June Presidency Message

Dear Sisters,

For several months now, I have felt impressed to testify to you the importance of womanhood and especially motherhood. Being a mother has never been an easy job. It's easy to get discouraged and lose sight of the importance of what we are doing.

I have been reading a book by Dean Hughes called "All Moms Go to Heaven." He tells about his experience of being a "stay at home dad" one summer. He said," I had my eyes opened that summer. Opened wide. I can now honestly say that I've been there, done that, and have the scars to prove it. And I'll tell you this: men just don't understand what we mothers go through."

His humorous book talks about his constant struggle to do dishes, change diapers, feed everyone, clean the house, control the clutter, entertain the children, and teach them to work, etc. He longed for adult conversation that summer. He said, "If I told Kathy that the kids had cut a big gash in our kitchen table with a screwdriver, she would want to know how they got hold of the screwdriver."

He came to understand a mother's guilt. He felt guilty for the amount of TV they watched, and felt bad that he wasn't reading to them more, or providing creative crafts and wholesome exercise. He felt guilty for cleaning up their toys instead of having them do it themselves, letting them eat Oreos even though they didn't eat their carrot sticks, and not giving them enough attention and affection.

He said, "In all seriousness, I got depressed that summer...I didn't go into a clinical depression; I knew the summer would end, eventually. But I was often disappointed with myself for my impatience and crankiness, and for my failure to teach the kids what I wanted them to learn. But the worst thing--the thing that kept me unhappy--was getting up in the morning and thinking, "This day will be just like yesterday and tomorrow." My only goal each day was to get back to where I started in the morning."

I've had some good laughs reading this book. And I admit that I can relate to how he felt. With just one week of summer vacation under our belts, I've already felt frustrated, overwhelmed, discouraged, and guilty that I'm not doing a better job. But I've also felt the Lord's love and guidance. I know that what I'm doing matters to Him. He loves me and my children, and He will help me in my day-to-day struggles if I will turn to Him.

Sister Barbara Thompson taught us in our most recent General Relief Society meeting, "Remember the great love of our Savior. He said in Isaiah 41:10, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee.” Then in verse 13 He says again, “I will help thee.” And once more in verse 14 He says, “I will help thee.”

Believe the Savior. He will help us. He loves us. He wants us to be happy."

Sister Thompson also said, "As Relief Society sisters we can help one another to strengthen families. We are given opportunities to serve in many capacities. We constantly come in contact with children and youth who may need just what we can offer. You older sisters have much good advice and experience to share with younger mothers. Sometimes a Young Women leader or a Primary teacher says or does just the thing that is needed to reinforce what a parent is trying to teach. And obviously we don’t need any particular calling to reach out to a friend or neighbor."

I want to tell all of you wonderful, amazing women how grateful I am for your examples. You do so much for your families, and for each other. I feel blessed to be associated with each and every one of you.

I know that the things we are doing have eternal consequences and also eternal rewards. As mothers and women, we are going about the Lord's work. He cares about what we are doing and He will help us.

Love,

Sister Huff

Relief Society News

Congratulations to Rachel White on the birth of her baby boy.

Congratulations to Sister Adams and Sister Hyde who both sent missionaries to the MTC in May.

Congratulations to Juanita Giles on the marriage of her daughter, Crystal.

Sister Cowley's mother and father both passed away last week. Our love goes out to her and her family at this time.

Sister Inez Wilson has been moved to the care center. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Thank You

I received a thank you card from the Giles family this week addressed to the 8th Ward Relief Society. It reads:

Dear Members of the Heber 8th Ward Relief Society,

Thank you for all you did for Dad and Mom. Thank you for making the day of Dad's funeral a special occasion for our family.

We love and appreciate you.

The Sherman Giles Family

May Presidency Message

Dear Sisters,

How wonderful it is to be part of the Relief Society. We have so many opportunities to help one another in service, feel each others love, and experience much growth. I am grateful for the opportunities that the Relief Society provides and I am a much better person because of it. I hope that you too are grateful for the Relief Society and all that it provides. We all have different circumstances and come from different backgrounds, yet we all have one thing in common, we are sisters in the Relief Society.

I would like to leave you with a thought from our General Relief Society President, Sister Julie Beck. "You are each unique and precious. Each of you has your own burdens and challenges, which gives you the blessing of turning to the Lord for help. We also have the opportunity to assist the Lord by providing relief for others, which is the greatest, fastest solution to lonliness and hopelessness and a sure way to obtain the companionship of the Spirit. All we need to do to start offering relief is to get on our knees and ask, "Who needs my help?" Every sister--married or single, young or old--is needed in this relief effort, and it is what we should do better than anyone else."

