Follow the Covenant Path - Stake Relief Society Women's Conference 2019

We are excited to announce this year's Stake Relief Society activity will be a women's conference.  There will be classes to choose from, service opportunities to participate in, an opportunity to hear about local organizations we can become involved with in our communities and a luncheon to mingle and enjoy each other's company.

Our theme is Follow the Covenant Path and the classes will provide us with insights, learning experiences and uplifting messages designed to help us participate in and support our North America Northeast Area Vision.  That vision statement is: "As beloved children of God, we will follow the covenant path by receiving ordinances and keeping covenants that lead to eternal life, and invite family, friends and neighbors to do the same."

You can find out more about the CLASSES being offered here:
https://columbiastakers.blogspot.com/p/follow-covenant-path.html

You can find out about the SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES available here:
https://columbiastakers.blogspot.com/p/service-projects.html

There is also a DONATION OPPORTUNITY:
We will be collecting Diapers (all sizes but especially sizes 4 and up are needed - even opened packages are great!) AND Laundry Detergent at this Stake Relief Society activity to benefit FIRN, a local non-profit organization which helps immigrants and their families.  Please consider donating these needed supplies.  Thanks for your help!

Please be aware that No Child Care will be available at this event.  We suggest that if the need exists, you seek out young women or young men in your ward/branch or reach out through your Ministering brethren & sisters for possible options.

We hope that many of our sisters across the Stake will be able to join us for this event.  It promises to be an uplifting and inspiring day together.

If you have any questions, please let us know at columbiastake.rs@gmail.com.

Prophetic Invitations

When President Nelson spoke during the general women's broadcast of general conference, he issued four invitations to help us, the women of the Church, answer his "prophetic plea . . . to shape the future by helping to gather scattered Israel."

President Nelson's first invitation asks us to prayerfully consider our use of media and then "to participate in a 10-day fast from social media and from any other media that bring negative or impure thoughts" to our minds. Immediately, I (and I'm sure many of you) started to assess the books I was reading, television shows I was watching, and movies I had on my watchlist. Could any of these be considered a negative influence? I think of this initial assessment as the first phase of this invitation. The second phase is the actual fast. In my experience, the first day felt as long as the subsequent nine! The more time spent away from Instagram, the easier it was not to click on that icon. The third and final phase of this first invitation from our prophet is to self-reflect. He suggests answering the following questions: "What do you notice after taking a break from perspectives of the world that have been wounding your spirit? Is there a change in where you now want to spend your time and energy? Have any of your priorities shifted--even just a little? I urge you to record and follow through with each impression." 

The second invitation President Nelson extended was to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year, marking each verse that refers to the Savior, then, talking about Him with our friends and family. Wowzers! The Book of Mormon is long. 530 pages! He asked us to read it in under 3 months. During the holiday season? I don't know about you, but my mind was reeling a bit when I heard this. But listening to all of President Nelson's message, which sprinkled prophetic promises between his calls to action, and I knew I wanted to participate. "You and [your families and friends] will be drawn closer to the Savior through this process. And changes, even miracles, will begin to happen." I want those blessing for my family and friends! So, my daughters who are still at home, my husband and I are blazing through the Book of Mormon faster than we ever have. I even found that marking all the references to Christ made reading the Isaiah passages in 2 Nephi more enjoyable!

When I heard President Nelson issue his third invitation to "establish a pattern of regular temple attendance," the first thought I had was I HAD a habit of regularly going to the temple twice a month--and then it closed! Initial pouting aside, I appreciate that President Nelson didn't qualify our attendance with anything more than the word "regular." Individually, we can decide what "regular" temple attendance looks like to each of us. Driving 2 hours each way and paying $24 in tolls has certainly impacted my temple attendance, but I can still attend regularly. I also appreciate that President Nelson invited those who don't live near a temple "to study prayerfully about temples in the scriptures and in the words of the living prophets." Adding that to my personal study can be part of my new regular temple routine. In his opening remarks in general conference, President Nelson mentioned the strength of the adversary, noting that we need counter-strategies to combat Satan's. Then, in his closing address, the prophet said that our need to be in the temple on a regular basis has never been greater. I know I feel that on a personal level. When life's circumstances look bleak or tragedies happen to those I love, I can always count on having a peaceful heart when I am within the walls of the House of the Lord.

President Nelson's fourth and final formal invitation is  "to participate fully in Relief Society." He expanded on this by urging us to study the current Relief Society purpose statement and to study the Relief Society declaration. Did you know or remember that the Relief Society purpose statement had been revised in 2017? I didn't! Here it is: “Relief Society helps prepare women for the blessings of eternal life as they increase faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and His Atonement; strengthen individuals, families, and homes through ordinances and covenants; and work in unity to help those in need.” As part of my study of the new purpose statement, I read the announcement on the change, found here: https://www.lds.org/church/news/sister-burton-announces-updates-to-lds-relief-society-purpose-statement?lang=eng.  The Relief Society declaration can be found here: https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/images/gospel-library/manual/31114/31113_000_005_01-declaration.pdf?lang=eng. Before accepting President Nelson's fourth invitation, it had been an embarrassingly long time since I'd read the declaration. I feel like it is a beautiful mission statement for women who understand their divine relationship with deity.

Sisters, we are lucky to have full lives with calendars full of good ways to spend our time. But, I hope that of all the invitations and evites we receive, we jump at the chance to accept these four invitations from our living prophet. I know that as we follow our prophet, the Lord's blessings will pour down on us. I'm counting on it!

-Mendy Hunter
(Second Counselor, Stake Relief Society)

Being the Hands of our Savior

I love General Conference! I remember as a child that conference weekends were never my favorite time of year - mainly because I would miss Primary or Young Women. But now I crave for Conference weekends where my spirit can be filled and I can listen to the words of our prophet and other leaders.

Six months ago our prophet introduced a new way of ministering to one another and I’ve spent the last six months attempting to figure out how best to minister to the sisters I’ve been assigned and even ones that I don’t have an assignment for but that the Lord wants me to help watch over.

There were two talks that specifically spoke to my questions. The first was given by Joy D. Jones and was titled, “For Him” and was given in the general women’s session of Conference. The other one was given by Bonnie H. Cordon and was called “Becoming a Shepherd” and was given in the Sunday morning session.

Sister Jones shared her experience of being rejected by a less active family in her ward when taking over a plate of cookies. She spoke of how she and her husband lacked the spiritual vision and questioned: “Why are we doing this? What is our purpose?” How often I have asked that question myself and wondered if what I was doing really mattered. It does!

Doctrine and Covenants 59:5 says, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind, and strength, and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve him.” Are we serving our sisters out of love for the Lord? As our spiritual vision of ministering changes and we learn to love and minister as our Savior would, then we will no longer question why we are doing it or what our purpose is and we will truly capture the vision the Lord wants us to have.

Sister Cordon shared in her talk the importance of developing a shepherd’s heart and understanding the needs of the Lord’s sheep. She said it is important that we “make certain each person feels the love of the Savior through someone who serves for Him.” Also, as we “pray, we will feel the love of Jesus Christ for those to whom we minister. Share that love with them. What better way is there to feed His sheep than to help them feel His love - through you?”

President Nelson said in the general women’s session of Conference, “When you are truly ministering, you follow your feelings to help someone else experience more of the Savior’s love.”

Ministering truly is a matter of each one of us being the hands of our Savior and sharing His love for our fellow sisters here on earth. It truly is a holy calling and one that I hope to improve in as I try to help those around me in their journey back to Heavenly Father. I know I have a purpose and why I am doing it - because I love the Lord and want to share His love to them.

-Lisa Larson
(First Counselor, Stake Relief Society Presidency)

A Home Centered Church

It’s been a week since we experienced another wonderful General Conference, and I think I’m still floating on a “conference high”! I feel so energized! The Church is moving forward at an ever increasing pace, hastening the work, and preparing us for the coming of the Lord.
What a blessing to have a living Prophet, who has reminded us that the church of Christ must bear his name. We belong to His church, and it’s important that the world know where to find Him and His true gospel.

Does a Home Centered Church seem new to you? It shouldn’t. We all came from our Heavenly home where we were taught by our Heavenly Parents. We were placed on this earth in families and taught to honor our parents. We’ve been instructed over the years to raise our children up unto the Lord, to teach them right from wrong in our homes, and to counteract the things of the world. We’ve been invited to set aside one night each week for Family Home Evening, and to sit together as families in Sacrament Meeting. We have ALWAYS been a family centered Church, and the wonderful new ‘Come Follow Me’ materials and the extra time on Sunday will help us better fulfill this responsibility.

President Eyring spoke of the woman’s role in nurturing her family and administering to others in need: “As daughters of God, you have an innate and great capacity to sense the needs of others and to love. That, in turn, makes you more susceptible to the whisperings of the Spirit. The Spirit can then guide what you think, what you say, and what you do to nurture people so the Lord may pour knowledge, truth, and courage upon them.”

He went on to say: “ whatever your personal circumstance, you are part--a key part--of the family of God and of your own family, whether in the future, in this world, or in the spirit world. Your trust from God is to nurture as many of His and your family members as you can with your love and your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.”

And then: “You will each find ways to contribute to the outpouring of truth upon your families in the Lord’s restored Church. Each of you will pray, study, and ponder to know what your unique contribution will be. But this I know: each of you, equally yoked with sons of God, will be a major part of a miracle of gospel learning and living that will hasten the gathering of Israel and will prepare God’s family for the glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

What a blessing! I hope you are feeling as excited as I am! There have been lots of changes over the past year; new policies, new curriculums, new changes in responsibilities. But with each new change I have had the confirmation that we are moving in the direction that the Lord wants for his church and his people. It all makes sense!

And now, we have this amazing blessing of technology that allows us to have almost immediately, in text, what we heard from the mouths of the Prophets. We don’t have to wait a month for printed copy to arrive in a magazine. My hope is that you are already reading this new scripture and feasting upon the words of modern revelation. Apply it to your family. Mark up your Book of Mormon. Remind your friends that you are a member of Christ’s Church during these Latter days.

As always, I send you my love and prayers,
Cindy Erekson

We Follow Christ

Planting Seeds
Sharing the gospel is a fundamental part of our beliefs. As members of the church, we lovingly seek to plant seeds of faith in the hearts of our friends and family, and hope those seeds might grow into a living and vibrant testimony of our Savior. As you have considered how and with whom to share the gospel, you may have wondered if your friend has ever heard of the church. If so, what have they heard? What perceptions do they have, both of the church as an institution and of the individual members? This is where a sometimes little-known organization in the church comes into the picture: Public Affairs.

The church has a large and busy Public Affairs department that makes sure we have resources such as Mormon Messages, mormonnewsroom.org, and mormon.org to help the world know about the worldwide church. Our stake has a Public Affairs committee dedicated to helping everyone in our area to know about the church in our part of Maryland. Right now our committee is Cari Larkins (CL), Teresa Cochran (C1), Kellie Nuss (YSA), Patti Gardner (EC), Jeff Link (EL) and President Steve Peterson (EC). We are glad for this chance to introduce the work of Public Affairs in this stake and how it relates to you.

Preparing the Soil
In the context of a gardening metaphor, if missionary work or sharing the gospel is indeed planting seeds, then the work of Public Affairs is preparing the soil. We seek to remove rocks and weeds, and nourish the soil so that it is ready to receive those seeds. In other words, we want to influence your friend’s perception of the church so that when you are ready to talk about your faith, they might be more prepared. We sum up our efforts as follows:

The MESSAGE of Public Affairs is:  We follow Christ

The EVIDENCE of that message to those not of our faith is:
• We love our neighbors so we participate in interfaith and community activities.
• We care for the poor and needy so we serve in our community and encourage self- reliance.
• We believe that families last forever so we enable the work for the dead in our temples.

The TASK of Public Affairs is to get that core declaration of our discipleship out to the wider community in a context they can understand.

The EVIDENCE teaches the MESSAGE. If that message is spread in clear and undeniable ways through evidence, then the soil is better prepared for the work of salvation in this area.

•We can only spread that message through contact and interaction.

•Contact and interaction take place in three primary ways—community service, social media, and church leaders meeting and developing relationships with other leaders in the community.

What can you do?
As members of the church, you make a difference as you serve in your community and let people know you are a member of the church. This simple connection does amazing things for the perception of the church in this area. Don’t underestimate your influence. As you serve in the church, you can help organizations pivot their efforts and be more outward facing. Plan the same activities you are already planning, but prayerfully seek to involve the community in some way. We are here to offer you ideas, contacts and resources for pivoting activities, plus the spirit will teach you as you seek guidance.

In 2013, Elder Bednar counseled us that “a technology known as social media is evolving in our day and playing an increasingly important role in hastening the work of salvation.” You can be involved in our social media efforts as follows:
• Like our Facebook page @ColumbiaMarylandMormons and our Instagram feed @columbiamdmormons
• Share your personal involvement in church activities on social media, such as the fun you had at an activity, or your trips to visit temples while the DC Temple is closed.
• Hashtag these posts with #columbiamarylandmormons and tag our pages, and others will know that the church exists in our area.
• Let us know if an activity would be good to share with the larger community and send us some photos, or invite us to attend and report on the activity.

Many of these efforts are subtle, take place over a long period of time, and may not seem like they have any immediate result. Elder Bednar asked us to use social media to “sweep the earth as with a flood” with news of the gospel,  but he reassured us that this only needs to happen drop by drop. As more and more of us share just a few things, our influence will grow.

Preparation for the rededication of the Washington D.C. Temple
We would like every person living within the boundaries of our stake to receive a personal invitation to the Washington DC Temple open house that will happen in 2020. Part of preparing to invite is letting people know we are here. Believe it or not, there are many who are not aware that LDS congregations are functioning right here in their neighborhood.

As you seek to learn more about Public Affairs and participate in sharing the evidence that we follow Christ, you will be blessed to know what to do and say, and you will have influence. Your light matters, so share it, as Sharon Eubank counsels: “Each of us needs to be better at articulating the reasons for our faith. . . . Use your voice and your power to articulate what you know and feel—on social media, in quiet conversations with your friends, when you’re chatting with your grandchildren. Tell them why you believe, what it feels like, if you ever doubted, how you got through it, and what Jesus Christ means to you. As the Apostle Peter said, “Be not afraid … ; but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you.”

-Kellie Nuss
Stake Public Affairs Committee

When We Are Prepared and Ready To Receive

I have been struggling to get over bronchitis the past couple weeks.  I was feeling better yesterday, but felt it was a wiser choice to continue resting rather than attend Stake Conference.  I did not attend the meetings yesterday.  This morning when I woke up I felt significantly better, but was still thinking it wiser to stay home.  However at 9am I was overwhelmed with a feeling of "go to Stake Conference!".  I quickly dressed and headed out the door.  As I sat and listened to the speakers this morning, I knew why the Lord wanted me there.  I received answers to private prayers through the messages shared.  How grateful I am for the preparation of the speakers.  How grateful I am that I didn't question the impression - that I didn't make my excuses and stay home to rest another day.  How grateful I am that I had been faithful this week in my personal reading of the Book of Mormon - even though I really just wanted to lie back down.  How grateful I am that I was indeed well enough to go and spiritually prepared enough to hear what I needed to hear.

For those of my sisters who for whatever reason were unable to be with us this morning at Stake Conference, here are some of the things that impressed my heart and mind.  It's obviously not a complete transcript...just the notes from my scribblings.  Hopefully I have the names of the youth speakers spelled correctly.

Kasey Baird - youth speaker from Columbia 1 Ward
The Savior is the perfect example of how to Minister.  She shared two simple ways for youth (and all of us) to follow Christ's example by ministering: 1.  Being a Friend  and 2. Attend mutual (our RS meetings) with a different mindset - Who Needs Me Today?  We can ask ourselves that question everyday.

Mason Hunter - youth speaker from Savage Mill Ward
Our heart should be in the right place - in the Savior's Way.  We need to choose to Minister for the right reasons.  Love should be our motivation.  Love should be our compass and Ministering our vessel.

Felicity Hancock - Savage Mill Ward
Everyone fights a hard battle.  She has seen direct blessings for their efforts to attend the Temple - peace in difficult times.  She quoted Elder Renlund's 2018 conference talk that spoke of blessings from temple and family history work.   "When ordinances are performed on behalf of the deceased, God’s children on earth are healed."  The best way to keep our youth on the Gospel path is to involve them in temple and family history work.  We matter to our Heavenly Father.  If you're seeking answers and peace - go to the temple.  It's easy for us to over complicate attending the temple, but what we really need is to realize that it is a possibility and work from there.

Sister Christiansen - Maryland Baltimore Mission
Knowing who we are and why we're here on this earth makes all the difference.  When we establish our vision through the Gospel lens, we can see things as they really are.  Faith must be active. Repentance daily. Continuous in keeping sacred covenants. Actively receiving the Holy Ghost.  Each of us much choose to act in faith, to remove distractions, to seek the Lord and to know for ourselves.

President Christiansen - Maryland Baltimore Mission
Our fellowship together is a great opportunity to lift one another.  Do we realize what we know and what we have?  Ministering should be a way of life - looking outward we can find opportunities all around us.  How will you bless?  Who will you bless?  Revelation assists us in knowing who and how to bless.  He also shared this thought from his counselor, President McConkie: Simplicity means focusing on that which is essential.  The ordinances of the Priesthood are essential for us to walk back into the presence of God the Father and Jesus Christ.  We are those the Lord is relying on to prepare the world for the coming of Jesus Christ.  There is an urgency in what we are doing.

President Peterson - Columbia Maryland Stake
In our families we first learn and practice worship of our Father in Heaven.  As we remember the blessings of God for our families we will be able to reverence and worship Him more.  We worship through prayer, through our Sabbath Day observance and through Temple attendance.  We need to set aside time to worship in the Temple.

President Towne - Columbia Maryland Stake
The most important things in life are not things.  Do we really understood how important the Gospel is?  The pearl of great price referred to by the Savior is the Restored Gospel.  He quoted President Nelson:  "What will your seeking open for you? What wisdom do you lack? What do you feel an urgent need to know or understand? Follow the example of the Prophet Joseph. Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort."  The truth is what is important.  Knowing Christ is what is important.

President Mitchell - Columbia Maryland Stake
He began by sharing his testimony and told us - you can receive a witness for yourself.  Though the Spirit you can feel peace, assurance, calm, guidance and witness that this is His church and knowing that changes our perspective on life.  He also spoke on Ministering.  To be disciples of Christ we need to love one another.  How can we develop more Christlike love?  We need to be mindful of others needs.  Spiritual strengthening is as important as meeting physical needs.  He quoted President Nelson regarding the need for revelation in our lives: “Choose to do the spiritual work required to enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost and hear the voice of the Spirit more frequently and more clearly. -- I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation. -- Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, and regular time committed to temple and family history work.”  He reminded us that the Gathering of Israel is the most important thing going onto today - on both sides of the veil.  The Lord hasn't left us alone.  We should work together in love and unity.  We need to strengthen and help one another.

- Lorie Pierce

Our Sometimes Simple Efforts

This week we get to travel to Scotland with Lorna Browne as she shares her wonderful experiences with searching her family's history.

I was very excited to learn that our first stop was going to be in Wigtownshire, the area of Scotland that my ancestors had emigrated from when plans were first unveiled for my second trip to Scotland with a bagpipe band.  Because I have a very Scottish first name and I play the pipes, I have always felt it was my responsibility to learn more about my Scottish heritage.  Although we knew a few things, we did not know much about my Scottish lines at that time.

It was my plan to rent a car once we arrived to the area and go off on my own and discover what information I could.  I soon found that my plan would not be an easy one to follow as it did not appear that there was any place in Wigtownshire where I could rent a car.  I was discouraged, but soon saw the Lord’s hand in helping me while I was there.  Out of all of the families that band members were assigned to spend the time we were there with, I was assigned to stay with the McCrone family.  It turned out Elsie McCrone’s hobby was genealogical research!

One of the first things that Elsie asked me after I arrived in her home was whether or not I had any Scottish heritage.  I answered that I did.  When I pronounced my ancestors’ surname, “McGeoch” as “McGeel,” she mentioned that she had not heard that name.  A few days later, she asked me to spell this name.  When I did, she said, “Och, ‘McGee-oak!’”  She then told me she would be happy to help me look for what information we could find in the area about my family.

Elsie took me the next morning to the cemetery next to a church that my mother had connected our family to.  There we not only found the names of family members we were looking for, but we also found the names of others.  She then took me to other cemeteries in town.  As we were traveling, she asked me if I knew anything else about the family.  The only thing I knew was that they had lived on a farm with the name of Red Brae.  When we were near the end of looking through the last cemetery, we came across a grave of a person who was buried near the Stones of Torrydon near the farm Red Brae.  When Elsie read this, she was excited.  She had heard of these stones and she was sure that her husband, an electrician, had maps that we show us where the farm was.  

We returned to their home and spread maps around on the floor and looked for the Stones of Torrydon.  I have to admit that I wondered if the farm would still be around, but it was! We then jumped in her car and headed to the area to see the farm.  I was content to take a photo of the farm’s sign and the exterior of the farm, but Elsie wasn’t.  She encouraged me to get out and she knocked on the door.  When the homeowner answered the door, Elsie told her that I had come from Canada and my ancestors used to live on this farm.  She wondered if I could see it?  To my surprise, the woman who then lived there invited us in and told me that the kitchen area that we were in was the entirety of original home.  It was really neat to be there, and I am very grateful that I had the chance to see the home and to learn so much more about my ancestors!

My experiences in Wigtownshire were the first where I received the Lord’s assistance with my family history efforts, but they have not been my last. I will not write about these here, but, if you are interested, ask me about the way things opened up for my family to secure a Czech genealogist to research our family there at a rare time when the archives were open. You could also ask me how my mother learned how to read Cyrillic, Romanian, and Ukrainian to read records released by the Greek Orthodox Church from an area in modern-day Ukraine to take my father’s lines back to the 1700s as it was the only way we could obtain information about these lines.  You could also ask how Ancestry.com’s release of a new batch of German church records helped my family extend a line that we had not been able to do anything with for many years.  It is such a blessing to live at a time when there are so many tools to help us do our family history! Although we sometimes need to travel to some places to gain information, we no longer need to go to all parts of the world to learn more about our ancestors!  I know that temple and family history work is the Lord’s work and that He magnifies our--sometimes simple--efforts as we seek to do it. Through small and simple things, great things do truly come to pass (Alma 37:6).

- Lorna Browne

A New, Holier Way

The Stake Relief Society presidency has been studying, pondering and discussing Ministering as they prepare to help ward and branch presidencies move forward with this new way.  As I have studied, pondered and discussed with them, I have felt the Spirit testify of this shift to Ministering and of the power it can and will have in the lives of each of us and the future generations.

Many of us, including myself, may have heard President Nelson announce the change in Conference and initially thought 'Oh good I can tell my home teachers they don't need to come.'  or we may have thought that less was being asked of us.  The reality is actually something different - something better that will bring us closer to Christ if we allow it.  President Nelson explained, "Sisters and brothers—old and young—will serve one another in a new, holier way." (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2018/04/let-us-all-press-on?lang=eng)  I like that phrase new, holier way, because it truly helps convey the intent behind these changes.  We are being given an opportunity to become more like our Savior in a way that hasn't been emphasized quite like this before now.  My husband recently spoke in our Sacrament Meeting and used the comparison of Home & Visiting Teaching being like the Law of Moses and Ministering being a Higher Law.  The Lord knows each of us and knows our capacities.  He knows that we are ready and prepared to accept this invitation to act.

"For many years, home teachers and visiting teachers have responded to assignments to visit the house of each member monthly, deliver a message, and help as needed. Countless hours of devoted and selfless service have been given in this great work.  Building on that devotion, Church leaders now ask members to increase their focus on Christlike caring for others, both spiritually and temporally. To emphasize that caring, the former programs of home teaching and visiting teaching are now a common effort referred to as 'ministering,' overseen by the elders quorum and Relief Society presidencies under the direction of the bishop."  (https://www.lds.org/mycalling/ministering-faq?lang=eng)

For some of us, Ministering won't actually feel very different from their visiting teaching experiences.  There are many who have already been serving as visiting teachers in the true spirit of ministering to one another.  Today being Mother's Day, it seems only fitting I acknowledge the sweet influence my own mother's example of true ministering had on me.  She truly loved the sisters she was assigned to visit teach and was always watchful for ways she could help them bear their burdens.  She mourned with them and rejoiced with them.  She prayed and fasted for them. She invited them into our home and into her life. She shared her love of the Lord and His Gospel with them.  Her service was never a checklist and her sisters never felt they were an obligation.  She cared so deeply for them, that when she was dying of cancer one of her final requests of me was that I go personally to visit each of them to let them know she had passed and to express her love for them.  What a powerful experience those visits were for me.

As I have viewed the videos available at minisering.lds.org one in particular caught my attention.  It is titled "An Invitation to Act".  At the beginning of it Elder Ballard issues an invitation.  He says, "I invite you to study 3rd Nephi by identifying every reference to the word minister in any of its forms and every reference to the phrase one by one.  Once you have thoroughly identified these words and phrases, please consider what The Book of Mormon teaches about ministering.  I also invite you to seek the Lord's help to understand how ministering applies.  All leaders and members of the Church need to be careful not to just minister to those names on a list but to minister to all of Heavenly Father's children. My brothers and sisters I testify that this is the work of the Lord. May He bless you to implement with power the counsel from the First Presidency."  Sisters, I am accepting his invitation this week as part of my daily study from The Book of Mormon.  I know that this simple thing will increase my understanding and help me invite the Spirit to guide my ministering efforts.  Will you join me?

Many of you may still have questions about implementation and how to move forward.  But just as there are questions, there are many materials being published online to help leaders and each of us understand our new roles and responsibilities and how to effect the changes that may be needed to move this work forward.  One page that contains helpful explanations is the Frequently Asked Questions.  If you've wondered about any of these things listed below, you can go to that page and read to gain understanding for yourself.

I would love to hear from our sisters as they begin to experience Ministering.  If you are willing to share your experiences with the sisters of our Stake, please email me at loriepierce.rs@gmail.com, so I can include them in future blog posts.  We love you sisters and look forward to our continued associations and service together as sisters of the Columbia Maryland Stake.

- Lorie Pierce

Ministering Replaces Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching - Frequently Asked Questions

The Time Had Come To Reignite My Family History Search

As an African American convert to the church, I knew that researching my ancestors would be a challenge. The biggest obstacle to tracing my African-American lineage would be slavery, an institution that broke family bonds and made record keeping nearly impossible. I already knew very little about my family beyond my grandparents. That’s why after an initial start to my family history research (and many hours of frustration), I ended up taking a 4 year hiatus. I felt defeated at the time but I held on to hope that the answers I needed would be revealed to me in due time.

After a not so subtle dream and a Sacrament meeting full of talks on family history, I received revelation that the time had come to reignite my family history search. So I dusted off my old FamilySearch.org account and began the work once again. To my surprise, I had so many more opportunities open to me now compared to before. More resources for African American genealogy were available through Ancestry.com and other websites. My grandfather and the eldest member of our family, who previously lived in another state, just moved to Maryland and he was able to give me so much information about his parents and grandparents.  Another family member of mine, who has been a great record keeper, gifted me with numerous documents including obituaries, birth certificates, death certificates, pictures and letters. I never knew before how much information she was sitting on! Newly equipped with only first names of family members who were born into slavery and the name of a small town in South Carolina, I was able to find (through the magic of the Internet) the slave owner’s records with my ancestors’ names and birth years listed! It was like my ancestors had just opened the floodgates and released the jackpot of family history goodness on me!

In an April 2017 talk by Pres. Henry B. Eyring, he says “We do not know what marvels God will inspire people to create to help in His work of gathering His family. But whatever marvelous inventions may come, their use will require the Spirit working in people like you and me. This should not surprise us. After all, these are beloved sons and daughters of God. He will send whatever inspiration is needed to give them the opportunity to return to Him.” (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/gathering-the-family-of-god?lang=eng)

I am so grateful that God sent me the inspiration to help complete His work. I am even more grateful that I was in the right position to receive this inspiration. I have gained many blessings from this family history journey besides having many names to take to the Temple for performing ordinances. This has given me the opportunity to draw closer to my family members. Being the only LDS member of my family has been a challenge at times, and working on family history with my aunt and grandfather has allowed me to share the gospel and learn the oral histories of my family. My testimony of the Gospel and my faith has been strengthened by allowing the Spirit to work through me. The Lord has blessed me in my efforts to do family history work. The “Spirit of Elijah” is strong and I can feel it guiding me and revealing the knowledge I need to help my ancestors return to Heavenly Father. It is my hope that others will be able to receive this inspiration in the gathering of Heavenly Father’s family.

Tyese Knight
Eldersburg Ward

Hastening and Strengthening the Work of the Lord

What an amazing time to be involved with the work of Relief Society!  In the past several months, we have seen several changes that directly impact us as sisters and how we approach and participate in Relief Society.  The new curriculum, including the opportunity for council Sundays, and now the announcement of Ministering to replace Visiting Teaching, both place more responsibility for how the work of the Lord moves forward on us as individuals, rather than so much on the shoulders of the leaders.

It will take time for each ward/branch to adjust for the assignment changes that may occur with Ministering.  We know that each ward/branch Relief Society presidency will be working as quickly as possible to understand the changes, coordinate with the new Elder's Quorum presidents and with the Bishops and then have the needed conversations with assigned sisters.  Please be patient with them as they do their best to implement these changes.

If you visit the Church website, you can find resources to help you understand how the shift in focus to Ministering will help you better fulfill your stewardship.  I have tried to gather useful links here to help us in our study and preparation to participate better in this work.

As we move ahead and gain experience, I think it will be helpful to share our experiences with one another.  If you are willing to share your new Ministering experiences with your sisters of the Stake, please email me at loriepierce.rs@gmail.com, so I can include them in future blog posts.

