I have the amazing opportunity to be a part of a worldwide womens organization through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This organization provides meaningful service not only to its members, but to people throughout the world. On Saturday, we had a meeting where every member has the opportunity to listen to inspired talks given by the leaders called to direct the organization. I just wanted to share some of my favorite things that were said.
About Women in Jesus Christ's Time:
"Just as the Savior invited Mary and Martha of New Testament times
3 to participate in His work, women of this dispensation have an official commission to participate in the Lord’s work."
On Examples of Faith :
"Early pioneer women were driven from homes and persecuted because of their faith. Others survived fires and floods. They crossed oceans and walked thousands of miles, tolerating dirt, illness, and near starvation to help build the Lord’s kingdom on the earth. Many of them buried husbands, children, parents, and siblings along the way. Why did they do this? They did it because the fire of their faith burned in their souls."
About The History of Temples:
The Lord has always asked His people to build temples. The Lord commanded Moses: “Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.”
1 The portable tabernacle they built served as the central place of Israel’s worship during their pilgrimage to the promised land. Its pattern and structure were revealed by the Lord to Moses. It was to be the Lord’s holy house.
Later, King Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem using the finest building materials available.
2During His earthly ministry, the Lord regarded the temple as a sacred place and taught reverence for it. The Nephites also built temples to the Lord in the Americas. They were gathered around the temple when Christ appeared to them after His Resurrection.
3Soon after the Church was restored in this dispensation, the Lord commanded the Saints to build a temple... in response, the Saints built the Kirtland Temple at considerable sacrifice.
About the Greatest Happiness:
Let me first pose a question: What do you suppose is the greatest kind of happiness possible? For me, the answer to this question is, God’s happiness.
This leads to another question: What is our Heavenly Father’s happiness?
This may be impossible to answer because His ways are not our ways. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are [God’s] ways higher than [our] ways, and [His] thoughts [higher] than [our] thoughts.”
1Though we cannot understand “the meaning of all things,” we do “know that [God] loveth his children”
2 because He has said, “Behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”
3Heavenly Father is able to accomplish these two great goals—the immortality and eternal life of man—because He is a God of creation and compassion. Creating and being compassionate are two objectives that contribute to our Heavenly Father’s perfect happiness. Creating and being compassionate are two activities that we as His spirit children can and should emulate...
We are Children of God:
...remember that you are spirit daughters of the most creative Being in the universe. Isn’t it remarkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God? Think about it—your spirit body is a masterpiece, created with a beauty, function, and capacity beyond imagination.
But to what end were we created? We were created with the express purpose and potential of experiencing a fulness of joy.
4 Our birthright—and the purpose of our great voyage on this earth—is to seek and experience eternal happiness.
On Compassion:
“When you find yourselves a little gloomy, look around you and find somebody that is in a worse plight than yourself; go to him and find out what the trouble is, then try to remove it with the wisdom which the Lord bestows upon you; and the first thing you know, your gloom is gone, you feel light, the Spirit of the Lord is upon you, and everything seems illuminated.”
10I was so uplifted and strengthened by this meeting. It added to my testimony that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that this gospel is the same one that was established by Him before the world began.
It also made me decide (the last quote particullarly) that the next time I am feeling bad for myself, and think I need a pedicure, that I will find someone more worthy of feeling bad for, and use that pedicure money to make their life a little better! Haha. My life is so blessed. I pray that yours may be also and leave you this testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
You are all invited to watch this up-lifting meeting, and the General Conference meetings of the Church (This weekend Sat. and Sun. 10-12 and 12-2 Mountain Standard time) and can do so by following this link
http://www.lds.org/move/index.html?type=conference&event=178&lang=english
Yummy Pumpkin Dip: This is great with apples and cookies, on brownies and cakes, and my favorite...blend a little with vanilla ice cream and milk and you've got yourself one killer pumpkin milkshake!
The Creamiest Coco: I don't even know if you can call this a recipe, but, its good! Make a packet of coco as directed using whole milk and a little cream instead of water. Add some cinnamon or other flavoring. Yum! Warning, this preparation method makes this more of a dessert than a drink.
Apple Cider Pork Chops (My Fav!): It is a now a mystery to me where on earth I got this recipe from (a pregnancy side effect no doubt). So Here is bassically what I remember doing.
Apple Chedar Turkey Burgers From Rachel Ray. Combine Ground Turkey and Seasonings (green onion, parsley, grill seasoning, poultry seasoning,). Cook in skillet with a little olive oil. Add sliced apple and sharp cheddar to top and cook a little longer. Serve with condiments and sauce. Sauce: Combine 1/4 cranberry sauce with 2 T mustard. Yum!