What a wonderful message. We are all a part of this Relief Society and each one of us is very much needed. I hope you as sisters in the Heber 8th Ward know that we need you and are grateful for you. I know that our Savior loves each one of us and is there for us. Thanks for all that you do in helping the sisters in our ward.

Love,
Sister Simper

Announcements - May 4, 2008

It's a new month. Please remember to call and report your April visiting teaching to your supervisor.

Our lesson schedule this month is:
May 4 - Presidency Message
May 11 - Chapter 9
May 18 - Chapter 10
May 25 - Conference Talks - May 08 Ensign

Just a reminder that the Primary needs a wallet size photo of each of the children to hang in the Primary room.

The Young Women are working on a fund raiser. They are selling corsages for Mother's Day. See Sister Spencer or one of the Young Women for more information.

The dry pack cannery is closed right now. It should re-open in May or June. We will update here when we have more information, or talk to the Cowleys if you have any questions.

"PURSE"-onal Enrichment

It's been over a month now, but I still wanted to send a big thank you out to Sister Simper and Sister Kohler and the Enrichment Committee for planning such a wonderful morning for us to celebrate the Relief Society's Birthday. The theme for our party was "Purse"-onal Enrichment. We visited and enjoyed a delicious brunch, then each sister was given a little "purse" goody bag to take home with them.

Sister Hi McNaughtan was the guest speaker. I always enjoy hearing her speak. She is so funny and so inspiring. She began her talk by showing us her own purse. She removed the contents and placed them on a tray. Some of the items in her purse were pretty common, and some were a little humorous. Next she passed the tray around and asked each sister to take one item and try to find a spiritual application for that item. It was easy to do this for some items, but others were more difficult. Those of us sitting at the end of the back row had to pick last. (I think next time we'll sit up front.) Next Sister McNaughtan discussed some other "purse" words that we can each be carrying in our spiritual purses.

"Purse"-erverance - She shared a story of a woman who had been disowned by her family, yet she still continued to write them a letter every week for 11 years. Do we persevere even when things are not easy?

"Purse"-spective - Are we too busy with the things of this world? Are we keeping an eternal perspective?

"Purse"-piration - Are we working hard to serve those around us? Are we serving in our callings? She especially encouraged us to serve others anonymously. When someone receives an anonymous act of service, they wonder who could have done it. Suddenly everyone around them is "guilty" of doing the act of service. The result is always an increased love for others.

"Purse"-sue - What things are we pursing in this life? Are we living worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost? Are we pursuing a testimony of the gospel and the scriptures? Are we pursuing courage to share the gospel and our testimonies?

"Purse"-onal - Do we have a personal testimony of the Savior? The gospel is personal to all of us. God knows each of us and loves each of us. We are all good people. Satan's most powerful lie is to tell us that we aren't good enough, and that we are not worthy of the Celestial Kingdom.

Sister McNaughtan shared a quote by Bruce R. McConkie at the end of her talk. Several sisters in our ward mentioned they were interested in having a copy. We made some copies of the quote and set them on our RS table, but I thought I'd share the quote here too.

STAYING ON THE PATH

"We don't have to get a complex or get a feeling that you have to be perfect to be saved. You don't. There's only been one perfect person, and that is the Lord Jesus. But in order to be saved in the Kingdom of God and in order to pass the test of mortality, what you have to do is get on the straight and narrow path--thus charting a course leading to eternal life--and then, being on that path, pass out of this life in full fellowship...If you're on that path and pressing forward, and you die, you'll never get off the path. There is no such thing as falling off the straight and narrow path in the life to come, and the reason is that life is the time that is given to men to prepare for eternity...You don't have to live a life that is truer than true. You don't have to have an excessive zeal that becomes fanatical and becomes unbalancing. What you have to do is stay in the mainstream of the Church and live as upright and decent people live in the Church--keeping the commandments, paying your tithing, serving in the organizations of the Church, loving the Lord, staying on the straight and narrow path. If you're on that path and death comes--because this is the time and day appointed, this is the probationary estate--you'll never fall off from it, and, for all practical purposes, your calling and election is made sure."

Bruce R. McConkie, "The Probationary Test of Mortality," Address given at U of Utah Institute, 10 January 1982, p11