Sunday Snippet

Tina gave our lesson today based on talks from Elders Jeffery R Holland and Richard G Scott from the Nov 2010 Ensign.
Tina began by selecting a panel of 6 sisters and the class answering Who are they? Where did they come from? and Why are they here? there were varying answers to the first two questions but the answer to "why are they here?" was "because of their testimonies".

Each of us have had a different journey which has strengthened our faith and our character.
Through our faith in our Saviours death, suffering and resurrection we can return to live with Him and our families.
" The exercise of faith is vital to Father in Heaven's plan of happiness. But true faith is centred on the Lord Jesus Christ. ... Faith in the Saviour is a principle of action and power."
Tina displayed some posters with the definition of Faith and Character.
Faith:

• complete trust in something or someone

• Strong belief in God or doctrines of a religion based on spiritual apprehension than proof

Character:

• The mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual

"Faith and character are intimately related. Faith in the power of obedience to the commandments of God will forge strength of character available to you in times of urgent need. such character is not developed in moments of great challenge or temptation. That is when it is intended to be used."

Nephi 3:7 was read and we discussed how Nephi knew that if the Lord wanted something done He would make it possible.

We discussed- How does our faith give us power to do the hard things?
How does the gospel help us in hard times, or times of natural disasters? Answers were we can have hope, we must have charity, knowing of the Plan of Salvation and having a strong testimony can help us through times of trials. Faith gives us hope. The Gospel of Jesus Christ gives us hope and joy.
With a strong testimony we can endure trials, we can lose all our material things and still have our treasures stored in heaven.

The Saviour knows exactly how we feel, Jesus knows our pain, He suffered in Gethsemane for us. Our gospel experiences make us who we are today.
When we follow promptings we are being the answer to someones prayers.
Hope and peace come through knowledge of the Plan of Salvation. Our testimony of Jesus Christ will help us with whatever comes our way.
We are who we are because of our choices.

"Strong moral character results from consistent correct choices in the trials and testing of life. Such choices are made with trust in things that are believed and when acted upon are confirmed."
Elder Scott " to summarise

• God uses your faith to mold your character.
• Character is the manifestation of what you are becoming.
• Strong character results form consistent correct choices.
• The bedrock of character is integrity.
• The more your character is fortified, the more enabled you are to exercise the power of faith."

Tina finished by sharing her powerful testimony and giving us all chocolates. Thank you Tina

April Announcements

Tuesday 26th 7pm
R.S activity night
Making Mexican food at Sue Smiths

Saturday 30th 7pm
Ward Cultural Night

Saturday 7th May
Stake R.S Womens Conference
10 am to 4pm
all sisters 16 years+

TOFW: What a 'Time Out for Women' weekend is all about!

For those of you who are interested in attending Time Out for Women on July 23rd in Sydney watch this short video presentation on the post of Friday April 1st and follow the link. Everything you need to know about registration, event timetable, directions and so forth is all there. If you would like to attend but are worried about going alone there are several sisters attending from our stake and ward. For more information talk to a member of the RS presidency.

Sunday Snippet

Today Emi taught our lesson on "The Lord's Law of Health" Chapter 29 from the Gospel Principles manual.

Emi drew a temple on the board and added a face on top and feet at the base to show that our bodies are temples. We read from 1st Corinthians 3:16,17. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."

Emi showed pictures of things that we have been cautioned to avoid such as alcohol, drugs, tobacco, coffee and tea and Sister Sheryl Summerfield told us about the amounts of caffeine that are in the energy drinks available to children in stores nowadays, they have about 500mg of caffeine in 300ml, that is over 10 times the amount of caffeine found in a cup of regular coffee (45mg).

Emi showed us images of the things we should eat and the things we should do to ensure our health. We should eat good food of the seasons and eat meat sparingly. We should work, exercise and early to bed and early to rise.

Sister Sheryl talked to us about the Addiction Recovery Program. Doctrine and Covenants 89:4 was read "Behold verily, thus saith the Lord unto you. In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation"

Sheryl said how addiction recovery is a matter of a change of mind and whether the mind was governed by the body which is carnal, sensual and devilish or governed by the spirit which is spiritual.

"When we keep the Lords law of health and obey His commandments, the Lord promises to bless us physically and spiritually." Physically we have been promised good health. As a result of this good health we"shall run and not be weary and walk and not faint". Spiritually we have been promised that we "shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge even hidden treasures".

We can be taught important truths by the Holy Ghost through revelation when we keep the word of wisdom found in Doctrine and Covenants section 89.

Thank you Emi for such an informative lesson.

April Announcements

Expression of Easter
7pm

Tuesday 26th 7pm
R.S activity night
Making Mexican food at Sue Smiths

Saturday 30th 7pm
Ward Cultural Night

Saturday 7th May
Stake R.S Womens Conference
10 am to 4pm
all sisters 16 years+

TOFW: What a 'Time Out for Women' weekend is all about!

For those of you who are interested in attending Time Out for Women on July 23rd in Sydney watch this short video presentation on the post of Friday April 1st and follow the link. Everything you need to know about registration, event timetable, directions and so forth is all there. If you would like to attend but are worried about going alone there are several sisters attending from our stake and ward. For more information talk to a member of the RS presidency.

Sunday Snippet

Wasn't conference wonderful. If you missed it or want to see it again you can find it at Lds.org.

Announcements
Service at Sister Elaine Watson Thursday pm at her current address and Friday at her new address.

Sun 17th Expression of Easter 7pm Chapel

Tues 26th Relief Society Activity 7pm at Chapel

Sat 30th Cultural Night at Chapel

Sunday Snippet

This week Peta (moi) taught the lesson. The topic was testimony and the resources used were 2nd Peter chapter 1 and a talk by Margaret Hoopes from a 1978 Ensign article "Community and Communing, The Power of Testimony Meeting."
We began by defining a testimony as something we believe or know, it is personal.
Bec Leota read from 2nd Peter 1:1-11
Vanessa, Camilla, Collette, Fran and Debbie read exerpts from the article and Fran, Debbie and Patricia read 2nd Peter 1:12-21.
We then spent some time writing our testimonies.
I read from an 1962 address of President Kimballs on how the council of the twelve have testimony meetings every three months and another testimony meeting the Thursday before conference.
President Kimball "We are fasting. Two of us administer the sacrament and we pass it to each other. And then the testimonies begin. We spend three of four hours, just the twelve of us, bearing testimony to each other. I mention this so you may know that testimony bearing is basic and is an important part of the Church program. If the Twelve Apostles need to bear testimony to each other to express themselves and speak their gratitude to the Lord, Then we need to too, ...to sustain and lift and inspire one another."
President Kimball goes on " I mention this so you do not think that testimony bearing is some little thing that is incidental. This is the church program. It is powerful and mighty ... It is the lifeblood of the organisation and of the Church."
Tina shared that after YW camps when the young women are asked what was the highlight of the camp they usually say the testimony meeting.
"Sharing our testimonies give the Holy ghost a chance to testify to others that the information being conveyed is true. When we bear our testimony we receive new strength and spiritual power."
"We need the time that testimony meeting gives us because strong spiritual feelings take time to develop. President Kimball has said,"Testimonies are feelings, not merely an accumulation of facts.' (The Berlin Spirit, Berlin Mission Jan. 1962) Talking about our feelings lets us pay attention to them long enough to relise how important they are to us. Bearing testimony repeatedly helps that which we know and feel to surface and become a consistent part of us."
When we share our testimony our sins are forgiven and we strengthen ourselves and each other,
we also get to know each other better.



April Announcements
Video Conference
Saturday 9th 1pm, 4pm
Sunday 10th 11am, 2pm.

Thursday 14th pm
Service at Sister Watson's home

Friday 15th
Service at sister Watson's new home

Sunday 17th 7pm
Expression of Easter

Saturday 23rd -- Monday 25th
YSA camp

Tuesday 26th 7pm
Relief Society Activity

Saturday 30th 7pm
International Cultural Night

TOFW: What a 'Time Out for Women' weekend is all about!

For those of you who are interested in attending Time Out for Women on July 23rd in Sydney watch this short video presentation and follow the link below.  Everything you need to know about registration, event timetable, directions and so forth is all there.  If you would like to attend but are worried about going alone there are several sisters attending from our stake and ward.  For more information talk to a member of the RS presidency.


Time Out For Women Info