60 years as the Palo Alto 2nd Ward Relief Society

In March we had a Rock n' Roll themed birthday party to take us back to 1956 when our ward Relief Society was established.

The night began with a service activity creating comfort kits for the local Ronald McDonald House.

Our program included a 50's quiz including a photo quiz of our sisters back-in-the-day.

We ate roast beef, potatoes, rolls and pie for our retro dinner then were graced with a musical number of "Mr. Sandman" and stories from the decade from Karen, Lorna, Colette, Wendy, Miriam, and Carolyn.

What fun was had from the music, food, decor and photo booth!  Can't wait to see what the next 60 years has in store for all of us!

Temple baptistry update

The Oakland Temple has made changes to the scheduling for performing temple baptisms to put priority on families coming to the temple together.

Families can make an appointment or on a first-come basis.

Peak-demand schedule:
Tuesdays, 5pm-9pm :    Family/Walk-ins
Wednesdays, 5pm-9pm: Ward/Stake appointments
Thursdays, 5pm-9pm:    Family/Walk-ins
Fridays, 5pm-9pm:        Ward/Stake appointments
Saturdays, 5:30am-2pm: Ward/Stake appointments
Saturdays, 2pm-5pm:     Family/Walk-ins

The general schedule of the baptistry is:
Tuesdays, 5am-9pm
Wednesdays/Thursdays/Fridays, 7am-9pm
Saturdays, 5:30am-5pm

Patrons are also invited to consider participating at the baptistry during the non-peak demand hours.

Another change is that each ward/branch in the temple district can only schedule one appointment time during the peak-demand times each year. They will no longer be automatically 90 minutes but will instead be based on the number of patrons participating.
Units are invited to provide, when possible, a sufficient number of endowed brothers and sisters to assist in the baptistry.  For the family/walk-in time slots, as well as other times throughout the day, the temple is responsible for providing workers to assist the patrons.

Though ordinances should be performed in the proper sequence, patrons do not need to perform both baptism and confirmation ordinances on the same day.




3:40

The temple in our lives - October 12, 2014

Sue A. focused thoughts around the temple with insights from General Conference and Daughters in My Kingdom.

“Miss [Margaret] Cook … one day in conversation with me on the subject of a recent appeal for provisions, clothing, bedding and general supplies for the workmen and their families, remarked that she would be pleased to contribute needlework if it could be made available. I proffered material for her to make up, and suggested that others might feel as we did. We then [discussed] the subject of organizing a sewing society. The object of which should be to aid in the erection of the temple.

“About a dozen of the neighboring sisters by invitation met in my [home] the following Thursday.”

In that era, it was a popular practice for women to form their own organizations, often with constitutions and bylaws--sets of rules to govern the organizations. The women who met at Sarah Kimball’s home decided to establish a constitution and bylaws, and Eliza R. Snow accepted the responsibility to write them. Then the women asked Joseph Smith to review them and give his opinion of them. After the Prophet read them, he said they were “the best he had ever seen. ‘But,’ he said, ‘this is not what you want. Tell the sisters their offering is accepted of the Lord, and he has something better for them than a written constitution. I invite them all to meet with me and a few of the brethren … next Thursday afternoon, and I will organize the women under the priesthood after the pattern of the priesthood.’”
“Something Better”: The Female Relief Society of Nauvoo. Daughters in My Kingdom

Elder Russell M. Nelson taught, “As temples are prepared for the people, the people need to prepare themselves for the temple.”²

• How do you physically prepare to get to the temple?

Make a date with someone else, lunch, go for 2+ sessions, join with 9a-6p Thursday ladies, trade childcare, go with someone in a similar life phase, work around school schedules, early Saturday morning session gets you can be back by 10am, put it on the calendar early, just go, enjoy the drive, take babysitter with you, offer a ride/meet at church with someone else.

The temple is less busy earlier in the day, earlier in the week and earlier in the month.

• How do you prepare yourself spiritually?

Listening to lds.org recordings during daily activities; as Moses talked to God we can prepare to ask Him questions, what you bring to the altar.

'In Matthew 25 we read:

“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

“And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. …

“[They that were] wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

“While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

“And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

“Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

“And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

“But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

“And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

“Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

“But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, Ye know me not.”⁵

I don’t think there is anyone, especially among those with tender hearts, who doesn’t feel sad for the foolish young women. And some of us just want to say to the others, “Can’t you just share so everyone can be happy?” But think about it. This is a story the Savior told, and He is the one who calls five of them “wise” and five of them “foolish.”

As we consider this parable as a pattern for temple preparation, consider the words of a latter-day prophet who taught that “the oil of spiritual preparedness cannot be shared.”⁶ President Spencer W. Kimball helped clarify why the five “wise” young women could not share the oil in their lamps with those who were “foolish” when he said: “Attendance at sacrament meetings adds oil to our lamps, drop by drop over the years. Fasting, family prayer, home teaching, control of bodily appetites, preaching the gospel, studying the scriptures—each act of dedication and obedience is a drop added to our store. Deeds of kindness, payment of offerings and tithes, chaste thoughts and actions … —these, too, contribute importantly to the oil with which we can at midnight refuel our exhausted lamps.”⁷

Can you see the pattern of preparedness—drop by drop—that can help us as we think how we might be more diligent in our preparation to receive sacred ordinances for ourselves and others? What other small and simple things might we do to add precious spiritual drops of oil to our lamps of preparation?'
Linda K. Burton, Prepared in a Manner That Had Never Been Known, General Women's Meeting

Jane Clayson Johnson in an interview on the Mormon Channel, described a moment of choice when she chose to be modest and said we can lift others by our own example.
We can be an example.

