ORANGE – Restriction Level
Under the direction of the First Presidency and our Stake Presidency, Sacrament Meeting will resume on a limited basis, as per Bishop Harwood’s emails on June 1st & 5th.
We will meet once a month, on the 4th Sunday.
We will hold SACRAMENT MEETING only.
There will be no 2nd hour.
We have created a special page for the Phase:1 Back to Church phase, as there is a good amount of information. Please click the link below for further instructions!
Good Morning Sisters,
I am grateful I had the opportunity to ponder and pray about a message for the Relief Society Sisters this week. I want each of you sisters to know that the Relief Society Presidency loves you and we think of you and pray for you often.
The message I would like to share today comes from the April 2020 General Conference address by Douglas D. Holmes ‘Deep in our hearts’. The Lord is trying to help us get His gospel deeper in our hearts in order to prepare us to receive Him. I would like to highlight two principles that Brother Holmes shared that each of us can work on to help us become closer to our Heavenly Father and be ready to receive Him.
The first principle is relationships. Brother Holmes reminded us that we are not expected to walk the covenant path alone. Developing relationships with family, friends and leaders etc. will help us along the path. Elder Renlund discussed how we can develop relationships with others: “To effectively serve others, we must see them through Heavenly Father’s eyes. Only then can we begin to comprehend the true worth of a soul. Only then can we sense the love that Heavenly Father has for all His children”.
What a wonderful gift it is to be able to see others as God does. If each of us were striving to do this, how would it impact our families, our ward and our communities? There are so many things in the world now that divide us but if we are working on strengthening or building relationships with others through service and seeing them as God does, we can make an impact for good in our world.
Second principle: Connecting hearts with Heaven through revelation, agency and repentance. Brother Holmes said, “in order to connect our hearts with heaven, we need individual experiences. Those experiences come as the Holy Ghost carries the word and love of God to our mind and heart”. In the same conference session, Elder Neil L. Anderson spoke about spiritually defining memories that help … Read the rest
Brothers and Sisters, I hope you have had a good week this past week and that you and your family are feeling well and staying safe during this difficult time. With all that has been happening, I was excited to hear the news that monthly Sacrament meetings will be resuming later this month! The Come Follow Me Lesson for this Sunday is Alma 8-12. I love the title of this lesson that our beloved Lord and Savior Jesus Christ would come to atone for our sins.
In Alma 8, we learn that our efforts to share the Gospel may require persistence and patience. While in High School, I had the missionary lessons taught to at least three of my friends but sadly not one of them chose to be baptized although one came close to doing so. Those of us who have served missions have learned this first hand. Missionary work involves a lot of rejection but it only makes our missionary successes and baptisms that much sweeter. As I have sought to share the Gospel with family members who are less active I have struggled to know what to say to try to share it in a way that they don’t feel judged or offended. Even Alma, who was the leader of the Lord’s Church in his time, experienced this rejection when he tried to preach the Gospel to the people of the wicked city of Ammonihah but the Lord sent an Angel to comfort him and tell him to return to the city where he met Amulek. The Angel told him that the people of Ammonihah were studying how to destroy the liberty of the Nephites, just as we have been warned in Ether 8:22-25 that secret combinations are doing in our own land today, and that if they did not repent of their sins they would be destroyed. Alma and Amulek were then given power to break their bands in prison and to prophesy unto the people with great power and authority from God.
Alma 8-9 teaches us the importance of our responsibility to do everything we … Read the rest
Hello friends and neighbors,
It is good to have this opportunity to share a brief message with you. In the readings for this week (Alma 5-7), Alma the Younger declares a powerful testimony throughout the land of Jesus Christ and the power of repentance and change.
In Alma 5:14, Alma utters some simple yet profound questions to his people, questions that are every bit as important today for each of us to think about. He asks “And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?”