- Lorie Pierce

Ministering to Replace Home and Visiting Teaching

Be With and Strengthen Them by Elder Jeffery R. Holland

Ministering as the Savior Does by Sister Jean B. Bingham

Ministering - First Presidency Letter

Ministering with Strengthened Melchizedek Priesthood Quorums and Relief Societies

Relief Society Homepage

It Was Not By Chance

I have loved doing family history research ever since I was old enough to copy family names from my mother’s genealogy onto my own family group records as a young child.   Family history work has brought the Spirit powerfully into my life and has blessed me with immeasurable peace and joy throughout my life.  Some of my greatest spiritual experiences have come while engaged in family history research and temple work.   I’d like to share with you one of my treasured family history experiences which is both a family history story and a visiting teaching story wrapped together in one.

Many years ago, while living in Utah, I was handed a slip of paper with my new visiting teaching assignment.  One of the names read, “Esther H.”  “Oh how nice,” I thought.  I had been wanting to get to know Esther better.  She was a lovely woman in her 80’s, articulate, wise, and a person of great faith and testimony.  I was a mother of four young children at the time and felt that there was much I could learn from her.  But I had no idea of the blessings that were in store for both of us through this visiting teaching assignment.

I began visiting Esther in her home.  Over the course of our visits I learned many things about her – about her family who had settled that area of Utah, about her husband who had died years before from a heart attack and about her sadness over her only son who had been inactive for years.  She grieved that she had no active posterity.   I learned of her missionary experiences to Bulgaria and her humanitarian work in South America.  She had so many wonderful stories and life experiences to share.  Though we were probably over 40 years apart in age, we became very dear friends.  She showed great interest in my family and the things going on in my life.  I always came away from those visiting teaching visits feeling very uplifted.  My own family was going through some financial hardships at the time, including a job loss, and I was strengthened through those years by her testimony and example of consistent and steady devotion to the gospel.  She had weathered many of her own storms in life.

I looked for ways that I could serve Esther.  She had helped me so much, even sharing the fruit from the fruit trees on her property, which was a great blessing to us.   One day our conversation turned to family history research.  She asked if I knew how to use the computer program to enter and clear family names for ordinance work.  “Yes,” I told her.  “I use it all the time.”  She then explained to me that her husband had been a convert to the church.  There were no other members of the church in his family.  Her husband had been diligent in collecting as much information as he could over the years while on business trips around the world.  He had gotten the temple work done for many of his close ancestors, but not all of them.  He had an aunt, not a member of the Church, with whom he had corresponded who was an avid genealogist and had meticulously collected genealogy on their family.  She had compiled two huge volumes full of genealogical information and histories which she sent to him.  Esther told me that she had been feeling very strong promptings that she needed to get those names to the temple.  She was at a loss, though, because she did not really know how to use a computer.  She had just bought a brand new one, but didn’t know how to use it yet.  She asked if I could teach her how to use the program so that she could type the names in and get the temple work done for her husband’s ancestors.  She was feeling a great sense of urgency about it.

I was joyful.  This was something I definitely could help her with.  Over the next few months I went over to her house regularly to teach her how to use the genealogy program.  The progress was very slow, though.  Her hands and fingers were arthritic and just didn’t work like they used to.  She had a lot of difficulty just trying to master using the computer, let alone the internet and the genealogy program.  Being a very independent person, she was frustrated with herself and her lack of progress.   Adding to her anxiety was that feeling of great urgency to get the work done.  Finally, at the end of one of our teaching sessions, a thought occurred to me and I asked her, “Would you like me to just type this information in for you?  I wouldn’t mind doing it.”  She looked at me with so much relief and said, “Would you? Really?”  She couldn’t believe that I would do this for her.  I told her, “Of course.  I would love to be able to help you.”  She was overjoyed.

Esther then gave me an apple box full of her husband’s genealogy including the 2 hardbound books put together by his aunt – all of his precious family records.  I brought the box home.  I carefully went through every pedigree chart, family group record and the two books and got all of the information entered into the computer.  The project took me two years to complete.  As I went along, I processed batches of names to clear them for temple work.  As I got cards printed for temple work, I brought them over to Esther.  She was so happy and spent every week after that in the temple.  She often brought friends along with her, to help get the temple work done for her husband’s family.  That was something that she could do, and she did it enthusiastically.  It was such a beautiful experience.  We were working together to accomplish this great work – one entering the information and the other doing the temple work. 

As I worked on the genealogy, I learned about her husband’s family – the good people they were, their faith and homesteading experiences in a little town in central Kansas.  I began to feel a closeness with this family, even though they were not my own.  As I worked on the project over those two years, very real blessings, both temporal and spiritual began flowing to our family – a job for my husband after two years of unemployment, the ability to buy a home after years of renting, as well as other spiritual blessings.  We saw the hand of the Lord plainly in our lives.  I felt so uplifted and a divine sense of calling in doing this work.

  

The project finally came to a close when the last ordinance was completed and I brought all the records back to Esther at the end of those two years.  I handed her a disk with all of the genealogy on it and all of the completed ordinance cards – well over 100 cards.  She had tears in her eyes.  The work was finally done.  She was now at peace.

It was not long after the project was completed that new opportunities awaited our family including a new job for my husband and an out of state move to -- Kansas.  What a great surprise to move to the very state where these people came from that we had done the work for!  My heart was filled with joy as we drove through central Kansas and I got to see the place where this family lived out their lives – these people now sealed and ready to move on in their eternal progress in the heavens.

Just a few years later, Esther’s health declined and she passed away.  How grateful I was that the family history and temple work for her husband’s recorded family were all completed.  I knew she would be meeting her husband with great joy.  

In a Priesthood blessing given to me later, it was made known to me that I had been fore-ordained to help with this family history work for this family.  It was not by chance that I was given this sister as my visiting teaching assignment or by chance that we ended up renting a home in that ward.  The hand of the Lord was in it.  I have a deep testimony of the blessings of family history work and of visiting teaching assignments.  I know that the Lord will lead us as we look for ways to serve the sisters in our care and that he stands ready to bless us as we engage ourselves in His marvelous work of salvation.

-Debbie Wood

Now she truly is my sister!

For years I have been on the fringes of Family History.  I'm a dabbler.  I take a class or hear an inspiring talk and get excited now and then, but I've never felt that drive that some people feel.  You know 

​"​

those people

​"​

...the ones who have spent hours, days

​, months and years digging through files, scouring old records, recording histories and traveling to check out cemeteries in far off locations. 

Sure, I faithfully go to the Temple and act as proxy for people who's existence has been discovered and ordinances readied by "those people".  I serve each week as an ordinance worker, and help countless people receive the saving ordinances of the Gospel and I must admit, I've envied the looks of joy and satisfaction on the faces of others as they've done the work for their very own ancestors.

Well, recently I have been doing the work for some of my ancestors.  Cousins 6 times removed, wives of 8th granduncles, etc.  I don't know these people.  They are not even in my direct line, but they are family none the less, and some share family names of my direct line. 

A few months ago I started using an app called Take A Name.  This app quickly searches through thousands of records in Family Search, identifies people you are related to and shows you what ordinances need to be done.  It also shows sources so you can verify if enough information is available to correctly identify this person and link them to others.  The first time I clicked on, I found 24 ancestors with 56 ordinances ready to be done.  The next time I found another 25.  It's easy to reserve names that you'd like to work on, so that when next you go to Family Search, the names are there and ready to be printed.

Is this a lazy way to do genealogy? Some would say yes.  Others might realize how wonderfully easy modern technology has made this, and would gratefully thank all "those people" who have researched, indexed and paved the way for this great work.

So, now that I'm doing the work for my own family, do I ALWAYS have a spiritual experience and the confirmation that my work has been accepted? No...not always...but let me just share one sweet experience that happened in Initiatory.  I brought 5 names with me.  5 ancestors of my own.  The very first one was my Grandmother's cousin.  As I said her name, tears began to pour down my face.  I honestly don't think they were my tears.  I was acting in her behalf, and I truly feel that her tears were streaming down my face.  The ordinance worker began to weep, and by the time we'd made it through, all 3 workers were crying.  Even the initiatory director walked down and checked on us saying she could feel the Spirit so strongly that she knew something wonderful was happening.  I will forever be grateful for this experience.  I don't expect it every time, and maybe it'll never happen quite like that again...but I do know that I look forward to meeting this sister someday.  Now she truly is my sister! 

- Cindy Erekson

Change Reflects Ongoing Revelation

Recently, we have seen announcements of various changes to implementation of Church programs and meetings. The most recent changes announced involved visiting teaching, Priesthood & Relief Society curriculum, General Conference meeting schedules and missions/missionary work.

I realize that not everyone is connected through the social media resources of the Church and may have not seen the recent posts published by the Church in conjunction with these announcements.  To help facilitate allowing our sisters to stay current, I am simply posting the links to these recent announcements.  We will undoubtedly receive further information and instruction through our local leaders regarding how these changes are to be implemented.

Priesthood & Relief Society Curriculum

Visiting Teaching

General Conference Sessions

Missions

It is important to remember that while procedures will change as circumstances require, the doctrine of Christ remains constant. Seeing these changes is a witness in itself to the reality of modern revelation.  I would encourage you to take the time to read about these changes, to see how they may directly affect you and your family and to see how you can prepare to allow these changes to bless your life.

- Lorie Pierce

Message from our Temple President

As we look ahead to the lengthy closure of the Washington DC Temple, we need to be doing what we can to prepare for that interval of change. Recently, while dropping off family file names at the temple, I picked up the following letter from our temple president. I felt it was important to publish here, so that the information could be further distributed. If you click on either "document" it will open in a larger view for easier reading.

-Lorie Pierce

I Can Better Know Who I Am

Being a teenage convert to the church Family History was a completely foreign concept to me. I had never thought about family members that I had never met, much less about those hundreds of years before my time. Unfortunately, it wasn't until I had kids of my own that I actually started thinking about these family members. But once I did, I couldn't stop thinking about them. I knew nothing about any of my ancestors. How was I supposed to know who I was if I didn't know who they were? And being the only member of the church in my family I was feeling the pressure to get the temple work done for my ancestors. However, I was completely overwhelmed and at a loss as to where to start. Fortunately, Heavenly Father knew that I would need help once I got started on this project and blessed me with a wonderful sister in our local family history center and a family history class provided by our ward.

Family history wasn't always easy and though there were times of frustration I kept trying. A couple of years later through FamilySearch and Ancestry, I was able to find a distant cousin of my mother's who, though not a member of the church, had been doing family history for my mother's family. This was an amazing blessing to me since at that point I had been having no luck finding any of this information. Then just recently I found out that my great grandma, who also wasn't a member of the church, had been doing family history for her side of the family for years. After she passed away my uncles decided that since I was doing family history now they would pass on all of her things to me. Within these things were some old Family Ledgers. For the last 3 days, pretty much straight from 7am to midnight, I have been sorting through these precious treasures unable to put them down! I have been putting all the names into digital family group sheets. 82 group sheets and 142 family names later I finally got it all done! The entries ranged from the oldest one, who born in 1782, all the way down to my father.

When I look at all these family names I now feel that I know these individuals even though I have never met them. I feel a deep love for them and look forward to taking their names to the temple so that we can all be sealed into our family chain throughout the eternities. Through the years I have come to love family history and the sense of connection and love it gives me. I'm so thankful for those who have preceded me who have worked so hard on our family history and the blessing that I have to carry on where they left off. Family history has helped me discover who my ancestors are so I can better know who I am.

-Jessi Eberle
Ellicott City Ward

Find your ancestors in September

Dear Members of the Columbia Maryland Stake,

The Washington DC Temple is closed now and will re-open on Tue, Oct 3 (The Philadelphia Temple will close 9/18 to 10/2).  The DC Temple will be open just five more months before closing for multiple years in early March 2018.

Temple and family history work is an important responsibility of our dispensation.  We have been encouraged by the Apostles to FIND names of ancestors, TAKE the names to the temple, and TEACH others to do the same.  President Nelson has also asked members to make a sacrifice of time this year (2017) to work on family history work.  With our temple closed this month, this is a perfect time to find an ancestor and print the card to take to the temple.  If you have recently done this, please help teach someone else how to do it.  You do not need to hold a temple recommend in order to participate in family history work.

