Weekend of April 2 2017: Truth

Dear Sisters,

It has been a beautiful conference weekend of full inspiration, reflection, comfort, and some stern reminders.  Watching general conference, my mind and heart were full of the experiences I had this week as I read and re-read the final chapters of the Book of Mormon, and I feel compelled to testify to you ever more firmly, along with so many of our leaders, that we must read The Book of Mormon daily, that this practice will bring us peace, joy, understanding, and courage.

A month or so ago I felt strongly inspired to send an email to my three children, in which I stated that now more than ever before in my and their lifetimes it is critically important that we know how to identify truth. I urged them as their mother to draw on all of their learning, spiritual, intellectual, and emotional, to look for patterns that will lead them to truth in all aspects of their lives, and to pray for clarity, insight, and good judgment.  

I was struck this week by how Moroni in his final words (Moroni 10:3-4)  makes this same plea, and how he provides us with a perfect formula for knowing what is true: read, reflect (or remember, as he says), and pray.  

Sisters, it starts with reading.  We must immerse ourselves regularly in the scriptures.  They are the iron rod.  It is so easy to fall out of this habit, so easy to turn to other sources for comfort, guidance, and nourishment.  But anything other than the scriptures is like empty calories.  We might feel filled temporarily, but we will not be nourished, we will not have strength and stamina, and we will not thrive.    

We need to reflect ("remember how merciful the Lord hath been") so that we begin to see the patterns in our lives and in the world around us. We begin to see the hand of the Lord in all aspects of our lives, and we begin to know how the spirit works for us as individuals.

And we need to pray, with energy and focus ("with real intent"), to know what is true.  

My dear sisters we have a great and marvelous work to do in our own lives, in our homes, in our communities, and in the world.  Each one of you has a mission to fulfill, and you can know what that mission is each moment of each day as you follow the admonition of Moroni:

... awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion; and strengthen thy stakes and enlarge thy borders forever, that thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled.  Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him ... (Moroni 10:31-32)

With love and gratitude,

Marni Campbell, Theresa Roth, Michelle Quinn, and Jenni Currit

Seattle North Stake Relief Society Presidency

Week of March 19 2017: The Peaceable Followers of Christ

Week of March 19, 2017

Read: Moroni 1-7 and Our Heritage, pages140-146

Write: Choose a verse that is cross-referenced to another scripture from this week’s reading, and read the cross referenced scripture.  How do the two scriptures support one another?  For example, Moroni 6:8 references Mosiah 26:30 in discussing the power of repentance.

Dear Sisters,

This coming week will conclude with the first session of General Conference, the Women's Session, broadcast live at the stake center at 5 pm.  Please join us for the broadcast and for light refreshments and a celebration of our reading and writing journey immediately after.

This week's personal writing prompted us to reflect on a time when our faith gave us comfort even in times of utter despair, such as those Moroni describes. Mallory King, of the Ravenna Park ward, shared her reflection.  Thank you Mallory for your beautiful words.

When I look very closely at a painting and zero in on one small area I see messy strokes, blobs, not a sailboat. Or, if I were to listen to one instrument in a full orchestra such as the Bassoon, I might hear an obscure melody line and not even recognize the piece that is being played. I frequently have moments when something looks messy, or doesn't sound right and I have to trust that the whole picture or piece is in harmony. Moroni wants us to believe. When a trial is magnifying a harsh truth we can have Faith in receiving perspective or clarity in the future. Hopefully the near future. My Grandma had such a clear vision of who she was, where she came from and where she was going. When she passed away I realized this was one of the greatest gifts she gave to me. Reading Mormon's and Moroni's words and pleas speak to me because of my Grandma's example. I want to be like her and be filled with that Light and Faith. This reading reminds me that it is essential to have a belief in order to return to my Heavenly Father. We can't see the whole picture but we can believe that someday we will. As harsh as I find Moroni's circumstances and get bogged down by the world around me, I feel humbled and blessed to have a seed in my heart of Faith in Jesus Christ and his desire for us all to live with him again.