In a 2009 general conference address, Elder Dale G. Renlund, a former cardiologist, talked about a change of heart (a heart transplant) that has been performed many times since the first successful operation in 1967. This amazing physical process can “prolong life for years for people who would otherwise die from heart failure.”[i] However, Elder Renlund explained that as incredible as this procedure is, there is another “ultimate operation” on the heart. “The ultimate operation is not a physical but a spiritual “mighty change” of heart (i.e. the change that Alma inquired about of his people and to each of us). Elder Renlund goes on to say “Through the Atonement of Christ and by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel, we undergo this ultimate operation, this spiritual change of heart. As a result of our transgressions, our spiritual hearts have become diseased and hardened, making us subject to spiritual death and separation from our Heavenly Father. The Lord explained the operation that we all need: A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”
Brothers and sisters, I challenge each of us, if we haven’t already done so, to ponder Alma’s questions in our own mind and hearts this upcoming week. While our transgression may seem small and … Read the rest
HOURS – Tuesday – Saturday 9:00a – 5:00p
West Jordan Deseret Industries is now open. Note: Other stores may open on different days.
Store hours will be limited to Tuesday-Saturday from 9:00 am.-5:00 pm.
There will no areas open for drop-offs without an appointment.
To schedule a drop-off appointment, or find out about other locations, please visit the link below.
Graduation – Sunday, June 7th 6:00p-6:30p
Seminary Graduation on Sunday!
There will be a 30 minute virtual meeting for EVERYONE (not just graduates) who attended seminary this year on YouTube.
Following the graduation broadcast, all of the graduates are invited to a drive-thru where we will take some time to congratulate them on this accomplishment. Please limit your family group to one car per family.
Brothers and Sisters, I hope you have had a good week this past week and that you and your family are continuing to do well at this trying time for our country and the world. The Come Follow Me Lesson for this Sunday is Mosiah 29-Alma 4. A couple weeks ago I was feeling down and prayed for ideas for ways I could better serve others through Christlike service at this time. I invite you all to pray and think of ways and opportunities that you can serve both loved ones and those you may not know who may be in need during the coming week.
The story of Captain Gideon, who led a rebellion to liberate his people against wicked King Noah, served as righteous King Limhi’s Chief Captain and then subsequently used the word of God to refute the teachings of an anti-Christ whose name was Nehor in Alma 1:2-9 has always been inspiring to me. Nehor sought to destroy the Church teaching that men and women had no need to repent of their sins but that they would all be saved and have eternal life much as other churches that our founded on worldly teachings and values rather than on the plain and precious truths of the Gospel as taught in the Holy Scriptures, teach today. Nehor’s motivation was the glory of men whereas Gideon’s motivation was the glory of God. Gideon subsequently gave his life in defense of the Gospel, being slain by Nehor. Similarly, as members of the Lord’s Restored Church on Earth we should be willing to consecrate our lives in defense of the Lord’s Church and to do everything we can to establish His Kingdom here on Earth.
In our day, as in times of old, there are many voices inspired by the Adversary, counseling us that the Church, its leaders and its teachings are somehow ‘outdated’ and ‘outmoded’ and must be changed and modified to account for the ever-changing ‘values’ of the world. They teach that we must not merely accept, but praise and take pride in the sins of others and … Read the rest
Good Morning Friends,
I hope that all of you are safe and well. It was the highlight of a very difficult week to know that we are getting closer to being able to meet together again. As I read Mosiah 25:10, I thought of “the immediate goodness of God” that has been present in my life during this pandemic. I am so grateful for the safety of my family and friends and to have been able to see the hand of God in our lives. I can’t wait to be able to join with all of you in raising our voices together to give thanks to God for our many blessings. I guarantee, tears will be shed.
In Mosiah 26:22, it reads, “For behold, this is my church; whosoever is baptized shall be baptized unto repentance. And whomsoever ye receive shall believe in my name; and him will I freely forgive.” The concept of Believing in Christ and being Freely Forgiven is precious. In business terms, we know that nothing is ever free. There is always a cost associated with an item. In verse 23, we read, “For it is I that taketh upon me the sins of the world.” We know that the price for our sin was paid by Jesus Christ. It is believing in what Jesus Christ did for us that allows us to redeem forgiveness. The thoughts that kept running through my mind were, Why is hard for me to freely forgive? Why am I resistant to believe that people have changed? Why is it hard for me to forget what others have done to me, when the Lord can forget what I have done to him?
