Lesson Summary: July 14, 2013

Katie T. gave us a great lesson from Chapter 13 of the Lorenzo Snow manual - Relief Society: True Charity and Pure Religion.

A few definitions of religion are: the service and worship of God or a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith.

Moroni 7:45

And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

 Luke 10:27

And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

'he said, “It is difficult to imagine what we should have done, or what progress the work of the Lord would have made, without them.” To cite one example, he referred to the Church’s missionary program at the time, in which married men often were called to serve full-time missions: “When we have been absent on foreign missions, their missions at home have generally been no less arduous than ours abroad; and in the midst of trial and privation they have exhibited a patience, a fortitude and a self-help that has been truly inspiring. Thank God for the women of this Church! That is the way I feel today as I join in this assembly.” ' (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow)

• President Snow declared that it would be difficult to imagine the progress of the work of the Lord without the women of the Church. In what ways do women contribute to the work of the Lord today?

"The mission of the Relief Society is to succor the distressed, to minister to the sick and feeble, to feed the poor, to clothe the naked, and to bless all the sons and daughters of God." (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow)

Matthew 25:34-40

 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 

  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Isaiah 1:17

 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

• Think of a time when Relief Society sisters fulfilled this mission by helping you or your family. How have such actions influenced your life?

"It has always been a source of pleasure to me to notice how faithfully you sisters of the Relief Society have stood by the servants of the Lord under all circumstances. You have ever been found at the side of the Priesthood, ready to strengthen their hands and to do your part in helping to advance the interests of the kingdom of God; and as you have shared in these labors, so you will most certainly share in the triumph of the work and in the exaltation and glory which the Lord will give to His faithful children." (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow)

• In what ways do Relief Society sisters “advance the interests of the kingdom of God”? What examples have you witnessed of Relief Society sisters and priesthood holders working together?

"I would advise the brethren to encourage their wives to [participate in] the society … ; for it would be a good thing to have the influence of this organization in every home. I ask you, my sisters, in your visits to the homes of the Latter-day Saints, to carry this influence wherever you go. The Lord has clearly shown to you the nature of your relationship to Him and what is expected of you as wives and mothers. Teach these things to those whom you visit, especially to the young ladies. …
You... should exercise all your influence … in favor of pure motherhood and faithfulness to the marriage covenant." (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow)

"As the Church grows, its field of usefulness will be correspondingly enlarged, and it will be even more potent for good than it has been in the past. If all the sisters will rally to the support of the society, it will accomplish a mighty work and be a continued blessing unto the Church. It would be gratifying to see the middle-aged as interested in this institution as the aged, and by becoming so they will find that it will strengthen their faith, give them broader ideas of life and its responsibilities, and advance them materially along the path of progress and perfection." (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow)

• Ponder President Snow’s plea for Relief Society sisters to exercise their influence “in favor of pure motherhood and faithfulness to the marriage covenant”. Why is this influence needed in the world today? In what ways can Relief Society sisters help young women prepare for temple marriage and motherhood?