Philadelphia Temple Details

The Washington DC temple closing is rapidly approaching.  I thought it might be useful to provide a few links and details about the Philadelphia Temple - which will be our nearest temple during the closure.

Some important things to know:
- You need to schedule appointments to participate in the sessions (including baptism, initiatory, endowment and sealings).
- There is a very limited number of endowment sessions available daily/weekly.
- There is clothing rental available, but may be limited.

A good starting resource for details on using the Philadelphia temple is the lds website page for temples.  Here is the link for the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple:

https://www.lds.org/temples/details/philadelphia-pennsylvania-temple

This next link provides a nice history of the temple with interesting facts - such as it being the 152nd operating temple:

https://ldschurchtemples.org/philadelphia/

This link provides help for travel to and parking at the Philadelphia Temple:

http://www.mormontemples.org/eng/articles/travelers-guide-to-the-philadelphia-pennsylvania-temple

Stake Temple Trips to Philadelphia Temple

The Stake has organized two Philadelphia Temple bus trips, with a cost of $15 per seat:  Saturday, March 17^th, and Saturday, April 21^st.  Contact Sister Knudson for more info, and to reserve your spot:  columbiastaketempletrips@gmail.com or 443-574-5257.

We would also encourage sisters to use the Stake Relief Society Facebook page and your ward/branch Facebook and Google groups, etc. to organize smaller trips and carpools.

Attending the temple will be more of a time commitment during this closure, but it is still a doable thing. We can and should go as often as our circumstances allow.  That will look different for each of us, but the Lord will see our effort and bless that effort and through those efforts we will see blessings come into our lives, our families, our homes.

Principles of Visiting Teaching

As I provided my January visiting teaching report, I thought about the interactions or lack thereof which had occurred with the sisters I am assigned to watch over.  I had been gone for almost the entire month and had returned with the flu, which kept me in bed for the remaining days of January.  Visiting Teaching had been far from my mind as I traveled and and then became ill.  For the first time in many years, I had to report that I had not "done" my visiting teaching.  I didn't feel that "liking" each other's Facebook posts really counted as true interactions.  I couldn't answer the question, "How are my sisters doing?"  I decided that as 2018 proceeds, I will be better at keeping these sisters and their needs - their concerns - their joys - their sorrows more at the forefront of my thoughts.  By so doing, I believe the Lord will be better able to guide my thoughts to know how I can minister to them - how I can watch over them - how I can befriend them - how I can "Visit Teach" them.

The basic principles of visiting teaching truly haven't changed, but the application and how we think in terms of fulfilling and reporting the assignment has changed.  I thought it might be helpful to publish here the following article that is currently on the Relief Society page of lds.org.  I especially like the question it poses at the end and hope that each of us will consider that question and make a plan for 2018 that will help us become better at ministering.

- Lorie Pierce

Keep In Touch with Her Anytime, Anywhere, Any Way

Visiting teaching is about ministering. Jesus ministered anytime and anywhere. We can do the same.

To “minister” is to give service, care, or aid that contributes to the comfort or happiness of another. Visiting teaching is about discovering ways to minister to those we visit. Jesus Christ ministered to all—anytime and anywhere. He fed the 5,000, comforted Mary and Martha at the death of their brother, and taught His gospel to the woman at the well. He did it because of His sincere love.

Following His example, as visiting teachers we can come to know and love each sister we visit, remembering that love is the foundation of all we do. When we pray for inspiration to know how to serve her and help her strengthen her faith, “the angels cannot be restrained from being [our] associates.”

From the organization of Relief Society in 1842 to today, the ministering of women has blessed lives. For example, Joan Johnson, an 82-year-old widow, and her visiting teaching companion visit teach their neighbor who is 89 and has pneumonia. They could see that their neighbor didn’t just need them once a month, so they began checking in on her every week in person or by phone.

For other visiting teachers, sending a text or email giving encouragement might be the best thing to do for a sister that month. Making personal connections and listening with an attitude of love is the essence of visiting teaching. Modern technology and time-honored face-to-face visits help us do it anytime, anywhere, and in many ways.2 That is ministering as Jesus did.

Ministering

Rather than provide a specific message, each month this page will feature a different principle to help us minister more effectively to each other. As you pray and seek inspiration, you will know the spiritual message and service each sister needs.

Consider This

How do we stop worrying about “what counts” for visiting teaching and instead focus on what each sister needs from her visiting teachers?

Save the Date!!!

Turn On Your Light

AND

Save the Date

for our Spring Activity!

