Thursday, March 26, 2015

Lesson Material and Announcements - 26 March 2015

Sisters,

The other week's Relief Society lessons were supposed to be based upon the fo9llowing talks, which can be found on the Church website at LDS.org:

The Sacrament - A Renewal for the Soul by Sister Cheryl A. Esplin
and
The Sacrament and the Atonement by Elder James J. Hamula

Both links should direct you to the full text of the talks on LDS.org.

The third hour block on SUNDAY 29 MARCH will be a combined Relief Society/Elders' Quorum meeting.

Also, the General Women's Broadcast will be airing on SUNDAY 29 MARCH at the Reading Stake Centre.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

RS Sunday Lesson 15 Feb 2015 - "Living Joyfully"

The lesson was titled "Living Joyfully in Troubled Times" and was taught by Sister Sue Freeman.

The lesson was chapter 4 in the Ezra Taft Benson manual and the full text can be found HERE on the Church website.

  • President and Sister Hinckley were cited as examples of those who live joyfuly.
  • "Come what may and love it"
  • How else can we live joyfully?
    • have a prayer in your heart
    • be optimistic
    • just be happy
    • remember to laugh
    • come to Relief Society - you may hear the one thing you need to help you through the week.

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

A Quick Reminder About the Ward Temple Trip

Dear Lovely Ladies,

Come join us for a lovely afternoon at the Temple.

We have organised a Temple Trip on the 17th of February. 

We will be participating in the 2.30pm session and will meet in the Visitor Centre at 1.45pm.

For those of you who are not able to go inside the temple yet, we have arranged for you to watch a movie in the visitors centre.

And for those of you who have younger children, we have sisters who are willing to look after the children so that you can go to the Temple.
If you could please let us know if you need children to be taken care of so we can have enough sisters to cover this.

Also, if you are needing transport or have spaces in your car for others, please let us know.

We look forward to this day where we can grow together in testimony and in sisterhood at the holy temple grounds and pray that many of you will accept this invitation to be with us for this spiritually bonding experience.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

23 November 2014 lesson: Dallin H Oaks "Living With Differences and Learning to Love"

For the text of the talk this lesson was based on, check here on lds.org.

Teacher: Sister Nikki Matthews
Opening Hymn: "We Are Different" (from Children's Songbook)


  • Brother Ratliff had asked Nikki to read the Church Handbook of Instructions for Relief Society upon receiving her call as a RS teacher.
    • for some sisters this may be the only gospel teaching they get in a week.
    • the class made a list of the differences among the sister in our ward.
    • young single adults, young mums, grandparents, single parents, unemployed, stay-at-home-mums, working mums, young married couples, recent converts, raised in the church, those with health issues, various degrees of education, financial stability, etc.
    • we all have different experiences and different perspectives and things to teach one another.
  • Example of the Saviour: "His life was a legacy of love" Thomas S. Monson
  • we need to show love in spite of differences.
  • Remember the importance of including other who may not share the same faith.
    • there is some difficulty in making friends outside of children & callings & church activities
    • you don't always have to proselytize, just live the way you believe.
    • Remember principles of kindness, fairness, and giving the benefit of the doubt when interacting with others around us.
    • Fight the impulse for insularity that the church can bring. There are good people everywhere.
  • 3 Nephi 11:28-30 "he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me."
  • Speak the truth with love.
  • Try not to be contentious, but don't give up our convictions out of politeness.
  • It takes two people to have an argument.
    • We don't have to take everything personally. Try to have charity with disagreements. We should remember our commonalities.
  • Golden Rule: treat others how we want to be treated. Platinum Rule: treat others how they want to be treated.
  • "Disagree, but don't be disagreeable."
  • Remember that even those who feel unkind and antagonistic towards us may be acting out of love and concern for us.
  •  The commandment to love one another surely includes love and respect across religious lines and also across racial, cultural, and economic lines. We challenge all youth to avoid bullying, insults, or language and practices that deliberately inflict pain on others. All of these violate the Savior’s command to love one another.
  • Our words can have such a powerful effect on others and how they see the world and themselves.
  • The commandment to love one another may be our greatest challenge.
Closing Hymn: "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus"


Friday, December 5, 2014

December Announcements

Here is the handout with December's announcements.


11 December: Ward Christmas Dinner. 7:00pm, Bracknell Chapel.

14 December: Christmas Devotional Broadcast. Reading Stake Centre. Time: TBA.

21 December: Ward Christmas Nativity. 11:40am. Fernhill School.

21 December: Stake Carol Concert 'The Christmas Truce'. 6:30pm. Reading Stake Centre.

25 December: Christmas Day Carol Service. 11:00am. Bracknell Chapel.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Sunday Lesson 2 Nov. Living The Gospel Joyfully & Sharing Your Light

This Sunday's lesson was on two talks from the Europe Women's Conference: Living the Gospel Joyfully, by Dieter F. Uchtdorf, and Sharing Your Light, by Sister Neill F. Marriott of the General Young Women's Presidency. The lesson was taught by Sister Adele Ewing.

Opening Hymn: "I am a Child of God"
Closing Hymn: "As Sisters in Zion"

Adele opened the lesson by reminding everyone of the Europe Area Sisters' Meeting broadcast, but lamenting that the video is no longer online. (Unfortunately, this means there will be no links to the text of the talks for you to read! Apologies.) She also mentioned the official announcement that was made about the General Women's Broadcast being the first session of General Conference.

The lesson focused on the two words "light" and "joyfully". Many of the sisters in the ward have gone through rough times this years, and Adele acknowledged how difficult it can be sometimes to live the Gospel joyfully. But, difficult though it may feel, we must remember to tend to our own needs in order to help others. Sister Ewing quoted President Uchtdorf saying, "We must first glow ourselves in order to share our light within our circle of influence." Reference was made to Martin Corbishley's talk the other week in Sacrament meeting in which he used the example of oxygen masks on a plane: safety instructions tell us to put our own mask on first, even before helping our children secure their masks. It may feel selfish to do this, but we cannot give to others what we do not have ourselves.

The sisters then made a list of the things in their lives that can either bring joy, or bring stress.

Joyful Things:

  • beautiful surroundings
  • music
  • family
  • helping others
  • fitness
  • laughter
  • friends
  • hugs
  • peaceful time alone
Stressful Things
  • family
  • financial worries
  • tiredness/fatigue
  • busyness
  • communication barriers
  • bad weather
  • rudeness
  • loss
A story from General Conference was shared again: that of a young mother, sick with chicken pox, whose children soon caught illness as well. Her visiting teachers came to the door and offered specific service for her needs. They helped tidy the house and made a meal for the children. They noticed their sister's needs and used their talents to help her. The quote was given from the young mother in the story, who said, "I know that I am not just a check on someone else's to-do list." The sisters were then admonished to consider how they shape the lives of those within their circle of influence for the better.


Elisabet Donaghue related this to our own ward's visiting teaching, reminding sisters not to down-play the genuine and heartfelt service they give to one another. Often, she said, the excuse is given, "Well, we babysat, or we brought round a meal, but we didn't visit." Just because our contacts don't fit the mold of a visiting teaching visit with a lesson and prayers, that does not mean that we have not rendered service to our sisters.

The final question for reflection in the lesson was to ask, "how do we make discipleship a joy?"
  • prepare in advance
  • remember how your outlook and attitude affect others
  • be aware of your own needs & those of your family. Don't be afraid to take a break to give quality care and rest.

November Announcements

Hopefully, these all went out in the usual email, but just in case, here are the announcements again: