Sunday Snippet

Sister Andrea Groombridge taught us from President Thomas S. Monson's Oct 2010 conference address "The Divine Gift of Gratitude".
We began by listening to Lilian read from Luke 17 about the ten lepers that Jesus healed and how only one gave thanks.
President Monson asks "Do we remember to give thanks for the blessings we receive?"
Marj read "Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognise our blessings, but it also unlocks the doors of heaven and helps us feel God's love."
Grace then read "President Gordon B. Hinkley said, When you walk with gratitude, you do not walk with arrogance and conceit and egotism, you walk with a spirit of thanksgiving that is becoming to you and will bless your lives."
Gratitude is a wonderful virtue. and our focus needs to be on what we have and not on what we lack. The Greek philosopher Epictetus, "He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has."
The Lord declared through a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith: "Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things. ... Emi read "And in nothing doth man offend God or against none is His wrath kindled, save those who confess not His hand in all things."
We offend God when we don't thank Him. In the Book of Mormon we are told "to live in thanksgiving daily for the many mercies and blessings which God doth bestow upon you"
We need to develope an 'attitude of gratitude' and refuse to remain in negative thoughts. Being positive helps us recognise the blessings we all have.
Hannah read "If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues."
Jana read a quote from President Joseph F Smith, " the grateful man sees so much in the world to be thankful for and with him the good outweighs the evil. Love overpowers jealousy, and light drives darkness out of his life. Pride destroys our gratitude and sets up selfishness in its place. How much happier we are in the presence of a grateful and loving soul, and how careful we should be to cultivate, through the medium of a prayerful life, a thankful attitude toward God and man."

Being prayerful is the key to possessing gratitude.

Andrea asked if material possessions can make us happy? And we discussed some things that we are grateful for; health and strength, family, the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Earth, our abilities, friends, things that are lasting and good. President Monson said that unfortunately these are some of the things we allow ourselves to take for granted.
Debbie read a quote from Aldous Huxley, "Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted."
When we are grateful to someone we should express our gratitude, let them know. Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. Tell those we love "I love you" often, as we never know when it may be too late.
President Monson, "to express gratitude is gracious and honourable, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven. ... we may ever reflect our gratitude for our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. His glorious gospel provides answers to life's greatest questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where do our spirits go when we die? That gospel brings to those who live in darkness the light of divine truth."
"He taught us how to pray. He taught us how to live. He taught us how to die. His life is a legacy of love. The sick He healed; the downtrodden He lifted; the sinner He saved. "

He was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. He is the author of our salvation. We owe Him our gratitude.

Thank you Andrea for such an inspiring lesson.

We had a bit of time left over and we discussed things that we are grateful for:
Our amazing health compared to others of our age.
Our Gratitude books that President Prebble asked us to keep.
For the everyday little things.
Grateful for everything; we have to find the positive in the negative.
Things that aren't easy make us better people, it softens our hearts and makes us more empathetic; we become a nicer person.
Accept it and make of it what you can.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Wed 30th March
Combined YM/YW please bring a plate

Sun April 3rd
Single Adult fast breaker and fireside
5pm at the chapel

Wed April 6th
Primary Activity night

9th and 10th April
Video Conference
(meeting times next week)

11th Hall floor is being resealed

Hello Sisters, We had an awesome lesson this week delivered by Vanessa Watson on chapter 28 in our manuals, Service. We began by singing all three verses of "Give Said the Little Stream" and then on the board we 'mindmapped' the word service. Words that were written up; fun - joy, love - sharing - caring, helpfulness, thoughtfulness, giving - notes - chocolate - biscuits, families -Mums, new babies, time, work, guilt, Christ - example -scriptures, rewards - spiritual - physical - blessings, gratitude, gives perspective, helping.
Hannah read an excerpt from President Monson's October 2009 Conference address about Jack McConnell, MD, the son of a Methodist minister. His father would ask each child every evening in turn "And what did you do for someone today?" Dr McConnell grew up and was involved in developing the tuberculosis tine test, polio vaccine, development of Tylenol (paracetamol), MRI procedure and created Volunteers in Medicine, which gives retired medical personnel opportunities to volunteer at free clinics, there are now over 70 clinics in America.
Vanessa then played a Mormon Message ( https://lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/because-of-your-faith?lang=eng&cid=email-shared ) President Jeffery Holland in the October 2010.

