December Presidency Message

Im sure in each of us at Christmas time we are reminded of something of our childhood. We all revel in the fun of Christmas-of giving and receiving presents, singing Christmas carols, eating yummy treats, and enjoying the company of family and friends. But there is something better that we get to do each Christmas season, and that is commemorate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.

President Hinkley said,” Our joy at this season is because He came into the world. The peace that comes from Him, His infinite love which each of us may feel, and an overwhelming sense of gratitude for that which He freely gave us at so great a cost to Himself—these are of the true essence of Christmas.”

We pray that this will be a wonderful Christmas season for you, but more importantly, we hope that this will be a time where you can reflect on the wonder and majesty of our Savior. The celebration of Christmas helps us keep our promise to always remember Him and His gifts to us. And that remembrance creates a desire in us to give gifts to Him. At this time, it is our hope that we might all choose something of ourselves that we can offer to give back to the Lord. As we do this, it is promised by President Kimball that, “When we completely surrender ourselves to the Lord, then He will cause a mighty change in us and we will become a new person, justified, sanctified,and born again with His image in our countenances.”

With Love, The Relief Society Presidency

November Presidency Message

Dear Sisters,

In the last Relief Society general conference, President Uchtdorf gave us women five important things that we need not forget.
1. Forget not to be patient with yourself.
2. Forget not the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish sacrifice.
3. Forget not to be happy now.
4. Forget not the “why” of the gospel.
5. Forget not that the Lord loves you.

He also says, “The love of God and the power of the restored gospel are redemptive and saving. If you will only allow His divine love into your life, it can dress any wound, heal any hurt, and soften any sorrow”

Sisters, you are AMAZING women! The Lord loves each of you so much and has not forgotten about you. If we can follow the council of President Uchtdorf, not only will we will be blessed and uplifted by our Father in Heaven, but our lives will become “joyful and sweet”.

We love you!
The Relief Society Presidency

October Presidency Message

President Thomas S Monson gave a wonderful address at the Women’s Session of General Conference entitled “Charity Never Faileth”. I’d like to share with you some excerpts from his address:
“There is really no way we can know the heart, the intentions, or the circumstances of someone who might say or do something we find reason to criticize. Thus the commandment: Judge not.” Mother Teresa, spoke this profound truth: “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” The Savior has admonished, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” I ask: can we love one another, as the Savior has commanded, if we judge each other? And I answer – with Mother Teresa: no, we cannot. What is charity? Mormon teaches us that “charity is the pure love of Christ.” Moroni declares, “Except ye have charity ye can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God.” There is a serious need for the charity that gives attention to those who are unnoticed, hope to those who are discourage, aid to those who are afflicted. True charity is love in action. The need for charity is everywhere. Rather than being judgmental and critical of each other, may we have the pure love of Christ for our fellow travelers in this journey though life. May we recognize that each one is doing her best to deal with the challenges which come her way, and may we strive to do our best to help out.”
We pray that we may each enjoy more peace and joy in our lives as we reach out to others with greater charity.

With Love, The Relief Society Presidency

October Lesson Schedule

1st Sunday: General Conference
2nd Sunday: Signs of the Second Coming G.P. Ch. 43
3rd Sunday: Second Coming of Christ G.P. Ch. 44
4th Sunday: May Ensign Lesson
5th Sunday: Combined Meeting

October Calendar

October:
1-2 General Conference
7- Fabulous Friday 6-10 at the church
10- Columbus Day
13-14 Fall Break
22- Primary Program practice 10:00
23- Primary Program
31- Halloween

September Presidency Message

President Faust said: 'To be a daughter of God means that you are the offspring of Deity, literal desendants of a Divine Father, inheriting godly attributes and potential....Being a daughter of God means that if you seek it, you can find your true identity. You know who you are.'
From the Adversary's point of view, we are dangerous. Righteous daughter's of God dedicated to the Lord and united in the cause of goodness threaten his work. Is it any wonder then that Satan would launch an all-out attack on Latter-Day Saint women?
Might we therefore covenant this very hour to work and watch and fight and pray. To work to strengthen ourselves spiritually every week of every month of every year. The closer we grow to our Father in Heaven, the more clear and complete becomes our vision of who we are and what we can become. Seek for opportunities to study, go to the temple, pray, ponder and fast with sincerity, making and keeping covenants, service, and building your testimony. We pray that you will prioritize the things in your life, focusing more on life eternal, than life today. We pray for you and love you each.
The Relief Society Presidency

September Lesson Schedule

1st Sunday- Presidency Message
2nd- Sunday- The Postmortal Spirit World (G.P. Ch. 41)
3rd Sunday- Gathering the House of Israel (G.P. Ch. 42)
4th Sunday- Ensign Lesson

September Calendar

5- Labor Day
13- Humanitarian Activity / Service Project 6:30 at the church

Fabulous Friday

Fab Friday time is approaching fast....

