Fewer Calories and More Eternal Blessings!

Turn Our Hearts Series - a Guest Post from Lisa Larson

I LOVE family history! For me, it’s as addicting as chocolate – but with fewer calories and more eternal blessings!

I think my great interest in family history began when I visited my grandmother about 16 years ago and she brought out this huge box of old pictures and began sharing stories about the people in those pictures. Then she shared a family Bible and there were names and dates in there that went back for more than 200 years. Those pictures and those names were part of who I am! They were real people with real stories and I wanted to find out everything I could about them. It’s been a great adventure with many amazing stories along the way. My grandmother passed away not too long after that visit and how I wish I could share all that I have learned with her and ask her more questions. I wish I had taken more opportunities to ask questions from her and from others who have since left this earth.

I have truly felt over the years a turning of my heart towards my fathers. Even as I sit here and should be writing this article for the blog, I opened up my Family Tree on FamilySearch and started looking around at my ancestors to decide what story I might share. I stumbled upon a great-great-great-great-great grandfather and thought I’d look at the record hints that were listed. I was led to Find A Grave and there was a picture of him on it! And it’s a picture I have never seen. He was born in 1794 and just looking at his picture makes me want to learn as much as I can about him. Two and a half hours later and I’m back to writing this post again. See - addicting!!!

I don’t have any amazing stories to share. But I have had some cool experiences and have learned much about how to do the research. Earlier this month I even discovered a missing child. My grandmother’s family is from Canada and I was able to find birth records on FamilySearch. I could have stopped by just seeing that there were records and attaching them to the individuals in my tree, but I chose to look closer at each record. I noticed at the top of the record that it was listed which number child it was for my great-great grandmother. The last child was listed as child #12. I looked at my tree - I only had 11 children. There’s a missing child. I tried to find the child in the birth records, but had no luck. I went to Find a Grave and found the cemetery where some of the family was buried and discovered a child buried there with the right last name. I was able to take his name and I did eventually discover his birth record and his death record with the names of my great great grandparents listed as his parents. Here was my missing child. He died when he was only 1 year old. My heart broke for his mother. To lose a child so young must have been difficult. But he is no longer missing from my family tree and my husband and I will go to the temple and have him sealed to his family soon.

I am a true Maryland native. I was born and raised here – but so were so many of my ancestors. I find ancestors that date back to the 1700s here in Maryland – and some were right here in Howard County. Sometimes I wonder why the Lord has kept me here – but maybe it’s because I have work still to do right here for my family. And I feel so blessed to be able to walk around the places that they once lived and to be able to show my children so that their hearts can also turn to their fathers. As I have searched for my ancestors I have learned about their lives, who they were, where they lived, what they did for a living, and even what they looked like. As I have learned about them, they have become real people to me and I have grown to love them and appreciate them. President Monson has said, “We discover something about ourselves when we learn about our ancestors.”

Technology has advanced so much and the records provided from the Indexing program have really helped to move the work of family history along. My grandfather (my dad’s dad) was born in Italy in 1909 and then came to the US with his parents when he was a year old. He passed away 25 years ago and I never really had a chance to get to know him. My father’s mother passed away when my dad was only 2 years old, so I also never knew her. And my father passed away 20 years ago, so he is no longer available here to help answer my questions. I feel such a desire to learn as much as I can about my grandparents. With the release of so many records to FamilySearch, I have been able to piece together so much about their lives and the lives of their families. For so many years we were at a brick wall on the Italian line, but just in the last few years, my brother and I were able to find all kinds of records from Italy and have now been able to take my father’s line back to Italy to the 1700s.

Last fall, we took a trip to Connecticut for the Hartford Temple open house. My dad’s side of the family is from that area, so we were able to visit several cemeteries around the area, the Catholic church where many weddings and funerals took place, and we ended our adventure with a trip to Ellis Island, where my grandfather and his parents arrived over 100 years ago. It was a great experience for my kids and for me.  

I know that as we turn our hearts toward our fathers, the Lord will bless us in our efforts to seek and find and discover our ancestors and their stories and that we will be able to keep our promises to them and provide them with the saving ordinances they have been waiting to receive.

This is a picture from my trip to Connecticut and Massachusetts last fall.

Stake Conference Notes

Sisters we enjoyed a wonderful Stake Conference this past weekend.  Here are my notes from the Sunday session.  I hope they will be helpful to you in recalling the things you heard and the impressions you had.

Brother Ramirez
He spoke of the blessings we receive from the temple.  Specifically he talked about his personal blessings from participating as a youth in baptisms for the dead.  He bore a strong and firm testimony of the power that comes from standing in holy places and the courage to stand up for what is right.

Sister Bartles
She spoke of what she has done to increase her testimony of the Savior and His Gospel.  She said that every time we talk to others about our beliefs and our values we are sharing testimony.  We strengthen our testimony in sharing because the Spirit bears witness of the truth.

Sister Valentin
She spoke of ways she has built her faith in her Savior, Jesus Christ.  She began by reminding us that faith is a principle of action and that developing faith in Jesus Christ requires practice and work.  She then shared three ways that she has been able to build her faith in Jesus Christ.

1.  By reading and studying the word of God in the scriptures - reading the teachings of the Savior and His promises to us.  The scriptures teach truth and open the door to revelation.

2.  Recognizing the importance of prophets - she read from 3 Nephi 5 about the changes the people experienced as they began to listen to the prophets and to remember the Lord.  She quoted from President Thomas S. Monson's most recent General Conference talk in April 2017 on the importance of reading the Book of Mormon.  She noted that his promise to us was specific: "I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives."

3.  Patriarchal blessings provide personal instruction.  She provided a personal witness and tender story of feeling the comfort and love from her Heavenly Father and her Savior, Jesus Christ as she read the words of her patriarchal blessing at a time of distress and need.

Brother Johnson
He began by sharing his personal witness that our stake president, President Mitchell, was called of God. (For those who may be new to the Columbia Stake - this witness was especially tender because Brother Johnson was our stake president for those many years prior to President Mitchell being called.  How blessed we have been and continue to be through the humble service of these good men.)

Brother Johnson currently serves as a sealer in the Washington DC Temple and he spoke to us about the sealing power.  He made special note that the last two verses in the Old Testament (Malachi 4:5-6) are the only two verses of scripture repeated in each of the standard works of scriptures.

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

He pointed out that when Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith and quoted these verses, there was the additional phrase "if it were not so" in verse 6.  Brother Johnson bore witness that Elijah the prophet did come and restore the sealing power which enables us to receive the sealing ordinances that bind families together forever.  He ended with his witness, his instruction and his invitation - Elijah came and did his part, now we must do out part.  We must become sealed on both sides of the generations.  He encouraged us with urgency to have the temple ordinances part of our life and the lives of our families.

Sister Folger

She began with the parable of the ten virgins and pointed out that in the Joseph Smith translation of Matthew 25 it reads, "Very I say unto you, ye know me not." rather than "I know you not."

She asked the question, "How do we come to know the Lord?"  She answered with these points:

- treat others as He did

- spend time in His house (meaning temples)

- serve God's children by seeking our ancestors and doing temple ordinances for them

- thankfully keep our covenants

- listen to the witness of the Holy Ghost

She concluded with her testimony of the Savior and her witness that by receiving and honoring the ordinances of the temple, we come to know Him.

President Folger

He began by bearing testimony that our stake presidency has been called and is sustained and inspired by God.  He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to feel the Spirit in stake conference meetings.

He then focused his remarks on the Book of Mormon and the temple ordinances.  He compared them both to giving a man a fish and teaching the man how to fish at the same time.  The Book of Mormon "feeds us", but it also provides instruction which helps us learn to "feed" ourselves and others.  He said that Moroni provided us the perfect formula to seek truth in all things.  

And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.  (Mormon 10:4-5)

He quoted from President Thomas S. Monson's most recent General Conference talk in April 2017:

"My dear associates in the work of the Lord, I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives. I so testify with all my heart in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

He then explained that the temple endowment is a special gift of blessings from the Lord (the fish) and that the endowment also teaches us how and empowers us to become like Jesus Christ (teaches us how to fish).  He concluded with his testimony of the Savior.

President Peterson
He shared the story of the Martin and Willie handcart pioneers and their testimony that through their extreme circumstances and sacrifices, they became acquainted with the Lord.  He reminded us that sacrifice has always been part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Sacrifice is different individually and generationally.  For our generation the real sacrifice is of time - time serving to build Zion and time for the salvation of the living and the dead.

He mentioned several things that as we involve ourselves in doing them we sanctify ourselves and others.  Home and visiting Teaching, sharing the Gospel, serving in our communities, temple and family history work, Sabbath Day observance, scripture study and prayer.

He share the following quote from Sister Carol F. McConkie's talk at the recent General Women Session of General Conference in March 2017:
"Most often it is the sacrifices we make to keep our covenants that sanctify us and make us holy."

He concluded with his testimony of our Savior as the perfect example of sacrifice.

President Towne

He addressed his remarks to the Primary children.  He shared a story from his childhood of having the opportunity on a hot day in Arizona to stand outside the temple and shake the hand of the prophet.  He said, "It is always great to be at the temple."  He told the children that they are not too young to go to the temple.  They won't be able to go inside until they are 12 years old, but he told them they can feel peace even from outside.  He told them, "Every time I can go to the temple I feel good inside."

He encouraged the children in ways that they can participate in temple and family history work:
- help your parents know you'll be okay with a babysitter so they can go to the temple
- help your parents prepare names for the temple
- learn to index - you can maybe read the names better than the old eyes of your parents
- you can have your own FamilySearch account when you are 8 years old 

He said there were 265 days before the closing of the Washington DC Temple (counting from 11 June 2017).  He explained that it will be closed for a long time as needed work is done, but that when it reopens there will be events that they as children can be involved with.  He encouraged the children to be ready to invite their friends to the temple open house in 2020.

He told the children, "There are so many good things about the temple, but the most important thing is that it is the house of the Lord."

He bore testimony of the sealing ordinance and encouraged the children to help the Savior in the work of salvation by sharing the gospel with their friends and by helping with temple and family history work.

President Mitchell
He began by expressing gratitude to the parents for bringing their children to stake conference - for providing that pattern of faith.  He also expressed gratitude to the Lord for the many blessings of the Gospel.

He reminded the youth of his invitation to read a chapter from the Book of Mormon each day this summer.  He encouraged us all to read and study the Book of Mormon daily and he quoted from President Thomas S. Monson's most recent Conference talk in April 2017:
"I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives."

He told us that temple work - the building of and the work performed inside - is the work of our generation.  We need to find our ancestors and take their names to the temple.  Our salvation is dependent on theirs.

He quoted from President Russell M. Nelson:“I invite you to prayerfully consider what kind of sacrifice—and preferably a sacrifice of time—you can make to do more family history and temple work this year."  He encouraged us to do so while the Washington DC temple is still open.

He shared from Doctrine and Covenants 98:16 "seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children" and encouraged us to seek diligently for our ancestors.  He also shared from Doctrine and Covenants 127, "And again, verily thus saith the Lord: Let the work of my temple, and all the works which I have appointed unto you, be continued on and not cease; and let your diligence, and your perseverance, and patience, and your works be redoubled, and you shall in nowise lose your reward, saith the Lord of Hosts. And if they persecute you, so persecuted they the prophets and righteous men that were before you. For all this there is a reward in heaven."  He said he felt this counsel and promise applied to us as well.

He then shifted focus and spoke about justice and mercy as principles in the plan of salvation.  Adam and Eve received commandments - chose to partake of the fruit and then faced consequences for their choice.  There are two types of death - physical (a separation of body and spirit) and spiritual (a separation from God).  The probationary time of this life is all part of the plan of happiness.  The consequences of  Adam and Eve's choice (known as the Fall) were perfectly just.  The atonement overcame the consequences of the Fall and provides mercy.  The atonement provides the way for all of us to return to our Father in Heaven - whether we can stay there is the question.

He shared a story told by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland in General Conference April 2015 about two brothers climbing without any safety precautions.  

President Mitchell continued -
We make foolish decisions.  We will always fall short. We should strive to make good choices.  If we break just one commandment, we suffer consequences, but all it not lost because we have a Savior!   Let us always look to Him.  The joy of mercy is that it overcomes justice.  The choice is ours to accept the atonement - to believe in Him.

He spoke about what unconditional love truly is and shared this from Elder D. Todd Christofferson's General Conference October 2016 talk:
"There are many ways to describe and speak of divine love. One of the terms we hear often today is that God’s love is 'unconditional.' While in one sense that is true, the descriptor unconditional appears nowhere in scripture. Rather, His love is described in scripture as 'great and wonderful love,' 'perfect love,' 'redeeming love,' and 'everlasting love.' These are better terms because the word unconditional can convey mistaken impressions about divine love, such as, God tolerates and excuses anything we do because His love is unconditional, or God makes no demands upon us because His love is unconditional, or all are saved in the heavenly kingdom of God because His love is unconditional. God’s love is infinite and it will endure forever, but what it means for each of us depends on how we respond to His love."

He testified that Jesus Christ is our Savior - that He is mighty to save - not because of our own goodness but because of His greatness.  We must utilize the atonement in our lives!  This is the good news of the Gospel - that Jesus Christ has suffered for and redeemed us.

Web Based Indexing - A Great Way To Serve

Indexing has been around for years and years.  When I was a child it was called the Extraction Program.  Indexing is the means whereby historical records are made available - through searchable indexes - for people to use in their family history research.  Technology has made family history research remarkably accessible, because the historical records can be digitized and indexed for searching and viewing online.  I can look at records for my Scottish ancestors without leaving my home - not that I wouldn't love to travel to Scotland and look for the records there!

As technology developed, the Church created a computerized Indexing program that we downloaded to our personal computers.  Now with the amazing resources of web based applications and the also amazing resource of the FamilySearch website, the Church has introduced the latest improvement to the indexing efforts.  It is called Web Indexing.  No longer do we need to download a program to our computers.  We simply login to FamilySearch and click on the Indexing tab.

The Web Indexing program enables users to pick up where they left off from any device that will log them into FamilySearch - provided it has at least a 7 inch screen and obviously they need to have an internet connection.  The application is easy to use and has great features to make the indexing process faster as well as more accessible.

You can try a Guided Tour of the Web Indexing program by logging into FamilySearch - then click on Indexing and then Overview.  About halfway down the Overview page is a link to the Guided Tour.

Indexing is a great way to provide service to both the living and the dead.  It is also a great way to give back - to show gratitude for the records that we have available which enable us to search out our ancestors and offer them the blessings of the temple ordinances.

-Lorie Pierce

What's the Source?

This past week I had an experience that provides a good teaching moment.  I am currently serving as a Church Service Missionary for FamilySearch and the mission uses Skype as it's primary communication tool.  Each day one particular sister posts a spiritual thought in the mission Skype chat.  There was one that particularly caught my attention which she attributed to Marvin J. Ashton and I wanted to share it with both my daughter serving a mission and with my friends via Facebook.  So I copied the quote she used, found a lovely picture and created a shareable picture for social media.  I posted it to Facebook.  Within a couple seconds, a thought went through my mind, "double check the source".  I quickly went to lds.org and searched for the quote.  I found it, BUT it was not from Marvin J. Ashton.  Even more quickly, I pulled my picture quote off Facebook and fixed it with the correct source.

The obvious lesson here is that not everything posted on social media - regardless of how credible it may appear - is accurate.  When we use quotations in our social media posts, in our teaching, in talks we give at Church, etc. we need to be certain we are attributing it to the correct person.

In our lives we are presented with many quotations - ideas, philosophies, thoughts, agendas, instructions, directions - all seeking to influence us in some way.  How truly important it is that we know the source.

The words of the Christ as recorded by Moroni in Ether 4:12:

And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for good cometh of none save it be of me. I am the same that leadeth men to all good; he that will not believe my words will not believe me—that I am; and he that will not believe me will not believe the Father who sent me. For behold, I am the Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world.

We as sisters in Zion, as parents, as teachers, as leaders, as visiting teachers - as disciples of Christ - have a responsibility to accurately represent our source of truth, of light, of goodness.  Each year that passes, it becomes clearer that we are living in a time of sifting.  We truly need to cling to the sources of truth - the scriptures and especially the words of our living prophet and apostles and locally the counsel we receive from our stake president.  Both our prophet, President Monson, and our stake president, President Mitchell, have consistently and recently encouraged us to make the Book of Mormon part of our daily lives.  What better protection from incorrect sources could we ask for?  As we read daily from the Book of Mormon, we are daily inviting the Spirit to be more fully in our lives and in our homes.  The outcome of such an invitation is the blessing of more fully knowing the true source of light - even our Savior, Jesus Christ.  I know I desire such an outcome for myself and for my family.