-Mallory King

Thank you sisters for your goodness and faith.  We love you!  

With love,

Marni Campbell, Theresa Roth, Michelle Quinn, and Jenni Currit

Seattle North Stake Relief Society Presidency

Week of March 12 2017: I Even Remain Alone

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Week of March 12 2017

Read: Mormon 6-9 and Our Heritage pages 132-139

Write: In Mormon 8 we read the words of Moroni written in his isolation: “I even remain alone to write the sad tale of the destruction of my people.”  When have you felt completely alone like Moroni?  How did you find comfort in your faith?

Dear Sisters,

This week we read about the centuries that followed the Savior's ministry amongst to the Nephites, where there was a period of peace and that lasted for two hundred years.  In 4 Nephi 1:17, we read:

"There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God."

Who are the -ites in your life?  How can we eliminate -ites in our wards?  In our stake?  And how can we more fully become the "children of Christ," unified and undivided?  As we prepare for General and Stake Conference, let us reflect on how we can cease to see our differences and instead focus on our shared commitment to Christ.

Sisters, just three more weeks to read and write with your sisters across the stake in the Book of Mormon.  Join us in these final few weeks leading up to General Conference.

With love,

Marni Campbell, Michelle Quinn, Theresa Roth, and Jenni Currit

Seattle North Stake Relief Society Presidency

Week of March 4 2017: There Could Not Be a Happier People!

Week of March 5 2017--just four weeks left!  Join us now for the conclusion of the Book of Mormon!

Read:

4 Nephi, Mormon 1, 4

Our Heritage, pages 125-131    

Write:

Write about 4 Nephi 1:17.  What can you do to reduce the "ites" in your life?

Dear sisters,

We look forward to seeing you in a few weeks on March 25 at 5 pm to share the first session of General Conference together, the women's session.  Following the live broadcast we will celebrate our reading and writing journey together, share sisterhood, and enjoy light refreshments.  Hope to see you there!

We also invite you to join the Book of Mormon journey this week.  It is never too late to feel the joy, blessings, and illumination that come from reading the Book of Mormon.

This week's personal history reflection was written by Michelle Quinn of the Elliott Bay Ward, and counselor in the Stake RS Presidency.  Thank you Michelle for your eloquent thoughts!

PROMPT: Write about your experience as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Seattle, WA.  

Sometimes we view life as a bunch of puzzle pieces.  We may think we are building a lake, as many of the pieces we have are blue, then we are handed a hot pink piece.  Where does it fit?  It’s only later on, when we see that the blue is the sky not the sea, and the hot pink becomes the vivid clouds at sunset, do we understand that these two contrasting colors do actually fit together.

There is bound to be some puzzling over the puzzle pieces in our lives.  However, when the Lord sees us struggling to making sense of the pieces, he does not gently re-direct us to the playdough table, glitter-glue and scissors, or any other task then figuring out and solving the problem that we are so desperately struggling with.

The Lord is with us through our struggles.  He does not come after, or simple relieve us from the burden.  However, we can show him the pieces we are struggling with, and ask His knowledge for where they fit.

My grandmother loves doing puzzles.  I remember as a child she would sit at a card table sorting pieces.  I remember being so amazed when she taught me that there was a method to the madness of a 5000 piece jigsaw puzzle.  She would explain how you set the piece out on cookie sheets, so they’re all upright and you can see them.  Then, she explained that you start by looking for the edge pieces, which are identified by their characteristic straight lines.  It was strangely reassuring to know there was a starting place and strategy for tackling that big box of bits of colored cardboard.

Life and the gospel can be the same way.  There is a method to the “madness” of mortality.  So often we are amazed at the Lord’s power to be reassuring.  Just like my grandmother taught me how to approach the chaos of a box full of thousands of puzzle pieces; the Lord can teach us how to approach the thousands of situations we will find ourselves in during this life here on Earth.