Lesson by Mandy W. on Temple Work and Family History

A little background on Mandy, who recently moved into our ward (and we are so happy to have her!)
-from Mesa, Arizona
-served a mission in Santiago, Chile
-Married 8 yrs with 3 kids. Oldest is Ellie (5yrs), then Noah (3yrs), and Rowena (4mo)
-Last 5 yrs in Michigan

Moved here in June and was just called to be RS Temple Coordinator.
In Mandy's words: "I am grateful to be set apart with this calling before I teach this because I truly hope to have the Spirit to help inspire people about the importance of Temple trips."

Lesson: Temple Work and Family History
Mandy started out with this short video on why we build temples.

??? What makes the temple important to you personally???
-It is a place of peace and a refuge form the outside world
-It is the greatest university known to man-- provides higher education
-To learn about life after death
-To leave our pains and trials behind as we lose ourselves in service
-To have a personal encounter with God and to hear His voice. In the temple, God and Jesus Christ speak to us and to one another, and then invite us to respond verbally to them.
-One sister shared that her life has changed since she became a temple worker. She has learned more about her relationship with Jesus Christ, about God's love for her, about the importance of sacred ordinances, and has felt deeper love for others.

The things we are taught in temples:
o Our purpose here
o Our relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ
o Our premortal existence
o The meaning of life and life after death

“[Temples] are a souce of spiritual power and strength. They are a place of revelation”
–Silvia H. Allred (General Conference 2008)

“The all-important and crowning blessings of membership in the Church are those blessings we
receive in the temples of God” –President Monson (April General Conference 2011)

President Monson in the Mormon Message said “It lifts us”, “It exalts us”, “Points us to Celestial
Glory”, it is a place of “tranquility, kindness, love and light”

???Why are temples important in our lives???

-Perform necessary ordinances and covenants!! AND THEY ARE NOT JUST FOR US!

I love how the book specifically adds how “[Heavenly Father] has ASKED us to perform ordinances for our ancestors in the temples” WHAT AN HONOR – He has asked us to be a part of it!

I absolutely loved the last priest shown in that Mormon Message – he said “It’s a beautiful thing . . . extending the blessings that have come to me in and through Jesus Christ. That’s a beautiful way of letting the ETERNAL mix into the temple – which, in a way, is what Christianity is all about”

???What are the ordinaces???

Temple Ordinances Seal Families Together Forever

???What does it mean to be sealed???

“Whatsoever thou shalt bind in earth shall be bound in heaven” Matt 16:19, D&C 132:7

The book “Baptism and all other ordinances prepare us for THIS sacred event” EVERYTHING IS
LEADING UP TO THE TEMPLE. Growing up we always hear about how important baptism is but it is amazing to realize that that is just the stepping stone.

Quote:
“The Atonement of Jesus Christ assures each of us that we will be resurrected and live forever. But if we are to live forever with our families in Heavenly Father’s presence, we must do all that the Savior commands us to do. This includes being baptized and confirmed and receiving the ordinances of the gospel.

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have each been baptized and
confirmed by one having the proper priesthood authority. Each of us may also go to the temple to receive the saving priesthood ordinances performed there. But many of God’s children have not had these same opportunities. They lived at a time or place when the gospel was not available to them.

Heavenly Father wants all of His children to return and live with Him. For those who died without baptism or the temple ordinances, He has provided a way for this to happen. He has asked us to perform ordinances for our ancestors in the temples.”

Like that sweet man pointed out in the Mormon Message we have the chance now – and the
RESPONSIBILITY to extend “the blessings that have come to [us] in and through Jesus Christ.”

Story from the manual:
“Mario Cannamela married Maria Vitta in 1882. They lived in Tripani, Italy, where they raised a family and shared many wonderful years together. Mario and Maria did not hear the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ during their lifetimes. They were not baptized. They did not have the opportunity to go to the temple and be sealed together as an eternal family. At death, their marriage ended.


Over a century later a great reunion took place. Descendants of Mario and Maria went to the Los Angeles Temple, where a great-grandson and his wife knelt at an altar and served as proxies for the sealing of Mario and Maria. Tears filled their eyes as they shared in Mario and Maria’s joy.”

Many of our ancestors are among those who died without hearing about the gospel while on the earth. They now live in the spirit world (see chapter 41 in this book). There they are taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who have accepted the gospel are waiting for the temple ordinances to be performed for them. As we perform these ordinances in the temple for our ancestors, we can share their joy.

???What experiences have you had doing temple work for your ancestors???

???How do we get started???

1. Identify our ancestors.
2. Find out which ancestors need temple ordinances performed.
3. Make certain that the ordinances are performed for them.

???How has the Lord helped you or members of your family find information about your ancestors???

Additional Family History Opportunities: Participate in Family Organizations! Go to your family reunions, even if it's hard. Consider organizing a family reunion if your family doesn't regularly hold one.

CONCLUSION:

If you have children, take them to the temple! Walk around the grounds, take a picnic, and go to the Visitors Center.
If your children are 12 years old or older, they can share in these blessings by being baptized and confirmed for their ancestors.

Involve the whole family – Make the temple part of your family’s tradition!

**The Relief Society presidency would like to help you go to the temple and invites you to bring the temple more into your life. Marguerite shared that we can come "face to face with God and feel of His great love for us." Please let us know how we can help you in your efforts to go!

More on Temples from LDS.org