Columbia Stake Relief Society’s Morningside with SandraTurley

Saturday, April 28, 9am at the Stake Center

We will have breakfast and hear from Sister Turley in both spoken word and song.

Sister Turley is a well known presenter at Time Out For Women and other LDS venues.  We are excited to have her come share her testimony and talents with us.

Further publicity will be available through your wards/branches later in March.

Things That Matter Most

This past month has been a joyful and busy time for our family.  Our youngest daughter returned from her mission - We celebrated Christmas and New Year's - All of our children were with us in the temple for the sealing of our eldest son - I've had days of playing with my adorable granddaughters.  As I've pondered on these events and activities, what has occurred to me is that it's the being with family that has made the time sweeter. 

I've reflected on my son and his sweet new wife as they knelt across the temple alter for their sealing ordinance and of the promises of eternal families we have because of those temple covenants.  I've watched my little granddaughters and their parents as they learn and grow together - sometimes fighting exhaustion and struggling for patience with each other. I've watched my youngest daughter adjust from being a missionary full-time to living real life again with all it's challenges. I've watched my adult children interact with one another -  sometimes rubbing against each other - but mostly trying to support each other.

My watching and reflecting has caused moments of regret - times of wishing I could have a do over. However, I understand that life moves forward and that I need to learn from my past - becoming better day by day. What I have felt the most this past month is the importance of these family relationships and of my role as a mother to set an example for my children in continuing to develop strong family ties even though we no longer live in the same house.

Life is busy and it can be easy to overlook the most important things in favor of doing the immediate things. I recently re-read a talk by President Uchtdorf entitled Of Things That Matter Most. I suggest it to each of you as worth reading.

When my visit with my granddaughters comes to an end and I prepare to return home to Maryland and normal life, I hope that my reflections of the past month will stay with me and I will be able to actively seek ways to strengthen my family relationships and to focus each day on the things that matter most - my relationship with my Heavenly Father and my Savior, my family, and in serving those around me as Christ would do.

-Lorie Pierce

In Loving Memory

I'm sure we all have reflected this past week on President Monson and his personal impact in our lives.  I just wanted to share briefly one piece from my own reflections.

A number of years ago, President Monson gave a talk in General Conference entitled Joy in the Journey.  That one talk helped me then and continues to help me now in reshaping, fine tuning and refocusing my life on the things that matter and more importantly living for both the now and the eternities.  I am a list maker and although being organized is a good thing, sometimes I can lose track of the actual living and forget what an amazing gift my life is.  How grateful I am for the inspired words of a prophet that spoke to my soul so many years ago and helped me become better at living and loving.

If you haven't seen the memorial page on the Church website, I recommend it.
Here is the link:

https://www.lds.org/people/thomas-s-monson/memorial?cid=HP_3_1_2018_dPAAST_fANN-MNSN_xLIDyMSTHD_&lang=eng

- Lorie Pierce

A Year in Review 2017

As we close 2017 and begin 2018 - we just want to express our gratitude to all the sisters of this stake for their diligent service and willing hearts.  We have an amazing group of women in this stake and we are grateful to serve alongside all of you in strengthening our homes, our Church units and our communities.  Happy New Year to all of you!

- The Stake Relief Society Presidency & Secretary
Cindy Erekson, Lisa Larson, Kim Olivier, Lorie Pierce


Here are some highlights from this year:

In March, we welcomed Sister Kim Olivier as the new second counselor in the Stake Relief Society presidency. 

We celebrated the 175th anniversary of the Relief Society in March. We had close to 200 women, young women and Primary girls gather together for an ice cream social and anniversary celebration - following which we gathered in the Chapel to be uplifted and instructed in the General Women's Session broadcast.

 In April, we held a Women's Conference with classes, a service project and a luncheon.  Our theme was Rise Up!  We about 130 sisters attend this event.  There was a great deal of variety in the classes and we were grateful for efforts made by so many to have it be a successful activity.

At the end of September, we gathered with over 230 sisters, including young women and Primary girls, for a dinner of soups, salads and bread.  The soups were prepared by generous and talented sisters around the Stake.  It was a wonderful evening of sharing our joy of sisterhood and of the Gospel.  We concluded the evening by watching the broadcast of the General Women's Session.  

Each year we meet together with the sisters serving in ward and branch Relief Society presidencies for training and sharing of ideas.  This year we met in late October.  We are so grateful for the wonderful sisters that serve within the units of our stake as Relief Society leaders.  Their love and concern for the sisters in their care is evident as we meet with them.

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!
Love, Cindy Erekson, Lisa Larson, Kim Olivier & Lorie Pierce