As I read this week, I kept thinking of a talk by Elder Holland, “The Other Prodigal”. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2002/04/the-other-prodigal?lang= I relate the parable of the Prodigal Son to sin. I can relate the father in the story to many parents but especially to Alma the Elder and ultimately, our Father in Heaven. When the Son (all of us) came to himself (an awareness of our transgressions) he returned to the … Read the rest
Brothers and Sisters, I hope you have had a good week this past week and that you and your family are feeling well and staying safe! The Come Follow Me Lesson for this Sunday is Mosiah 18-24. This lesson is about the importance of us honoring and keeping sacred covenants with our Heavenly Father. Our beloved Prophet Russell M. Nelson has focused his ministry on helping the Saints understand the importance of making and keeping sacred covenants and keeping on the covenant path. We have been taught that we make sacred covenants when we are baptized, when we partake of the Sacrament and when are endowed with Priesthood power in the Holy Temple and are sealed to our families as part of the New and Everlasting Covenant.
In Mosiah 18, we learn of the account of Alma the Elder and his people. As discussed in a previous lesson, Alma was one of the priests of Noah who was converted unto the Lord by the preachings of the Prophet Abinadi and was subsequently forced to flee for his life after he begged King Noah to spare Abinadi’s life before he began converting others. One wonders whether Abinadi knew that his labors in the vineyard of the Lord would bear fruit and result in the conversion of a future Prophet of the Lord and the restoration of the full organization of the Lord’s Church to the Nephites or whether he died wondering if his labors had been in vain. I believe as a prophet of the Lord, he was shown before he died that his labors would bear great fruit even though like some missionaries who have served, he did not live to see any of those he taught baptized to the Lord.
It appears that Alma the Elder was chosen by the Lord to restore the full organization of His Church in the promised land of the Americas even though the plain and precious truths of the Gospel continued to be taught by King Benjamin and other Nephite leaders who continued to possess the Melchizedek Priesthood in an unbroken line from … Read the rest
Good Morning Brothers and Sisters! I hope that you have enjoyed your readings this week.
As I thought of what to write this morning, I couldn’t help but draw a correlation between Mothers (Yes, it is Mother’s Day, even in Quarantine) and Abinadi. Prophets are sent to warn people of their sins. Mothers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Sisters, Aunts, Grandmas, Neighbors, all women) are sent to help nurture their children and guide them to the correct paths of life. Abinadi and Mothers have to say harsh things to their audience at times and it is often not well received. Abinadi and Mothers teach of Jesus Christ. Abinadi and Mothers know the scriptures and have the doctrine written in their hearts. We should all be grateful for the “Mothers” that have been a part of our lives, who have helped, and are continuing to help us become who we should be.
I wish that we could discuss these scripture passages together. I would love to hear the insight that you have gained from your life experience. I have listed some of my favorite topics and my notes from this week’s lesson. I hope that you had some great discussions in your families this week.
Mosiah 12:19-37. Mosiah 13:11 – Practice what you Preach. Why is it so hard for us as mortals to do what we know and have been taught? As a child and a parent, this is one of the hardest, most gut wrenching, soul searching, joyful topics that I have ever experienced. I know that as a child of a wonderful mother, it has been hard for my mom to watch me make choices that she knew were against what I knew to be right. I know that as a parent, I have spent many tearful hours, days, months, years praying for my children to have a change of heart. We teach the doctrine in our homes but how do we make sure that we follow the doctrine ourselves and subsequently get our children to follow the doctrine? Mosiah 12:27 teaches, “Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding; therefore, ye have not been wise.” Mosiah 13:11, “And now I … Read the rest
Our ward has created over 300 masks!!
Thank you for everyone’s support in creating masks for those in need.
DO YOU NEED A MASK?
Sister Herzog made 100 masks available to any ward members that would like one. Please contact Luciana Paz if you’d like some.
Brothers and Sisters, the Come Follow Me Lesson for this Sunday is Mosiah 7-10. I hope you have enjoyed reading these Book of Mormon chapters as much as I have. These chapters tell the story of how King Mosiah asked Ammon to lead a search party to find the Nephites led by King Zeniff who had left to try to return to inhabit the land of their first inheritance, the land of Nephi. This city had served as the Capitol of the Nephite nation until the greater number of the Nephites who were wicked in the land of Nephi were destroyed by the Lamanites around 279 BC as noted in the Book of Omni 5-7 after Mosiah was warned by the Lord to flee in Omni 12-13 with as many righteous Nephites as would come with him. They were led to find the Mulekites in Zarahemla whether they united with the Mulekites. Ammon was successful in finding the people of Limhi after being lost in the wilderness for forty days. Subsequently, after the people of Limhi were led by the Lord to flee from captivity, Nephi became the capitol city of the Lamanites.
