Angels Among Us - Visiting Teaching Conference

Calling All Relief Society Sisters

Join Us For

A Delicious Brunch

Saturday, January 31st

11:00 am

At the Home of Jennifer Hadfield

11309 NW 13th Court

Share the blessings of this wonderful commandment of serving your sisters. Enjoy a delicious brunch, fellowship with your sisters, and a short program. You will leave being physically and spiritually fed. RSVP to a member of the RS Presidency.

Lesson 4: Families Are a Part of Heavenly Father’s Plan

Opening Song: “Families Can Be Together Forever” (CS, page 188)

Opening Prayer

Family Business:

Scripture or Testimony: Matthew 6:21

Lesson: Review with the children that each of us chose to follow Heavenly Father’s plan and come to earth. Tell the children that when we came to earth, Heavenly Father blessed us with people to help us and love us.
Tell the children that you will give them clues to help them figure out who these people are. One at a time, have a child hold up each letter of the word family. Have the children state the name of the letter. Then give a clue that starts with that letter. Some possible clues are given on the next page.
· 1. Father is a part of it.
· 2. Aunts and uncles are part of it.
· 3. Mother is a part of it.
· 4. I am a part of it.
· 5. Love is a part of it.
· 6. You are a part of it.
When you have given all the clues, repeat the word family together with the children.
• Why do we need families?
Explain that when we were babies we needed to live with people who would take care of us. Heavenly Father planned for each of us to live with a family that would love us and take care of us. As we grow older, our families also teach us and help us make wise choices. Explain that all families are different. Some families have two parents, and some families have only one. Some families have lots of children, and some families have only a few children or one child. Some families have children, parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles all living together. Some children live with adults who aren’t related to them but who still love them and care for them. Families do different things together and show love in different ways. The important thing about families is that the family members love and care for each other. Everyone needs to be part of a family.
Activity:

Hold up your hand with the fingers extended. Explain that the members of a family can work together like the fingers and thumb of a hand. Ask the children to try to pick up their scriptures or some other object with one hand, without using their thumbs. Explain that while they may be able to pick up the object with just their fingers, it is much easier when they use their thumb and fingers together. Remind the children that every member of a family is important. Family members can accomplish much when they all work together.

Give the children paper and crayons or pencils and have them draw pictures of their families. Label each picture My Family Loves Me.

Closing Prayer
Treat

Lesson 3: My Body Is a Temple

Opening Song: “The Lord Gave Me a Temple” (CS 153)

Opening Prayer

Family Business:

Scripture or Testimony: 1 Corinthians 3:16

Lesson: Vicki F. Matsumori, “Sharing Time: Ye Are the Temple of God,” Friend, May 2002, 44
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? … For the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are (1 Cor. 3:16–17).Close your eyes and picture a temple. What color is it? How big is it? Does it have any windows? Are there spires? How many? The temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are unique. The Salt Lake Temple in Utah has gray granite walls and six spires. It looks different from the Cardston, Alberta Temple in Canada, which has natural stone walls and no spires. Even though each temple looks different, all are beautiful and are built for the same purpose. They are places where special ordinances take place that are needed for us to return to Heavenly Father. Temples are also places where Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father can come.
You are like the temple. You are different from everyone else, but you, too, are a house for the Spirit of God (the Holy Ghost). The Apostle Paul said: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? … For the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” (1 Cor. 3:16–17.) Your body is a temple. Just as you treat temples with respect, you should treat your own body with respect. You can do this by obeying the Word of Wisdom (see D&C 89), by dressing modestly, and by following the counsel of President Gordon B. Hinckley to “be clean” (see Friend, February 2001, page 25). One way to be clean is to not have tattoos. President Hinckley said, “A tattoo is graffiti on the temple of the body” (Ensign, November 2000, page 52). You should also keep your heart and mind clean by reading, listening to, and watching only “things that are pleasing to Heavenly Father” (see My Gospel Standards). If you are clean in mind and body, you can receive great blessings because “the Lord hath said he dwelleth not in unholy temples, but in the hearts of the righteous doth he dwell” (Alma 34:36).

Activity: Find your way through the maze. When you get to a picture, follow the path that represents your choice. Choose the Yes path if the picture shows something that helps you keep your body “a temple of God.” Choose the No path if it is something that would not be good for your mind or body.
Draw small pictures of five other things that are good for you, and five things you should avoid. Place your pictures over corresponding good-and bad-choice pictures in the maze.

Closing Prayer & Treat

2009 FHE Lesson

Lesson 2: My Pre-mortal Life

Opening Song: “I Lived in Heaven” (CS, page 4)

Opening Prayer

Family Business:

Scripture or Testimony: D & C 138:56

Lesson: Margaret Lifferth, “Sharing Time: The Plan of Happiness,” Friend, Jan 2005, 14
For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (Moses 1:39).
Many people want to know where they came from, why they are here, and where they are going. Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness answers these questions. Before we were born, we all lived together in heaven with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We learned and grew as much as we could. But eventually Heavenly Father gathered all His children in a council and told us that to become like Him, we must leave heaven for a time. He would create an earth for us, He would give us the freedom to choose between good and evil, and He would show us the way to know what is good. He would provide a Savior so that when we sinned, we could repent and still return to Him.
We came to earth to gain a body and walk by faith. We can’t remember our home in heaven, but we can choose the right by following the example of Jesus, obeying our parents, and living My Gospel Standards.
After we die, we will all live again because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He overcame death through the Resurrection, and everyone will be resurrected. He also overcame sin, and those who have faith, repent, are baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and keep the commandments will return to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. They will have the gift of eternal life, which is what the plan of happiness is all about.


