Relief Society Newsletter

Fishers 2nd Ward Relief Society Newsletter
Lesson Summary by Kelsey Lambert

Sister Tensmeyer taught our lesson from chapter 23 in the Howard W. Hunter manual, called "No Less Serviceable." The lesson title comes from Alma 48:19, which talks about how Helaman and his brethren served their people just like Moroni did, even though their service wasn't as widely known. President Hunter related this scripture to the everyday service we do and receive. "Most of us will be quiet, relatively unknown folks who come and go and do our work without fanfare." Sister Tensmeyer asked us to share examples of people we know who quietly serve with little recognition. Many of the sisters expressed gratitude for the service of family members, primary and youth teachers, and church leaders. We also had a great discussion about WHY we serve, and here are some of the reasons sisters shared:
- to help those around us
- to be like the Savior
- to feel the love of the Lord
- to follow the second great commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves
- because it's who we are as children of God
- to be obedient
- to help take away or lessen the pain of others
- to help lift us out of our own trials
Sister Tensmeyer displayed a picture of a railroad crossing and shared the following suggestion from President Hunter for how we can become more serviceable. "The sign at the railroad crossing that warns us to stop, look, and listen could be a guide for us. Stop as we rush through life. Look for all the friendly, thoughtful, courteous things we can do, and all the little human needs we can fill. Listen to others and learn of their hopes and problems so that we will be able to contribute in little ways to their success and happiness." At the end of the lesson we listened to a beautiful song reminding us that right around us are those in need of our love and service. We are especially grateful today for the sisters who serve in primary and young women and hope that they feel loved and part of Relief Society as they serve where they are needed right now.

Relief Society Presidency
Cathy Gorge - President
Kelsey Lambert - 1st counselor
Debbie Orcutt - 2nd counselor
Kim Foster - Secretary
Missionary Moment
By Tomo Suzuki

I was feeling that I should make an invitation card for the ward Christmas Brunch, because I thought the Christmas Brunch could be a great opportunity to show my non-member friends what church looks like, what we believe, and how we receive joy through the atonement of Jesus Christ. But my recent busy schedule prevented me from creating one. As the date approached, I started to feel pressure and some guilt for I felt I hadn't done the thing which I should do. Then just a few weeks ago I found a beautiful invitation card posted on Facebook by a sister in our ward. With her permission, I was able to print it out and gave to some of my friends last week. I am thankful for this sister who was inspired to make the card. I believe that the Lord always prepares the way when we desire to share the gospel with others.

Birthdays This week...
12th- Marcie Solis
13th- Joanne Denney
Announcements
We still need 1-2 ladies that can come help decorate for the Christmas Brunch this Friday at 10am. Please contact Traci Norton if you can help. Thank you!

This Saturday, Dec 17th, 10am Ward Christmas brunch
   Sunday, December 18, 10:00 am-11:45 am.  Special Sunday meeting for all ward members to hear counsel from the Indianapolis North Stake Presidency, as well as hearing the new ward boundary changes within the stake.  Please carpool if possible to minimize parking needs.  To prepare for this meeting, be prayerful and ready to receive personal confirmation of the messages and changes presented.
Just Serve Fishers

Our ward serves in the Bishop's Storehouse on the 2nd Tuesday of each month from 8-10 am. Click here to sign up to serve.

We would like to involve more sisters in the giving and receiving of compassionate service. We encourage each of you to sign up for at least one compassionate service time between now and the end of March. A member of the Relief Society presidency or compassionate service committee will contact you letting you know what service is needed for that week. Click here to sign up to serve.

Sister Spotlight!

*Kim James*

1. What is one thing you would put on your bucket list?

 Go bungee jumping

2. If money weren't an option where would you travel?

Japan😊

3. What is your favorite smell?

Apple cinnamon

4. What is your favorite flower?

Lillies

5. Where were you born?

Idaho Falls, ID

6. What is a pet peeve of yours?

Sticky kitchen floors...(sadly mine always is sticky😊)

7. Do you prefer sweet or salty?

I love both together!

8. What is your biggest accomplishment?

Getting a Master's degree (It's in speech language pathology😊.  I'm a speech therapist 😊.) and being a Mom

9. Favorite genre of movies?

Romantic comedy

10. What is one thing you really don't like to eat?

Broccoli

11. What do you enjoy doing in your *spare* time, if you have any? :)

Reading!

12. Favorite food?

Brownies

Compassionate Service Signup

https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10c0e45aba82baaf94-just

December Relief Society Message

VISITING TEACHING MESSAGE

Family Joy Is Found in Righteousness

Prayerfully study this material and seek for inspiration to know what to share. How will understanding “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” increase your faith in God and bless those you watch over through visiting teaching? For more information, go to reliefsociety.lds.org.

God “established families to bring us happiness, to help us learn correct principles in a loving atmosphere, and to prepare us for eternal life.”1 Of God’s “great plan of happiness” (Alma 42:8), President Russell M. Nelson, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said: “His plan declares that men and women are ‘that they might have joy’ [2 Nephi 2:25]. That joy comes when we choose to live in harmony with God’s eternal plan.”2

A Christ-centered home provides the greatest opportunities for success. Elder Richard G. Scott (1928–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles describes it as a place “where the gospel is taught, covenants are kept, and love abounds,” where families can live “an obedient life” and become “firmly rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ.”3

President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, said: “We can decide that we will do all we can to bring down the powers of heaven into [our] family.” And we’re most likely to promote love, service, obedience, and happiness in our homes by “[our children’s] hearing the word of God and then trying it in faith. If they do, their natures will be changed in a way that produces the happiness they seek.”4

Additional Scriptures

3 John 1:4; 1 Nephi 8:12; 2 Nephi 5:27

Christ-Centered Homes

We have role models of Christ-centered homes in the scriptures. After his father, Lehi, died, Nephi took his family and others who believed in the warnings and the revelations of God and who hearkened to Nephi’s words away from the land of the Lamanites. In this new place, the Nephites could keep the judgments, statutes, and commandments of the Lord in all things, according to the law of Moses. (See 2 Nephi 5:6–10.) Yet even among the Nephites, some eventually became disobedient.

And while our family members can sometimes drift away from righteousness like the Nephites did, Elder Scott said that a Christ-centered home still “provides the greatest assurance for peace and refuge in our homes.” He acknowledged that “there will still be plenty of challenges or heartaches, but even in the midst of turmoil, we can enjoy inner peace and profound happiness.”5

Relief Society seal

Faith, Family, Relief

Consider This

What could we do to live more righteously within our families?