier we become.15The love Jesus spoke about, however, isn’t a gift-card, throwaway, move-on-to-other-things love. It isn’t a love that is spoken of and then forgotten. It is not a “let me know if there is anything I can do” sort of love. The love God speaks of is the kind that enters our hearts when we awake in the morning, stays with us throughout the day, and swells in our hearts as we give voice to our prayers of gratitude at evening’s end.
We Do
In the Savior’s work, it is often by small and simple means that “great things [are] brought to pass.”16 We know that it requires repetitive practice to become good at anything. Whether it’s playing the clarinet, kicking a ball into a net, repairing a car, or even flying an airplane, it is through practicing that we may become better and better.17 The organization our Savior created on earth—The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—helps us to do just that. It offers a place to practice living the way He taught and blessing others the way He did. As Church members, we are given callings, responsibilities, and opportunities to reach out in compassion and minister to others.
Recently, the Church has placed a renewed emphasis on ministering, or serving or loving others. Great thought was taken to determine what we should call this special emphasis. One of the names considered wasshepherding,a fitting reference to Christ’s invitation: “Feed my sheep.”18However, it had at least one complication: using that term would make me aGerman shepherd.Consequently, I am quite content with the termministering.
This Work Is for Everyone
Of course, this emphasis is not new. It simply provides a renewed and refined opportunity for us to practice the Savior’s commandment to “love one another,”19a refined way to implement and practice the purpose of the Church.
Just think about missionary work; the courageous, humble, and confident sharing of the gospel is a wonderful example of ministering to the spiritual needs of others, whoever they are. Or doing temple work—seeking out the names of our ancestors and offering them the blessings of eternity. What a divine way of ministering. Consider the act of seeking out the poor and the needy, lifting the hands that hang down, or blessing the sick and afflicted. Aren’t these the very acts of pure ministering the Lord practiced when He walked the earth?
If you are not a member of the Church, I invite you to “come and see.”20Come and join with us. If you are a member of the Church but presently not participating actively, I invite you: please come back. We need you! Come, add your strengths to ours. Because of your unique talents, abilities, and personality, you will help us become better and happier. In return, we will help you become better and happier as well. Come, help us build and strengthen a culture of healing, kindness, and mercy toward all of God’s children. For we are all striving to become new creatures where “old things are passed away” and “all things … become new.”21The Savior shows us the direction to move—forward and upward. He says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”22
Let us all work together to become the people God intended for us to become. This is the kind of gospel culture we desire to cultivate throughout the Church of Jesus Christ. We seek to strengthen the Church as a place where we forgive one another. Where we resist the temptation to find fault, gossip, and bring others down. Where, instead of pointing out flaws, we lift up and help each other to become the best we can be.
Let me invite you again. Come and see. Join with us. We need you.This is the inexpressible love Heavenly Father has for us. It is this endless compassion that allows us to more clearly see others for who they are. Through the lens of pure love, we see immortal beings of infinite potential and worth and beloved sons and daughters of Almighty God. Once we see through that lens, we cannot discount, disregard, or discriminate against anyone.
Imperfect People
You will find that this Church is filled with some of the finest people this world has to offer. They are welcoming, loving, kind, and sincere. They are hardworking, willing to sacrifice, and even heroic at times. And they are also painfully imperfect. They make mistakes. From time to time they say things they shouldn’t. They do things they wish they hadn’t. But they do have this in common—they want to improve and draw closer to the Lord, our Savior, even Jesus Christ. They are trying to get it right. Theybelieve.Theylove.Theydo. They want to become less selfish, more compassionate, more refined, more like Jesus.
The Blueprint for Happiness
Yes, life can be hard at times. Certainly we all have our times of despair and discouragement. But the gospel of Jesus Christ offers hope. And, in the Church of Jesus Christ, we join with others who seek a place where we can feel at home—a place of growth where, together, we canbelieve, love,anddo. Regardless of our differences, we seek to embrace one another as sons and daughters of our beloved Heavenly Father.
I am grateful beyond measure to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to know that God loves His children enough to give them a blueprint for happiness and meaning in this life and a way to experience eternal joy in the halls of glory in the life to come.I am grateful that God has given us a way to heal the soul-sicknesses and theWeltschmerzof life.
I testify and leave you my blessing that as webelievein God, as weloveHim andloveHis children with all our hearts, and as we strive todoas God has instructed us, we will find healing and peace, happiness and meaning. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Please come join us in celebrating the baptism of Nazanin Hashemi
on Thursday, January 17th at 7p.m. at the Stake Center.