Activity:
Teach children that in the pre-mortal life Heavenly Father chose Jesus Christ to be our Savior. Before we came to earth, we lived with Heavenly Father. Explain that Heavenly Father presented a plan for all of us to get a physical body and to learn to choose the right. Read Moses 4:1–4, and have the children tell the story in their own words. Ask, “Who is the ‘Beloved Son’ Heavenly Father spoke of?” Show GAK 240 (Jesus the Christ). On a large sheet of paper list the following statements: “An earth would be created where we could live and show we would obey Heavenly Father’s commandments”; “We shouted for joy when we heard Heavenly Father’s plan”; “Jesus was prepared to redeem us”; “There was a war in heaven.” Write another list of the following scriptures in random order: Abr. 3:24–25; Job 38:7; Ether 3:14; Rev. 12:7–9. Have the children read the scriptures and match each scripture to a statement. Testify of Jesus Christ.

Closing Prayer: Treat

Dear Sisters,

Once a year we are blessed to gather in the spirit of "sisterhood" for our Stake Relief Society Women's Conference. We invite each of you to shore up your spiritual foundation as we gather together for the:

Vancouver Washington West Stake
Relief Society Women's Conference

JESUS CHRIST, OUR FIRM FOUNDATION

Saturday, February 7, 2009
10:00-11:30 a.m.
Presented in the Stake Center Chapel
Delicious Luncheon to follow

At this time of uncertainty, we testify of the one “sure” rock or foundation upon which every sister can securely build her life and her family – our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Please mark your calendars and invite those you visit teach and other friends. You will be blessed by making this a priority in your life. Come to be strengthened.

With great love,


Your Stake Relief Society Presidency,
Wendi Rowan, Debbie Draper, ConneMara Dunn, Ilene Lowe

PATRICIA J. CONRAD

Dec. 24, 1937 - Jan. 3, 2009

Pat Conrad passed away peacefully at her home in Vancouver, WA on Jan. 3, 2009 after battling breast cancer for over twelve years. She was born on Dec. 24, 1937 in Champaign, IL to Charles H. Johnson and Petra L. Peterson. She was one of five children. Most of Pat's younger years were spent in Madison, WI where she especially enjoyed sailing and ice boating on the Lake Mondota.

She graduated from the University of Wisconsin teaching high school in 1955.Pat met her future husband, Joseph, at the University of Wisconsin and dated several years before they were married on Nov. 29, 1957 in Madison. Upon her husband's graduation, she accompanied him on his Army assignment to New Jersey and then to White Sands Missile Range, NM where her first son was born.After their Army service was completed, Pat and Joe returned to Madison and then on to Loveland, CO where they were blessed with two daughters and a son. Pat then moved with her husband to Campinas, Brazil where they were blessed with their 5th child, a daughter.Pat had the opportunity of living in Guadalajara, Mexico and Tucson, AZ as well as approximately 28 years in Vancouver, WA.

Pat was an active member in her church and served in many different capacities. She loved to teach, especially the young girls. She was an active quilter, scrapbooker and an expert in family history. Besides working on her own family history, Pat helped a number of other people find their ancestors. She served two missions for her church, one 18-month full time mission in Salt Lake City and one 6-month part time mission.

She was a very special person to all who knew her and a special mother and wife. She will be deeply missed.

Pat is survived by her husband, Joseph; five children: Eric Conrad, Vancouver, Jeniene Ross, Vancouver, Gail Christensen, Delta, UT; Mark Conrad, Helena, OK; Molly Conrad, Los Angeles, CA: one brother, Dr. Charles Johnson, McMurray, PA; and three sisters, Sarah Yuenger, Alburn Way, WA; Susan Wright, San Jose, CA and Nancy Conrad, Portland, OR. Pat is also survived by 11 grand- children; and seven great-grand-children .

We would like to thank the nurses at NW Cancer Specialists for being so kind and helpful to her and her doctors, Dr. David Smith and Dr. Tracy Williams for giving her 12 extra years of special life.

There will be a viewing on Thurs., Jan. 8, 2009 at the Vancouver Funeral Chapel from 6-8:00 p.m. and a memorial service on Sat., Jan 10, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2223 NW 99th Street, Vancouver, WA.

A Happy New Year Begins

Happy New Year to all. We've made it through 2008 & now 2009 greets us. A new year begins & new goals need to be made or even old goals continued. Sisters please think about some goals that as Sisters in Relief Society, we can all work towards achieving. Whether you met your goals for 2008 or didn't set any goals, start fresh now. Pray about what it is that will help you and all of us together. If we can help one another to get started and on track to making new goals now, how awesome would that will be?

Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president: "Latter-day Saint women must be strong and immovable in their faith. They can and should excel in living and sharing their testimonies of the Lord Jesus Christ and His restored gospel. We do this as we:
1. Make and keep covenants with Him.
2. Are worthy and worship in His temples.
3. Study His doctrine in the scriptures and the words of prophets.
4. Qualify for, recognize, and follow the Holy Ghost.
5. Share and defend His gospel.
6. Participate in sincere personal and family prayer.
7. Have family home evening.
8. Live principles of self-reliance and provident living.

"These are essential things which must be done before nonessential things. These are simple, indispensable practices that almost seem mundane. . . . No one can do these things for us—these are personal practices and habits that set us apart as strong and immovable for that which is correct" ("What Latter-day Saint Women Do Best: Stand Strong and Immovable," Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2007, 109–10).

Sisters, let us use the essential things from Sister Beck to be the cornerstone of the goals that we set for ourselves and our Relief Society. Together we will become closer to each other and with our Savior. We love you and care about you and your families. We share your joys and sorrows. We pray that 2009 will be a rewarding and fulfilling year that brings you closer to Christ.