"I am grateful for Young Women leaders who go to girls camp and, without shampoo, showers, or mascara, turn smoky, campfire testimony meetings into some of the most riveting spiritual experiences those girls—or those leaders—will experience in their lifetime. I am grateful for all the women of the Church who in my life have been as strong as Mount Sinai and as compassionate as the Mount of Beatitudes. We smile sometimes about our sisters’ stories—you know, green Jell-O, quilts, and funeral potatoes. But my family has been the grateful recipient of each of those items at one time or another—and in one case, the quilt and the funeral potatoes on the same day. It was just a small quilt—tiny, really—to make my deceased baby brother’s journey back to his heavenly home as warm and comfortable as our Relief Society sisters wanted him to be. The food provided for our family after the service, voluntarily given without a single word from us, was gratefully received. Smile, if you will, about our traditions, but somehow the too-often unheralded women in this church are always there when hands hang down and knees are feeble. ¹ They seem to grasp instinctively the divinity in Christ’s declaration: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these … , ye have done it unto me.” ²

And no less the brethren of the priesthood. I think, for example, of the leaders of our young men who, depending on the climate and continent, either take bone-rattling 50-mile (80 km) hikes or dig—and actually try to sleep in—ice caves for what have to be the longest nights of human experience. I am grateful for memories of my own high priests group, which a few years ago took turns for weeks sleeping on a small recliner in the bedroom of a dying quorum member so that his aged and equally fragile wife could get some sleep through those final weeks of her sweetheart’s life. I am grateful for the Church’s army of teachers, officers, advisers, and clerks, to say nothing of people who are forever setting up tables and taking down chairs. I am grateful for ordained patriarchs, musicians, family historians, and osteoporotic couples who trundle off to the temple at 5:00 in the morning with little suitcases now almost bigger than they are. I am grateful for selfless parents who—perhaps for a lifetime—care for a challenged child, sometimes with more than one challenge and sometimes with more than one child. I am grateful for children who close ranks later in life to give back to ill or aging parents.

And to the near-perfect elderly sister who almost apologetically whispered recently, “I have never been a leader of anything in the Church. I guess I’ve only been a helper,” I say, “Dear sister, God bless you and all the ‘helpers’ in the kingdom.” Some of us who are leaders hope someday to have the standing before God that you have already attained."

Blanche read from the manual "There are many ways to serve. We can help others economically, socially, physically and spiritually. for example, we can share food or other articles with those who need them. We can be a friend to a newcomer. We can plant a garden for an elderly person or care for someone who is sick. we can teach the gospel to someone who needs the truth or comfort someone who grieves.

We can do small or large acts of service. We should never fail to help someone because we are unable to do great things. A widow told of two children who came to her door shortly after she had moved to a new town. The children brought a lunch basket and a note that read, 'If you want anyone to do errands, call us.' The widow was gladdened by the small kindness and never forgot it."

Service can be small like a note or chocolate in the mail (Chelsea), a foot rub (Greta), or some gardening (Lilian)

When we are prompted by the spirit we need to act quickly (Tina)

Guilt is when we feel we haven't done enough, Andy shared a conversation she had with Lindy Prebble some years ago about how they lamented they didn't have time to serve; they had ten children between them were serving always, they just didn't realise it.

Sister Beck, General Relief Society President, says with regards to service and families that if it is some thing that only you can do then that is your first priority.

Joy is the feeling we get from giving service, not just the joy of being served.

President Monson has said. "We are the Lords hands here upon the Earth. ...Do we find ourselves immersed in 'the thick of thin things?' ...We find ourselves when we do service to others."

I would like to thank Ness for the great lesson and for giving me the opportunity to develope my computer skills.

Announcements

Tuesday Night

Relief Society Anniversary

Bishop Smiths home

7-8.30 pm

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I am sorry that the blog was not updated for a couple of weeks as I was away. I would appreciate it very much if you would let me know if you have read this post. Peta