-Lorie Pierce

Personal Moments with Gordon B. Hinckley

Bonnie Peterson - Ellicott City Ward

I am grateful for this opportunity to review the teachings of President Gordon B. Hinckley and the influence they have had on my life.  

This great man was such a fun prophet.  He loved to see the lighter side of things, and share funny anecdotes or even tell jokes.  You could really see that he just loved life.  He was happy because of his beliefs.  This is one of my favorite quotes from him, "Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, but with great and strong purpose in your heart."  And he did just that.  

He spoke frequently about the strength that lies within a family, and the effects that a strong family has on a community.  He was not shy to chastise the Saints and tell us to do better at teaching our children to live the gospel of Jesus Christ and to be a good example to the community.  He taught that we also need to teach our children morals and values.  He also taught us that we need to be more kind and loving of each other.  We need to uplift and support each other, give service with a kind heart, and respect all people equally, regardless of our differences.  To strengthen these teachings, he helped to introduce "The Family: A Proclamation to the World."  He helped to initiate the Perpetual Education Fund to make sure that all missionaries were able to obtain an education after they completed their service.  He tried to teach us to love each other as much as our Father in Heaven loves us.

More then anything, I most remember him for his desire to build as many temples as possible.  He wanted all members of the church to have easy access to a temple to obtain their saving ordinances.  He said, "Each temple built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints stands as an expression of the testimony of this people that God our Eternal Father lives and that He has a plan for the blessing of His sons and Daughters...Every temple is an expression of our testimony that life beyond the grave is as real and certain as is mortality."  This desire of his to build many new temples further taught that we are to love and minister to each other.  Our loved ones that have passed on also deserve that same kind of love and service.  These beliefs strengthened my own desire to do family history research.  

I am so grateful for President Hinckley's funny, humble, and strong testimony of our Savior.  I know that as we strive to serve and love each other, we will be blessed.

Teach by the Spirit

The second section in the Teaching in the Savior's way manual focuses on teaching by the Spirit.  This quote from that manual sums up nicely the purpose of developing our ability to teach by the Spirit:

"Powerful gospel teaching means not just preparing a lesson but preparing ourselves. Because the Spirit is the real teacher and the true source of conversion, effective gospel teachers—before they think about filling class time—focus on filling their hearts with the Holy Ghost."

The counsel and suggestions in this section are more than just for us as classroom teachers.  They will help us especially in our homes.  The Gospel is best learned at home.  Our Church classes should never replace the powerful teaching that should be happening in our homes.  Our opportunities to teach in the moment, to invite the Spirit into our lives and our family members lives, and to prepare ourselves to share the Gospel will all be improved through reading and applying the principles taught in this section.  

As I went through these topics and thought about how teaching by the Spirit can have such a lasting impact, I was reminded of our recent Stake Conference.  Sister Bonnie H. Cordon of the General Primary Presidency, counseled us that we need to share our light and kindle the light within our children. She also said that engaging in the work of salvation feeds the flame of light.  As we engage ourselves and our families in the work of salvation, we are filing our hearts with the Holy Ghost, which prepares us to teach by the Spirit - at home, at Church, in all times and all places the Lord may direct.

Below are links to the individual topics that are covered in this section.  I hope you will take the time to read through them and that you will find them as helpful and hopeful as I did.

- Lorie Pierce

Teach by the Spirit
	Prepare Yourself Spiritually
	Live the Gospel of Jesus Christ
	Create an Environment That Invites the Spirit
	Take Advantage of Spontaneous Teaching Moments
	Make a Plan

Stake Conference - A Wonderful Sabbath!

This morning we had the opportunity to gather and hear uplifting words of counsel from our Stake Presidency and from Elder Gerrit W. Gong, Sister Bonnie H. Cordon, Elder Anthony D. Perkins and Elder Dallin H. Oaks.  What a blessing the technology we have provides, that allows us to meet for such conferences!

As with previous conferences, I am sharing my notes.  I was scribbling as fast as I could and I kept thinking "President Mitchell talk slower!"  I know I missed many things, but hope that my notes will help each of you recall the things you heard and the messages that spoke to your heart and mind.  I asked Helen Stanger and Mendy Hunter to also take notes from the talks given by President Towne and President Peterson at the Clarksville and Eldersburg buildings.  I appreciate their help!

-Lorie Pierce


President James Mitchell
President Mitchell began with reminding us that our Heavenly Father wants us to be happy.  He provided a plan and sent Jesus Christ to atone for us and teach us His Gospel.  Heavenly Father loves all His children and through Jesus Christ provided a way for even His deceased children to enjoy the blessings of the Gospel.

He quoted from President Henry B. Eyring's most recent General Conference talk, from Malachi 4 and from D&C 128 - in which the Prophet Joseph Smith speaks of  "a voice of gladness for the living and the dead".

In referencing D&C 128 again, he said that many of our ancestors may have waited a long time to have someone from their descendants accept the gospel and be baptized, receive the temple covenants and then find them to take their name to the temple.  He asked:  Will you help set them free?  Will you find their names and go to the temple to provide their ordinances?  Will you come to the assistance of your dear ones?  He reminded us that the salvation of our ancestors is necessary to our salvation.

He expressed a hope that each of us will feel the urgency of doing the family history and temple work for our ancestors.  That especially with the upcoming closing of the Washington DC temple for approximately two years, that we would feel the urgency of this work of salvation - this work to help our ancestors.  He encouraged those who are not ready to enter the temple, to still participate in the work through finding their ancestors.

President Mitchell quoted from the Roots Tech presentation given by Elder Russell M. Nelson:
“I invite you to prayerfully consider what kind of sacrifice—and preferably a sacrifice of time—you can make to do more family history and temple work this year,”

He also quoted from Elder Quentin L. Cook and Elder Dale G. Renlund.

As President Mitchell concluded with his testimony, I wrote one sentence down - The Lord will help us because it is His work.

President Steve Towne (notes provided by Mendy Hunter)

President Towne observed that the world requires a lot of our time and attention, and we need to focus on the most important things first. The temple expands our vision of what is important. He spoke of his dear mother, who had a powerful testimony of the Priesthood and its power. She had a brain hemorrhage in 1947 when he father gave her a priesthood blessing, including the promise that she would be healed. After the required surgery went so smoothly, the surgeon told her father, "I know you prayed for a miracle, and today, God said, 'yes.'" President Towne's mother taught him to have faith in the Savior, as manifested through priesthood ordinances. 

Today, President Towne's mother is in the Spirit World, teaching others the important truths she taught him as a child. Those who embrace the Gospel there, cannot move forward without help from us. We can participate in helping the work for these people get accomplished by doing three things:

1. Find the basic data required to find our ancestors who need ordinances

2. Take those names to the temple and perform the ordinances

3. Teach others how to do what we've done

Many modern prophets have promised countless beautiful blessings to us when we participate in this work and fulfill this heavenly obligation. 

Today is a day of sacrifice. The challenge has been issued for each of us to evaluate what sacrifice we can make to contribute to this great work. President Towne urges us to make a sacrifice so we can claim all promised blessings associated with temple and family history work.

President Towne ended with a testimony of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ and His love for each of us.

President Steve Peterson (notes provided by Helen Stanger)

President Peterson opened his comments by relating the story of two young children, as depicted in the church-produced 1980’s film “No Greater Love”.  Little Charlie is hit by a car and is rushed to the hospital.  He is in critical need of a blood transfusion, but the hospital has no match on hand for his rare blood type.  However, it is discovered that his younger sister, Jennie, is a match for his blood type.  Although hesitant, the doctors ask little Jennie if she is willing to share some of her blood with her brother.  She is scared, but agrees.  After a successful blood transfusion and Charlie is stabilized, a worried Jennie asks the doctors, “When will I die?”  She mistakenly believed that giving her blood away would mean she would die, but she was willing to sacrifice her life to save her brother.

Many of us are willing to make sacrifices to save our family members.  This is the same love that motivates us to do family history work.

Our family members that have passed on are in need of saving.  In D&C 138, we learn that those who have died without receiving Priesthood ordinances are in bondage.  But in D&C 128, we are told the good news—a message of gladness and mercy and great joy—that those ordinances are made available to all!