We need volunteers to provide dessert from the Relief Society. If you are able to attend a bring a dessert please contact Britton @ britton@agentlogo.com or at (818) 903-9317.
There are so many ways that we can communicate that we care about one another.
We can say it, text it, write it, give it, share it, pray it, bake it,
sing it, hug it, play it, plant it, or clean it. Simply try it.
Showing love to others is at the very
heart of ministering. Relief Society General President Jean B. Bingham
said: “True ministering is accomplished one by one with love as the
motivation. … With love as the motivation, miracles will happen, and we
will find ways to bring our ‘missing’ sisters and brothers into the
all-inclusive embrace of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”1
Letting others know we care is an
essential element of developing personal relationships. But different
people get the message in different ways. So how can we appropriately
express our love for others in ways they will understand and appreciate?
Here are some ways to communicate that we care, along with a few ideas
to start your own thinking.
Say It
Sometimes there’s no substitute for
saying how you feel about someone. While this could mean telling
someone you love them, it also includes sharing what you admire about
them or paying a sincere compliment. This kind of affirmation helps
strengthen relationships. (See Ephesians 4:29.)
Find an opportunity to let the individual know how much you admire one of his or her strengths.
Stop by, call, or send an email, text, or card telling the individual you’re thinking of them.
Visit
Taking the time to talk with and
listen to someone is a powerful way to show how much you value him or
her. Whether you visit at home, at church, or elsewhere, there are many
people who need someone they can talk to. (See Mosiah 4:26; D&C 20:47.)
According to the individual’s needs, schedule a visit. Take time to really listen and understand his or her circumstances.
Where it may be difficult to
visit homes because of distance, cultural norms, or other circumstances,
consider finding time together after Church meetings.
Serve with a Purpose
Be mindful of what the individual or family
needs. Providing meaningful service communicates that you care. It
combines the valuable gifts of time and thoughtful effort. “Simple acts
of service can have profound effects on others,” said Sister Bingham.2
Offer service that strengthens individuals or their families, such as watching the children so parents can go to the temple.
Look for ways to lighten loads when life gets overwhelming, such as cleaning windows, walking the dog, or helping in the yard.
Do Things Together
There are individuals who don’t
connect through deep conversations. For some people, connections are
made by finding common interests and spending time together doing those
things. The Lord urged that we “be with and strengthen” (D&C 20:53) our brothers and sisters.
Go for a walk, plan a game night, or set up a regular time to exercise together.
Serve together on a community or Church project.
Give a Gift
Sometimes time or opportunities to
interact are limited. In many cultures, giving gifts is a sign of caring
and empathy. Even an occasional, simple gift can communicate your
interest to build a better relationship. (See Proverbs 21:14.)
Take them a favorite treat.
Share a quote, scripture, or other message you feel they could benefit from.
A Labor of Love
As you come to know those to whom
you minister and for whom you seek inspiration, you will learn more
specifically how to communicate your love and care to them individually.
Kimberly Seyboldt of Oregon, USA, tells the story of seeking inspiration and giving gifts to show love:
“When I find life is getting me
down, I get up and make zucchini bread, usually about eight loaves. My
special ingredient is the silent prayer I offer as I bake to know who
needs those loaves of bread. I have been able to better know my
surrounding neighbors as the warm zucchini bread has been my invite into
their homes and lives.
“One warm summer day, I pulled up
alongside a family selling pints of blackberries on the side of the
road. I didn’t need more blackberries, but the young, thin boy at the
stand was excited to see me, thinking I was his next customer. I bought
some blackberries, but I also had a gift for him. I gave the boy two
loaves of bread. He turned to his father for approval, then said, ‘Look,
Dad, now we have something to eat today.’ I was filled with gratitude for this opportunity to show love in a simple way.”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles pleaded “that every man and
woman—and our older young men and young women—will [be] … more deeply
committed to heartfelt care for one another, motivated only by the pure
love of Christ to do so. … May we labor side by side with the Lord of
the vineyard, giving the God and Father of us all a helping hand with
His staggering task of answering prayers, providing comfort, drying
tears, and strengthening feeble knees.”3
Jesus Christ Cares
Before Jesus Christ raised Lazarus from the dead, “Jesus wept.
“Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!” (John 11:35–36).
“I have compassion upon you,”
Christ said to the Nephites. Then He called for their sick and
afflicted, their lame and blind, and “he did heal them” (see 3 Nephi 17:7–9).
The Savior set the example for us as He cared for others. He taught us:
“Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