Getting started in family history work can seem challenging, but there is help available. Please reach out to a ward/branch Temple and Family History consultants, visiting teachers, home teachers, or other members.  We will also open the Family History Center on Sunday 9/17 and Sunday 9/24 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., so please stop by to get started.

I realize that everyone is very busy, but the Lord has blessed us with the Sabbath to do His work.  In addition, we could use ward/branch temple nights, date nights, youth events, etc. to seek out our ancestors and prepare their names to take to the temple.

The Lord has prepared the way for this work.  Included below are links to helpful resources to help learn the doctrine, get started, find ancestors in a full family tree, and teach others.  May the Lord bless you as you seek your ancestors and provide ordinances for them.  Your ancestors are waiting.

Kind Regards,

James Mitchell

President Columbia Maryland Stake

RESOURCES: UNDERSTAND THE DOCTRINE

D&C 128:22-24

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/128.15,22-24

Promised Blessings of Family History (video)

https://www.lds.org/topics/family-history/fdd-cook/blessings-video

Families and Temples pamphlet (pdf)

https://www.lds.org/bc/content/ldsorg/manual/missionary/PD10054235_000-Families-and-Temples.pdf

President Russell M. and Sister Wendy Nelson, "A Sacrifice of Time" (video):

https://www.lds.org/topics/family-history/familydiscoveryday/nelson/a-sacrifice-of-time

President Henry B. Eyring, "Gathering the Family of God" (Apr 2017)

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/gathering-the-family-of-god

President Russell M. Nelson, "Generations Linked in Love" (Apr 2010)

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/04/generations-linked-in-love

Elder David A. Bednar, "The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn" (Oct 2011)

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/the-hearts-of-the-children-shall-turn

Elder Quentin L. Cook, "Roots and Branches" (Apr 2014)

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/roots-and-branches

Elder Richard G. Scott, "The Joy of Redeeming the Dead" (Oct 2012)

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/the-joy-of-redeeming-the-dead

RESOURCES: NEW TO FAMILY SEARCH

Getting Started with FamilySearch.org including contact info for temple and family history consultants:

https://www.familysearch.org/ask/gettingStarted

MyFamily Online Booklet:

https://www.familysearch.org/myfamily

Find Your Family Names, First-Time Guide (pdf):

https://www.lds.org/bc/content/ldsorg/topics/family-history/core-assets/PD60001004_FTT_Beginner_Card.pdf

RESOURCES: FULL FAMILY TREE

Full Family Tree, Using Descendancy Ressearch (video):

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2015-07-02-full-tree-strategy-using-descendancy-research

Discover Relatives on a Full Tree (pdf):

https://www.lds.org/bc/content/ldsorg/topics/family-history/core-assets/PD10053917_000_Intermediate_Card.pdf

RESOURCES: TEACH OTHERS

Principles of Helping Others:

https://www.lds.org/topics/family-history/my-calling/helping-others

FamilySearch Consultant Planner:

https://familysearch.org/ask/planner

You have a possible ancestor....

Have you received an email from FamilySearch letting you know you have ancestors who have temple work ready to be done?  Or have you discovered one of the several family history apps that help you locate ancestors who's temple work needs to be done?

FamilySearch and the other websites and apps are wonderful tools that facilitate our efforts to take our ancestors names to the temple for ordinance work.  However, with each email, alert, notification, etc there is a caution that needs to be noted.  These are possibilities.  We still have a responsibility to verify the information provided to ensure that our ancestors are accurately listed and linked and their ordinances are done correctly.  Often people are very excited with these notifications only to find that there are duplicates of their ancestors in FamilyTree and once merged the temple ordinance work is found to already be complete.

Part of our responsibility to to clean up these records - to find those duplicates - to correct the information associated with them.  Part of our responsibility is to preserve the records associated with these ancestors - their stories, their photos and their documentation as found through verifying hints and other information on FamilySearch and other research sites.  We are not processing numbers through a system - we are linking our families together through data, through memories and recorded experiences and ultimately through ordinances.  This process of verification, research and preservation helps us come to know them - it helps to bind them in our hearts as well as through the ordinances.

“Jesus Christ gave His life as a vicarious atonement. He resolved the ultimate question raised by Job. He overcame death for all mankind, which we could not do for ourselves. We can, however, perform vicarious ordinances and truly become saviors on Mount Zion for our own families in order that we, with them, might be exalted as well as saved.”—Elder Quentin L. Cook, “Roots and Branches.”

Should we be disappointed when a notification or hint doesn't result in a name to take to the temple?  NO - we should be grateful for the opportunity to come to know that person AND we should recognize where that hint might lead us to.  My family line was said to be "all done".  But I have found that the sometimes tedious efforts of verification has yielded more fruit than I imagined possible.  I have found missing ancestors - ancestors that have been waiting patiently for one of their family to take the time to look.  What a joy it is to walk into the temple with those cards in hand and know that the time spent in the looking was time well spent - knowing that those cards with names printed on them represent real people - real people that are my family.

Don't get discouraged in this work.  If you need help to get started or to figure an new way through in finding your ancestors, your family that may be missing - reach out to your ward/branch Temple and Family History Consultants.  If you don't know who that is - ask your Relief Society leadership.  I encourage you to Start - just Start!

I have not only a great love for temple and family history work, but a testimony of it as well.  I have felt the promises of Elijah at work in my life and seen it in the lives of my children.  I have seen the promises of Elder Bednar regarding our youth's participation in the work fulfilled in the experiences of my daughter, Jessica.  I have seen my husband, who never had any interest in the tedium of family history research, allow the Spirit to work in his heart and he has grabbed hold of this work and found his own way to success and satisfaction.  Why does it all matter?  Because families can be eternal through the sealing power of the Priesthood ordinances - the ordinances need to be performed - every member of the family needs to have the opportunity for those ordinances.  Because there is power and peace that comes into our lives as we engage ourselves and our families in the work of salvation.

-Lorie Pierce