OCTOBER 7th
6-10pm

...time to place some orders!!

Money and orders are DUE on SEPTEMBER 7th.
Please make checks out to KenDe May.
Any questions you can call KenDe 688-8586.


Here are the projects we are doing:














Temple Blocks: $5.00
Temple Sillouettes: $7.00







I Spy Bags: $6.00

Conference Notebooks: $5.00
Tabed for conference/scripture study/testimony/goals

Christmas Plaques: $12.50

Saying: 'Merry Days and Silent Nights

Emergency Clutch: $5.00

Includes some items to get you started!

Child of God Sign: $12.00

Material Rings: $1.50

*The first two rings/felt flowers are FREE!!









Felt Flowers: $1.50

Hooded Towels: We are offering you assistance in making your own hooded towels.

Just bring your own towel and washcloth and we will show you how to make one!

August Presidency Message

This is a wonderful time of year to reflect on those who have made amazing sacrifices because of their faith. In our last General Conference, President Monson spoke of different examples of those who have made sacrifices in order to receive the blessings found only in the temples of God, and how they never fail to touch his heart and bring him a renewed sense of thankfulness for our temples. He asks, 'Why are so many willing to give so much in order to receive the blessings of the temple? Those who understand the eternal blessings which come from the temple know that no sacrifice is too great, no price too heavy, no struggle too difficult in order to receive those blessings. There are never too many miles to travel, too many obstacles to overcome, or too much discomfort to endure. They understand the the saving ordinances received in the temple that permit us to someday return to our Heavenly Father in an eternal family relationship and to be endowed with blessings and power from on high are worth every sacrifice and every effort.'
'The world can be challenging and difficult, and we are often surrounded by that which can drag us down. In this sacred house we will find peace, we will be renewed and fortified. Our sacrifice may be setting time aside from this daily chaos to go to the temple regularly, to be worthy of a recommend and regard it as the precious possession it is.' We challenge you to set this goal!! May we make whatever sacrifices are necessary to attend the temple and and to have the spirit of the temple in our hearts and our homes.
We love you! The Relief Society Presidency

July Presidency Message

Dear Sisters,
The companionship of the Holy Ghost is one of the greatest blessings we can enjoy
in mortality. It is our choice as to what extent we experience the Holy Ghost in our
lives. Sisters, do you recognize the Holy Spirit in your lives each day. If not, you are
living beneath your privileges as a daughter of our Heavenly Father. Our Heavenly
Father wants us to receive the marvelous blessings that can come through this wonderful
gift he has given to us. We must accept this gift, and learn to recognize it. We must
be careful not to hinder, disregard, or quench the Spirit in our lives. Learning to hear
and understand the Spirit takes considerable effort. But the Lord has promised that
the faithful will “receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that
[they may] know the mysteries and peaceable things – that which bringeth joy, that which
bringeth life eternal” (D&C 42:61).
It is our prayer that each of us will make it a priority to seek and recognize the spirit in our lives.
With Love, The 8th Ward Relief Society

July Lesson Schedule

1st Sunday- Presidency Message
2nd Sunday- Family Responsibilities (G.P. Ch 37)
3rd Sunday- Eternal Marriage (G.P. Ch 38)
4th Sunday- May Ensign Lesson
5th Sunday- Combined Meeting

July Calendar

2- Ashlee Turner and Hunter Hickman were baptized!
4- Independence Day
19- RS temple day 10:00 am session
23- Pioneer Day Festivities
24- Pioneer Day

June Presidency Message

In General Conference this April, we were reminded again and again that we are to strive to become like the Savior. Visiting Teaching is an oppurtunity to follow the Savior by extendingunselfish service and love. The Lord can use a dedicated visiting teacher to answer prayers of sisters who may be struggling, to touch hearts, and to change lives. Visiting Teaching is the plan the Lord has provided whereby the sisters of the church may be watched over. When we visit teach in the manner the Lord has prescribed, we are honoring covenants we have made to be willing to bear one another's burdens, to be willing to mourn with those that mourn, to comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times. We hope that the sisters in our wonderful ward will be blessed both through their service as visiting teachers, and by experiencing meaningful visits from committed visiting teachers!
We love you and hope you have a wonderful summer!
The Relief Socirty Presidency

June Lesson Schedule

1st- Presidency Message, by Pat Melessa
2nd- Obedience (GP #35), by Amanda Whitney
3rd- The Family Can Be Eternal (GP #36) by Emily Holt
4th- Sacred Keys of the Aaronic Preisthood, by Laura Klarman

June Calendar

14th- Rs Meeting: 8 Cow Woman, 6:30pm
15-18th- Girls Camp
19th- Father's Day
26th- Visiting Teaching Interviews

May Presidency Message

Dear Sisters,
Isn’t it amazing to live in a time when we have living prophets, seers, and revelators on the earth to give us direction. How wonderful it has this been this last month to be ‘spiritually feed’ by the leaders of our church during the April general conference. Now as we receive our May issue of the Ensign, (or we can go online) we have the opportunity to study the council that has been given to us. If we will take this opportunity, we will have great blessings come into our life, and we will find the direction that we need. Elder Jeffery R. Holland stated that, “If we teach by the Spirit and you listen by the Spirit, some one of us will touch on your circumstance, sending a personal prophetic epistle just to you.” It is our desire that we will all take the time to ‘feast’ upon the words from the April general conference; that we may find the security and peace God wants for each of us.

With Love – The Relief Society Presidency

Under The Umbrella of Self Reliance-May

Emergency Preparedness:

First Aid Items to have on hand
Iodine - kills bacteria on the skin
Rubbing Alcohol - use sparingly on skin but use to sterilize instruments
Hydrogen Peroxide - so many uses!! but helps in cleaning out a wound
Vitamin E capsules - good for burns on skin
Band Aid's - got kids - get these
Aspirin - fever reducer, pain reliever
Witch Hazel - use for minor skin irritations, insect bites , minor cuts and an astringent for facial cleaning.
**stock up on these items, keep several on hand. In emergencies medical care may not be immediate****

Facebook

Our Relief Society has a new facebook page! We hope this becomes a great thing. We have envisioned it to be! ;)

The only thing you need to do is find the
'Washington 8th Ward Relief Society' PAGE and LIKE us!

So what are you waiting for? Hurry and do it!

April Presidency Message

'It is only when we love God and Christ with all of our hearts, souls, and minds that we are able to share this love with our neighbors through acts of kindness and service—the way that the Savior would love and serve all of us if He were among us today.' (Elder Ballard)
As we strive to have the pure love of Christ we begin to act as Heavenly Father and Jesus would. Through small and simple acts of kindness we can build friendships, uplift those who might be struggling, and become great examples to those around us.

Love,
The Relief Society Presidency

April Lesson Schedule

1st Sunday- General Conference
2nd Sunday- Honesty G.P. Ch 31
3rd Sunday- Tithes and Offerings G.P. Ch. 32
4th Sunday- “The Divine Gift of Gratitude” -President Monson

April Calendar

1- April Fools Day
2-General Conference
3-General Conference
12- Food Storage Possibilities Activity 6:30 at the church
16-Morningside with the Snows 7:30-8:30 AM at the church
24-Easter Sunday
30- Brady Barney's Baptism 5:00 pm

March Presidency Message

There is POWER in making and keeping covenants! Divine covenants make strong Christians. Satan can not make us do anything. The only power the adversary has is the power we give him when we break our covenants. Every one of us was foreordained to stand where we stand in His kingdom. George Q. Cannon said: 'God has reserved spirits for this dispensation who have the courage and determination to face the world, and all the powers of the evil one, to proclaim the Gospel, and maintain the truth, and establish and build up the Zion of our God, fearless of all consequences......to come forth at this time the noblest of His spirits, the men and women most capable of carrying out this work, and achieving the grand results the Prophets have predicted...' This is YOU. Strive to keep your covenants. He will strengthen your faith and fill you with godly power. Take time every day to strengthen them. We pray that you may we 'stand in holy places' and 'be not moved'.

Love,
The Relief Society Presidency

March Lesson Schedule

1st Sunday- Presidency Message
2nd Sunday- The Lord's Law of Health G.P. Ch 29
3rd Sunday- Charity G.P. Ch 30
4th Sunday- The Three R's of Choice Pres. Thomas S. Monson pg. 87

March Calendar

8th- Relief Society Birthday Party @ 6:30
17th- St. Patrick's Day

Under The Umbrella of Self Reliance- March

Emergency preparedness:

Emergency Heat Sources

*portable generators

*oil lamps

*fireplaces

*gas or charcoal grills

*extra blankets, clothing...etc..

*portable cooking stoves

You need to think about an option that works best for your family, take into consideration where you live home, condo, apartment etc..and prepare for that type of environment. Work to keep your home well insulated such as windows, doors, attic this will help in your efforts to stay warm. Remember SAFETY FIRST, if you use a heat sources that require fuel, it is best to keep them outside and any canisters away from flames.

February Presidency Message

Dear Sisters,

President Uchtdorf councils, “If life and its rushed pace and many stresses have made

it difficult for you to feel like rejoicing, then perhaps now is a good time to refocus on
what matters most.” Our Father in Heaven does want us to “rejoice”. He wants us to be
happy. “Man is that he might have joy.” How do we find joy is such a fast paced world?
We should try slowing down, and focusing of the basic principles and doctrines of the
gospel… the things that matter most. President Uchtdorf states that, “These principles
and doctrines of the gospel will lead us to the peace, joy, and understanding that
Heavenly father has promised to His children who hear and obey Him.” Let us simplify
our lives a little that we may make time for the things that matter most.

Love,
The 8th Ward Relief Society

February Lesson Schedule

1st Sunday- Presidency Message
2nd Sunday- Work and Personal Responsibility G.P. 27
3rd Sunday- Ward Conference
4th Sunday- "Be Thou an Example of the Believers" Russel M. Nelson Nov. 2010 Ensign p.47

February Calendar

2nd- Groundhog Day
8th- Relief Society Temple Night 6:40 session
14th- Valentines Day
20th- Ward Conference
21st- Presidents Day

Under The Umbrella of Self Reliance- February

Emergency Preparation

Fire Prevention

* install smoke detectors on every level of your home, stair landing & passageways, check every 6 months

* keep matches locked and away from children

* use light bulbs with the correct wattage for the fixture

* replace frayed, cracked or broken electrical cords

* use outlets safely, don't plug to many large appliances into one outlet

* make sure you have a family emergency evacuation plan

January Presidency Message

Dear Sisters,

In the thirteenth article of faith it states, “We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things”. The Lord wants us to be filled with hope as it can point us to a brighter tomorrow and change the quality of our lives today. We have been sent to earth to be “tried and tested”. As we go through trials, hope has the power to fill our lives with happiness. If we are wondering if we’re equal to the tasks that are given us, we can turn to the Lord and he can deliver peace and hope. Hope is knowing that whatever comes, the Lord can whisper peace. We can strengthen our hope in Christ by striving to be more obedient to the commandments, studying the scriptures, and by strengthening our relationship with our Heavenly Father. We pray that as we begin a new year that it will be a priority to have a renewed hope in Jesus Christ.

With love,

The Relief Society Presidency

Under The Umbrella of Self Reliance- January

Emergency preparedness : CAR KITS---

If you are planning on traveling this winter it is recommended you have an emergency car kit in your trunk. Suggested items are: flashlight, flares or reflected triangle, distress sign, telephone change, first aid supplies, basic tools, a fully charged cell phone. Other optional items could be: boots, hats, coat, gloves, jumper cables, kitty liter (for traction), ice scraper, blanket, water and some food. You can pack these any just about anything, a good bet is to buy a pre-assemble kit I believe Wal-Mart has one for under $25.00. Plan ahead, watch the weather, and be safe.

January Calendar

1st- New Years Day
11th- RS Board Social- 6:30 at the church
22nd- Stake Conference
23rd- Stake Conference

January Lesson Schedule

1st Sunday- Presidence Message taught by Jodi Turner
2nd Sunday- Fasting- G.P. Ch 25 taught by Amanda Whitney
3rd Sunday- Sacrifice- G.P. Ch. 26 taught by Jan Hunsaker
4th Sunday- Stake Conference
5th Sunday- Combined Meeting

The Infinite Power Of Hope