RS Message 12-14-2008

Dear Sisters:

This week we are starting something new in Relief Society. Each week, as a Presidency, we will send out an email to all Relief Society sisters giving a short synopsis of the lesson we had in class and adding something (a talk, a scripture, etc.) that we would like to share with all of you. We hope that doing this will help to unify all of us each week. Our sisters in Young Women and Primary can get a taste of the spiritual food we receive in Relief Society each Sunday.

Today, Sister Bean taught a GREAT lesson out of the Joseph Smith manual. It is lesson 22 - Gaining Knowledge of Eternal Truths. Wow! There is so much in this lesson. If you did not get a chance to read it yet, take some time to read it tonight or in the next few days. You will love it.

Sue (and Joseph Smith) helped us remember that the Gospel encompasses all truth and that we should be constantly searching and studying to learn all truths that are available to us. The lesson reminded us that there is so much to learn that we will be learning long into eternity, but that there is no need to be overwhelmed because we will learn the Lord's truths "line upon line" little by little. As soon as we learn one truth, the Lord will teach us another.

One of the scriptures mentioned in the lesson was Jeremiah 31:33-34. The Lord is describing the latter days. It reads:

"After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity , and I will remember their sin no more."

I think that is what we are striving for, sisters. We are to fill ourselves with knowledge and truth so that we can assist the Lord in filling those we are in contact with each day - our families, our friends, and even our enemies, so that all shall know him.

I've linked to a copy of a short BYU devotional talk by Marilyn S. Bateman. It talks about learning and the role it plays in our quest to become like Christ. I hope you enjoy it.

http://speeches.byu.edu/reader/reader.php?id=1684&x=54&y=9

Thanks again for a great lesson, Sue! Sisters, don't forget our Relief Society Christmas Enrichment night this Wednesday, 6:30 p.m at Karen Brown's home.

We love you all,

Your Relief Society Presidency