I loved this lesson because as it states in Mosiah 7:14-33, if we turn to the Lord, trust him and serve Him, He will deliver us. This lesson applies to our day and time when many of us are praying for deliverance from the harmful effects of the pandemic with our Churches and Temples closed, the missionaries restricted from proselyting with some of our family members sickened and suffering from the virus and many jobs lost, making it more difficult for us to provide for our families. When I heard that the chapels and Temples were being closed my heart sank, but I knew it was the Lord’s will at this time. During General Conference, the Prophet and other Apostles provided us with a message of hope promising that this pandemic will prove temporary and that someday in the not so distant future the Temples will be re-opened and the work of the Lord in saving the … Read the rest
We’ve had to cancel our Stake Youth Activity that was scheduled for this coming Thursday, April 30. But we’d still like to hold a virtual activity with our youth. Logistics make this difficult to hold at a certain date and time. Instead, we’ve decided to invite our youth to participate in a COVID-19 Mask Competition (see attached flyer). They can design and create masks that they, their family members, and/or other people can use. If the youth create more masks than they and their family can use, we will donate them locally. We will give prizes to the youth for various categories, such as most creative mask, most colorful mask, most professional mask, etc. For the youth who creates the most masks to donate (see below), we will have a special award. We will even have a best design award for those youth who are not able to acquire the materials or means to actually make the masks–they can design masks on an electronic device (iPad, phone) or sketch it on paper and submit their design for award consideration.
As a stake, we do not have the materials for the masks. However, for those youth who legitimately want to create a good number of masks to donate, volunteer kits and materials can be acquired through Project Protect and the Just Serve Initiative. More information is available at: https://projectprotect.health/#/
Attached are some basic instructions for 2 different types of masks. The youth can use these patterns (or their own pattern/design) and material of their own to create their masks. We hope that youth leaders and parents will help our youth acquire material and tools to make this happen–there may be ward members who have extra material and thread that they would donate. (If a ward needs to purchase material to enable its youth to participate, please speak to me or Sis. Watson before purchasing, as we may be able to assist with that purchase via the stake youth budget.) If the youth do not have access to a sewing machine, they may (1) sew the mask by hand, (2) work with parents/leaders … Read the rest
Brothers and Sisters, to help help enhance our weekly study of the Come Follow Me lesson, our wonderful Gospel Doctrine Instructors are providing us with their thoughts and insights gained during their study. The excerpt below is from Melissa Rooley.
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Good Morning Brothers and Sisters! I sure miss seeing all of you and hope that you are all well enough.
I say this every lesson, but we have started studying one of my favorite sections in the Book of Mormon. Who doesn’t love reading about King Benjamin? I am sure that we all wish that we could have brought our families and our tents and listened to King Benjamin speak to us in person.
This week, I had a tender experience as I listened to Elder Bednar relate how he hears the voice of the Lord. #Hear Him https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/blog/hearing-him-with-our-minds-and-our-hearts
The Spirit spoke to my heart as I watched / listened to Elder Bednar and I knew that what he was saying was true for me also. The spirit helped me want to be better at receiving revelation. My heart was changed. The video is about 1 minute and 30 seconds long and I had tears in my eyes. The spirit helped me to see some things in my life that I could change and I realized my own carnal state and how I have fallen short of my potential. I have been blessed to have had the gospel in my life since I was a small child. I can only imagine how it must have felt to have heard the joyful message of the gospel for the first time, as the people of King Benjamin’s day did. I am so grateful for the message of hope, love and forgiveness that is found in learning about how to become more like our Savior.
I hope that you enjoyed your readings this week. I hope that you let your study be guided by the spirit. I often start looking at footnotes, then other scriptures, then talks and then before I know it, I am not even in the chapter that … Read the rest