The Temple and the Natural order of Marriage, Bruce C. Hafen, Part 2

I love his opening statement....When a confused culture confuses us about what marriage means, we may give up on ourselves and each other much too soon.  But there is HOPE!!  The temple's eternal pattern can help us overcome the modern chaos.  He talks about the marriage of Adam and Eve. 

"The temple is the knot that ties heaven and earth together!!"

What a great idea!!

And then he goes on to talk about bringing our own heart to the alter.   Bringing our own broken hearts and contrite spirits to our marriages.  

A temple worker whose wife passed away after she had suffered a debilitating illness for several years told me, "I thought I knew what love was---we'd had over 50 blessed years together.  But only in trying to care for her in these last few years did I discover what love really is."

Some of us go to the temple today the way Adam and Eve first offered sacrifices--"I know not, save the Lord commanded me,"  Simply because we are commanded, without knowing why.  Simple obedience is certainly better than not performing the ordinances at all.  But the Lord, who sent the angel, must have wanted them to know why---and I believe He wants US to know why.

He ends with the Marriage and Authentic Joy.  

Please read this article.  These comments are just the tip of the iceberg.  It is so good.  I so love to have such great men share with us such great insights!!

Walk, Talk and Visit Teach!!! September Activity

It's our annual Walk, Talk and Visit Teach.  If you want to get your visiting teaching done all at once and with one visit, this is it!!!!  And you can exercise at the same time.  We will have some HEALTHY snacks and will be sharing the evening with the 19th ward.  SO FUN!!!

September 23rd.

6:30

At the Pavilion

Please encourage your visiting teaching partners and ladies to be there.  

It will be a great evening!!!

New ladies in the Ward!!!

We have some new people in our ward.  It's always a new face and we're so glad to have them. 
The Hall family moved into where the Snedeger's moved out.  1477 So 625 West.  Laura and David with 3 kids.  Mary 13, Joshua 11, and Felicity 6.  Welcome!!
Also we have Carol Cooley.  She is a sweet older lady that lives in the side apartment that's attached to the LaMarca's house.  553 West Greens Lake Dr.  She is 92 years old and is a delight to talk to.  Take a minute and drop by.  She would LOVE IT!! She needs friends.  Young and Old!!
Maxcine Jensen has just moved into Sunset Ridge, #1549.  Last apartment on the left.  We are so excited to get to know her.
And just to let you know, Tasha and Amos have moved into Sunset Ridge too.  Their address is 1528.  We are glad for them to have their own place.   

Want to Serve!!! JustServe.org

The church has a new website called JustServe.org.  It is a clearinghouse for service.  You can sign up as a volunteer and also you can post projects that need service.  SIGN UP!!  It is a great way to serve in the community and a great way to get to know people from all walks of life.  It will be advertised more in the next couple of weeks.  Just go to JustServe.org and register. 
This is only available here in Utah in the Southern Region of our state.  It is on a trial basis.  It is up and active as of now for Cedar and St. George only.  It is offered in many others states though.  Do yourself a favor and SERVE!!!

The Proclamation on the Family, August Ensign, Bruce C. Hafen

 All the articles in the Ensign are great, but this one really hit home to me!!  

"Are we already living in the time of the curse?  Perhaps!!!"

Elder Hafen explains to us (in pretty plain terms) just how the world (that's us!) has gotten ourselves into the situation we are in now. It's the collapse of the family and marriage.
"WHAT are your greatest concerns? a newspaper reporter asked President Gordon B. Hinckley in June 1995, as he turned 85.  "I am concerned about family life in the Church.  We have wonderful people, but we have too many whose families are falling apart...I think this is my most serious concern" 
"There is no other single force causing as much measurable hardship and human misery in this country as the collapse of marriage.  It hurts children, it reduces mothers' financial security, and it has landed with particular devastation on those who can bear it least: the nation's underclass...(Time magazine writer)
Here are some facts he brings out in the article:
Today, 40 percent of U.S. births are to unmarried parents.  In 1960 that number was 5 percent.  About 50 percent of today's teens now consider out-of-wedlock childbearing a "worthwhile lifestyle."  The percentage of children in single-parent families since 1960 has increased fourfold, from 8 percent to 31 percent.  Over half of today's U.S. marriages are preceded by unmarried cohabitation.  What was highly abnormal in the 1960's is the new normal.
Affects: 
*Juvenile crime has increased sixfold.
*Child neglect and all forms of child abuse have quintupled.
*Psychological disorders among children have all worsened, from drug abuse to eating disorders, depression among children has increased 1,000 percent.  And...
*Domestic violence against women has increased, and poverty has shifted increasingly to children.
How serious are these problems?  As President Hinckley said in 1995, these issues were his "most serious concern."  And the trends that troubled him then are now measurably worse!!!
PLEASE, read this article. (Page 50) It is a great one.  It is the first of a two part series.  The next one will be in the September issue.

The "Proclamation to the World" was issued in 1995!!  

Two months after the question was asked of President Hinckley...

Chapter 16, Elderly in the church

We have some of the most lovely elderly sisters in our Relief Society!!  I look to them for their grace, their dedication and their willingness to serve whenever asked.  This lesson gave some great ideas for the elderly but also for all of us.  I'm just going to list a few.
1.  Work in the temple and attend often.  That's great advice for all of us. 
2.  Collect and write family histories.  Same here!!
3.  Become involved in missionary service....Ditto
4.  Provide leadership by building family togetherness.  We all need to work on this. 
5.  Accept and fulfill Church callings...You're NEVER to old to serve!!  You don't retire from the church!!
6.  Plan for your financial future!  EEEK!!
7.  Render Christlike service.  Get out there and serve.  It's amazing what it can do for you!!
8.  Stay physically fit, healthy, and active!!  Yipee!!  I love this one. 

Great advice for all of us!!  

I look to my mother for advice and council everyday.  I'm so blessed to still have her here.  

The elderly have much to offer.  Please take the time to let them give.  Go VISIT!!

Conference on Protecting Children and Families from Pornography