New Stake Relief Society Counselor

For those who are not aware, this past Sunday Sister Jill Goodrich was released from the Stake Relief Society Presidency.  It was a blessing to serve with Jill and she will be greatly missed. We wish her well in her new calling, and know that those whom she serves will benefit from her care and love.

We also wish to welcome Sister Kim Olivier as the new 2nd counselor.  We are excited to work with her and know that she will be an asset to the Relief Society program.  Below is a brief bio from Sister Olivier to help us get to know her better.

Stake Relief Society Presidency - March 2017
Lisa Larson - Cindy Erekson - Kim Olivier

Kim Olivier - Stake Relief Society Counselor

I was born in Baltimore, Maryland and lived in Spain, Utah, Iowa, Iran, and Texas before moving back to Maryland during high school.  I was raised in the church by my parents, who are both converts.  I am very grateful for the missionaries who taught them the gospel.  The gospel has blessed my life in so many ways and I cannot imagine life without it.

I met my husband, Mike, at BYU, got married and then graduated with a degree in Family Science.  We’ve been married for 23 years this summer.  We have 5 children (3 boys and 2 girls) that range in age from 20 down to 4 years old.  Our oldest is currently serving his mission in Brazil.  Our family has lived in Utah, Illinois, Arizona, and moved to Maryland in 2009.  I love to read (mostly nonfiction), run, do crafty things, and spend time with my family. 

Relief Society has given me the opportunity to find friends that are kind, generous, fun, loving, loyal, and faithful. These friends have brought great happiness and support to my life.  It’s very nice to know that during times of need I will always have someone who can help.  I’ve also been blessed to learn numerous skills and feel the Spirit during many Relief Society lessons. I am so grateful to be a member of this program!

RISE UP! Columbia Stake Relief Society Women's Conference

Sisters - we are excited to announce our upcoming Women's Conference.  Our classes/teachers, displays, service project and luncheon are shaping up wonderfully.  We are looking forward to this opportunity to gather as sisters to learn, to mingle, to serve, to be uplifted.  We hope you will be able to join us.  Please watch for the publicity postcards that will be distributed in your wards and branches.  If you have sisters you visit teach, who might not be at church to take one, please take one for them and invite them to join us.

We will be posting the complete list of class descriptions next Sunday (April 2) here on the blog.  Please be sure to check back to see what is being planned.

Questions can be sent to columbiastake.rs@gmail.com.

Love Those You Teach

The first section in the Teaching in the Savior's Way manual is titled - Love Those You Teach.  There is truly no better way to teach as the Savior taught than through love.  Love enables us to look beyond the frustrations, the foibles, the imperfections and see beyond the face to the person that the Savior loves.

"Everything the Savior did throughout His earthly ministry was motivated by love—His love for His Father and His love for all of us. Through the power of the Holy Ghost, we can be filled with this same love as we strive to be true followers of Christ (see John 13:34–35; Moroni 7:48; 8:26). With Christlike love in our hearts, we will seek every possible way to help others learn of Christ and come unto Him. Love will be the reason and motivation for our teaching." 
(Teaching in the Savior's Way part 1 section 1)

As we let love be the guiding motivation behind our teaching, our focus shifts from material and presentation to the people - to the individuals.

“A gospel teacher, like the Master we serve, will concentrate entirely on those being taught,” said Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “His or her total concentration will be on the needs of the sheep—the good of the students. A gospel teacher does not focus on himself or herself. One who understands that principle will not look upon his or her calling as ‘giving or presenting a lesson,’ because that definition views teaching from the standpoint of the teacher, not the student. Focusing on the needs of the students, a gospel teacher will never obscure their view of the Master by standing in the way or by shadowing the lesson with self-promotion or self-interest.”
(Dallin H. Oaks, “Gospel Teaching,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 79.)

One of my very favorite quotes is this:

"The real work happens when we touch someone individually."
(Julie B. Beck, Relief Society General President 2007-2012)

Recently as I was pondering that very quote, I made a connection - saw a pattern of change within the Church - a shift in focus to individual ministering.  Let me share what I saw:

October 2012 a change to the youth curriculum was announced - the new Come Follow Me curriculum shifted the focus of teaching and learning to a more personal learning environment rather than a set of cookie cutter lessons.

Temple and family history work has seen similar shifts.  The new technology enables us to print our own cards for ancestors ordinances.  The focus of Take - Find - Teach creates a personal experience that spirals out as we help others become involved in the work.  The recent title changes to those who have associated callings Temple & Family History Consultants was much more than just a title change.  It is another shift toward personalized experiences in learning and teaching - a focus on individuals.

The whole concept of the Teaching in the Savior's Way is to bring our gospel teaching and gospel learning back to the people - to the individuals we are.  It prompts us to minister to the individuals we teach rather than just presenting a lesson.

The new Self Reliance Initiative truly shows the focus on the individual.  Those who participate in the classes are encouraged to personalize their learning.  They are supported individually by facilitators as they learn and make positive changes that bring more self reliance into their lives.

What struck me the most as I saw this shifting pattern is that love is the motivating factor.  We can see the love the Lord has for His children in the inspired direction and programs that we have access to in the Church.  He helps us help ourselves and in so doing He helps us help others.  Our love for Him grows as we serve His children and our love for His children grows as we serve Him.

-Lorie Pierce

Personal Moments with Gordon B. Hinckley

Susie Rosenquist - Columbia 1st Ward

When I first joined the church, President Hinckley was the prophet. I had always wondered why we no longer had prophets on the earth, so it was easy for me to believe and accept that Joseph Smith, Jr. spoke with God and restored His church on the earth. I did struggle with accepting President Hinckley as a modern day prophet. That concept was still a bit foreign to me. Weren't prophets all supposed to be dead and we read their works as scriptures?
Before my second or third General Conference as a member, I decided I needed to gain a testimony of Gordon B. Hinckley as a modern day prophet. I believed that Brigham Young was the prophet after Joseph Smith. There were too many miraculous events described regarding the mantle of the priesthood passing to him after the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. It stood to reason that if I believed that transfer of authority, then I should also believe all subsequent transfers of authority. I recall attending that next General Conference broadcast with the faith and hope that Gordon B. Hinckley was a prophet. During that conference the Spirit confirmed that truth to me.
My favorite thing about President Hinckley was his unsinkable optimism. My favorite teachings are his Ways to Be.

Coming Up - General Women's Session

Come join us for a delicious Ice Cream Social prior to viewing the General Women's Session of Conference.  There will be tables of toppings in all sorts of flavors and varieties.

Your ward/branch RS presidencies have electronic copies of flyers that you can print and take to sisters you visit teach.

We are looking forward to mingling with our sisters from around the Stake.