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

Lesson by Krys C. on "Becoming Holy"

Reference: “Reflections on a Consecrated Life,” D. Todd Christofferson, October
2010

Consider tension in our lives between
Sacred, holy, lasting, consecrated
Profane, unclean, transitory, unhallowed
Regarding holiness, we are subject to two requirements:
1) To stand in holy places
My disciples shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved” (Doctrine
& Covenants, 45:32, see also D&C 87:8; D&C 101:22)).
2) To behave in a holy way, to be holy.
Psalm 29:1-2: Given unto the Lord, O ye might, give unto the Lord glory
and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the
beauty of holiness.
Leviticus 19:2: “Say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God
am holy.” (Lev. 19:2.)

What does it mean to be holy? What are the various things that “holiness” can
apply to or describe?

Holy Ghost (my view: more like a title than a description)
Holy One of Israel

“Holy” as authority or relationship:
Holy Priesthood
Holy Scriptures
Holy One of Israel (also a title)
The most holy faith (D&C 21:1-2)

“Holy” as a purpose or a state of mind:
Holiness to the Lord
- Not only on temples, but was on early stock certificates in Zion’s Cooperative Mercantile Institution
Holy of Holies
Paul – a holy calling (2 Tim 1:9)
Sabbath day, to keep it holy
Silence can by Holy
Purity


“Holy” as a place:
Holy Temple (repeat)
Zion = Holy City of the Lord
City of Holiness, even Zion, (Moses 7:19++)
Homes –
Holy Land

Old Testament:
The most common word for “holiness” and “holy” is qodesh (ko desh),
which refers to (a) holiness or holy name (as in “my holy name” in Psalms 2:6
or Isaiah 11:9), (b) a thing consecreated to God (as in the silver consecrated in
the temple in 1 Chronicles 26:20), (c) a sanctuary (as in the holy tabernacle in
Exodus 35:19 or the temple in Daniels 8:14), or (d) the most holy thing – with
reference to the temple or the ark of the covenant. There is a sense in which
a ‘holy’ thing is dedicated or hallowed.

-dedicated or hallowed things are holy because they have been linked directly to deity.
-holy things also have light in them- spiritual qualities.

New Testament:
In the New Testament, the word “holy” is from Hagios (ha ge os). It has a
connotation of something hallowed (it is derived from a word for something
awful): something “on account of some connection with God possess a certain
distinction and claim to reverence, as places sacred to God which are not to be
profaned.” (Thayer’s) Lexicon). It refers to the temple in Acts 7:33 and Matthew
14:15, the land of Palestine, Jerusalem (Matthew 4:5, Revalation 9:2). “Holy”
also refers to people as well as places, such as apostles, angles, prophets.

A second meaning in the New Testament is something “set apart for God,”
including the group of saints and Christians. Finally, holy can mean “prepared
for God” (as in a sacrifice with solemn rites), or “pure, sinless and upright” (as in
reference to John the Baptist in Mark 6:20)

Book of Mormon:
In the Book of Mormon, “holy” is used to refer to something related to God

(Alma 10:9, a “holy man” identified by an angel, a holy calling or ordinance (Alma
13:6-8) and even Jesus Christ (2 Ne 31:7), “holy scriptures” and “holy prophets”
(Hel 15:7). It is also used in the sense of purity: “If ye were holy I would speak
unto you of holiness.”

Music can be holy, especially hymns

The Visiting Teaching message for August was about how we are a "society of holy women"
If we are holy women, then we try to live a life of consecrating our works to God and standing on holy ground.

Why do we have holy places? What is the relationship between a holy
place (or time, or thing) and us as holy people?

There seem to be at least two purposes for describing something as holy:
(1) to demonstrate its relationship to God or deity
(2) to give instruction or warning to maintain its holiness

Isaiah 35:8: And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be
called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it [shall be] for
those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err [therein].

D. Todd Christofferson, “Reflections on a Consecrated Life” (Oct 2010 General
Conference, from Ensign)

Bro Christofferson says: “To consecrate is to set apart or dedicate something as
sacred, devoted to holy purposes.” He suggests five elements of a consecrated
life (i.e., one that is more holy).
1) Purity
• “Consecration therefore means repentance,” because we are
seeking to become sinless and spotless.
2) Work
• “A consecrated life is a life of labor.”
• God glorified his word of bringing to pass the immortality and eternal
life of his children; designed mortal existence to require nearly
constant exertion (plus a “kind word for leisure)
3) Respect for physical body
• Your body is a temple of God, “therefore glorify God in your body,
and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor 6:19-20).
4) Service
• Servant is not greater than the Lord (John 13:14-16).

5) Integrity
• Integrity is not naivete. It is “naïve to suppose that we are not accountable to God.”

I think of these as specific ways that we can change our relationship
with the divine, and to find a sense and place of sanctuary (Old Testament) or
connection (New Testament).

- sing songs which are holy in a reverent way (especially hymns). Separate the things that need to be kept holy and pure form the things of the world.
-make family time a sacred time- one of rejuvenation and strengthening family relationships.
-Sometimes we just need to raise our eyes a "foot or two" and look at the beauty around us.

Hearts and Hands Experience + September Theme

Shared by a sister:

  It's really nice to have my visiting teacher come by each month.  I feel that her message is always personalized just for me.  This month she made me feel extra-special when she presented me with a yummy chocolate caramel, beautifully wrapped in cellophane and tied with a gold ribbon.  She told me that she had read in the Relief Society Recap that the "Hearts and Hands Project" had a chocolate focus for August.  She knew that I had a special fondness for dark chocolate (as did she), and thought I might enjoy this little treat, a favorite of hers.

     She went on to expalin how she likes to cut her piece in fourths and savor it throughtout the day.  I thought I would give it a try and see if I could make mine last that long.  However, before I knew it, my knife had cut it into thirds.  I started enjoying it after lunch, one-third at a time.  Unfortunately, an hour later it was completely devoured. 

     No matter how long you decide to savor your chocolate goodie, I hope you enjoy yours as much as I did mine.  More importantly, how appreciative I am that I have such a thoughtful visiting teacher who really knows how to brighten my day!

We encourage each sister to take a moment in each month to find a way to serve one other sister (or more!) in the ward. This compassionate service activity is known as our "Hearts and Hands" program. It will reflect the love and friendship we share with each other, as well as the care and concern we have for each other. In September, the theme is: APPLES. 

Think of all the wonderful things we can do with apples: pie, crisp, caramel, baskets full, spice, dried. And remember that September 17th is National Apple Dumpling Day! (And if you still didn't get enough chocolate in August, September 12th is National Chocolate Milkshake Day!) 

If you have a great experience you’d like to share with the Relief Society, please do! This can be an experience as a giver or as a receiver. Email Deanne Welch, deannekwelch@hotmail.com with details to post on the blog. All entries will be kept anonymous.