In the old testament, we read about the prophet Elijah. He performed many amazing miracles, was given the sealing power, and then was translated and taken into heaven.  It was promised that Elijah would return someday and would turn the hearts of the children to their fathers and the hearts of the fathers to their children.  Modern-day Jews still look for the coming of Elijah.  In fact, during the Passover celebration, they leave an empty chair at the table and they open the door to symbolize that they are waiting to welcome him.  It is not coincidence that it was around Passover time that Elijah actually DID return and appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland temple and restored the Priesthood ordinances that seal families together!

We are so blessed to live close to a temple.  We are reminded to take advantage of the proximity of the temple before it closes next March, and to do family history so we can take our own family names to the temple.

  

We are asked to consider what we need to do to receive the blessings of the temple and to be able to share those blessings with our families.  President Peterson then closed with a quote from Sister Carol F. McConkie that was shared at general conference in April: “Most often it is the sacrifices we make to keep our covenants that sanctify us and make us holy."

Elder Gerrit W. Gong

We are diverse in background, but one in our love of Jesus Christ.  The kindness of inclusion inspires confidence.  This is a Gospel of love and a Church of participation.  Our faith is strengthened as we reach out in love to others.

We receive important blessings through Priesthood ordinances.  Priesthood authority binds and blesses families on earth and beyond the veil.  The covenant blessings are intended for all the living and the dead on both sides of the veil.

When we live in faith in His time and His way the Lord fulfills His promises.

In 1974 the Washington DC temple was the only temple available to the entire Northeast Area of the Church.  We now have multiple temples in that same geographic area.  We are each closer geographically to a temple, hopefully we are closer spiritually as well.

We have much to be grateful for.  Our greatest blessings are not easily countable.


Sister Bonnie H. Cordon

Light dispels darkness.  Jesus Christ is the Light of the world.  There will come a time when we as individuals and families must experience and maintain light for ourselves.  We need our own light.

She shared the story of the little children from the time of King Benjamin who did not understand the words that were spoken and in their adult years did not believe.  She told us that we need to share our light and kindle the light within our children.

Engaging in the work of salvation feeds the flame of light.  Sharing the Gospel message with non-members, strengthening less actives, temple & family history work, teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ - this is the work of salvation.  Engage our children in the work of salvation.

Believe that God can bless you.


Elder Anthony D. Perkins

Repentance brings personal change, personal growth, hope and joy.

He shared 8 examples from the Book of Mormon of someone who repented, who exercised faith in Christ and changed to experience joy and hope.

Lehi & Sariah - overcome murmuring
Nephi - faces temptations
Enos - guilt and a desire for forgiveness
Alma the Elder - was not cast off forever because of his sins
Alma the Younger - do our actions build up or detract from the faith of those around us
Amulek - apathy to spiritual things
Zeezrom - lifted up above others - pride
Zoramite (the poor ones) - humble in their poverty

The Book of Mormon teachings are directly applicable to our modern life.  Repentance is always followed by joy.


Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Faith in the Lord means trusting in God's will and way of doing things and His timetable.

The strength of the Church comes from the faith and strength of it's members.

Faith prepares us for whatever life brings - good and hard.

We must choose between Jesus' way and the world's way.  The priority for things of eternity gives a consistency to life regardless of what happens or doesn't happen to us.

Missionaries rely on finding efforts of ward members.  Please be fully involved in that vital effort.  Pray to find person prepared to hear the Gospel message.  Prayers of that kind need to be accompanied by commitment - real intent.  Success is the invitation not the response.

We have a duty to reach out to the less actives, those who are struggling with their faith and activity.

The ancient values and Gospel plan are still in force to help us.  Right is still right.  Wrong is still wrong.

Cell phones should be your slaves not your masters.

We can each know the truth for ourselves by the witness of the Holy Ghost.

He quoted twice from President Monson's most recent General Conference talk - encouraging us to follow the Savior's example in helping our fellow travelers in this life and in reading the Book of Mormon daily.

There is a difference between being active in the Gospel and active in the Church.  How we approach the Sacrament each week is an indicator of where we are.  Active in Church involves attending meetings.  Active in the Gospel includes building our knowledge and testimony, repenting, serving, and striving to be better.

When we understand our relationship to God, we better understand our relationship to others.  Our Heavenly Father Loves All His Children.