Sometimes we may feel like the puzzle pieces.  In fitting in (or not fitting in) at church we may feel like that hot pink puzzle piece in a ocean of blue.  That does not mean that we do not belong!  Being a different sort of puzzle piece is not bad, it’s just different.  Again, trust the Master puzzle builder.  He knows all the pieces, and how they all fit together.  You may be surprised that you are meant as that hot pink piece to be amongst a sky of blue, but then you might just also find that you feel like you do belong there.

Seattle is such a wonderful and diverse area to attend church.  There is no question that we enjoy a wide breadth of individuals in our Stake.   While struggles come up from time to time that threaten our unity and harm the harmony of our spiritual community; it is reassuring to know that there is much more that unites then divides us.  It's reassuring to know that we can understand how we fit in at church.  It is fulfilling to see all of us come together each Sunday and worship under a common roof.  That is what being a Latter-Day Saint in Seattle is all about. -mq

Thank you sisters for all that you do and are!

Marni Campbell, Michelle Quinn, Theresa Roth, and Jenni Currit, your Stake RS Presidency

Strength From Stories-Week of February 25 2017

Follow the journey on twitter @SeattleNStakeRS

Read: 3 Nephi 27-30 and Our Heritage pages 120-124 (also attached as a PDF)

Write: Write about your experience as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Seattle, WA

Explore: Read from the history of visiting teaching here: https://history.lds.org/chdaily/8122015?lang=eng

This week as I read in 3 Nephi, I was struck for the first time by the words of the Savior about the importance of recording our spiritual histories.  In chapter 23, he asks to see the record that the Nephites have kept, and he notices that they have not recorded the miracles that took place as prophesied by Samuel the Lamanite:

9 Verily I say unto you, I commanded my servant Samuel, the Lamanite, that he should testify unto this people, that at the day that the Father should glorify his name in me that there were many saints who should arise from the dead, and should appear unto many, and should minister unto them. And he said unto them: Was it not so?

10 And his disciples answered him and said: Yea, Lord, Samuel did prophesy according to thy words, and they were all fulfilled.

11 And Jesus said unto them: How be it that ye have not written this thing, that many saints did arise and appear unto many and did minister unto them?

12 And it came to pass that Nephi remembered that this thing had not been written.

13 And it came to pass that Jesus commanded that it should be written; therefore it was written according as he commanded.

Sisters, I felt prompted as we contemplated this reading and writing journey many months ago that we as sisters of the Seattle North Stake should be doing as the Lord commands the Nephites: we should be recording the important events of our spiritual personal histories.  If you have not done so yet, please take a chance and follow the writing prompts in the coming weeks.  I promise that you will be blessed as you document your personal stories.

Again, I invite you to consider sharing your writing with us.  Let me know if you are interested in sharing by emailing me at marni.campbell@gmail.com.

Love and joy to you in the coming week,

Marni Campbell, Theresa Roth, Michelle Quinn, and Jenni Currit

Your Stake Relief Society Presidency  

Week of February 12 2017: Greater Things Be Made Manifest Unto Them

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This week's journey:

Read: 3 Nephi 21-26 and Our Heritage, pages 132-139, "The Present-Day Church"

Write: Write about your calling as a visiting teacher.  What is an important experience you have had recently?  

Dear sisters,

This week's reading continues with the account of Christ's miraculous visit to the Nephites, and shows us again how important the prophesies of Isaiah are to our Savior.  Take the time to linger in the language!  

If you would like to share your personal history writing, please let us know.  We would love to have you hear each other's voices in the coming weeks.  Email Marni Campbell at marni.campbell@gmail.com if you are interested.  The reading schedule should have been sent out to you again this week by your Relief Society presidency. If not, please email Marni and she will send it to you!  Remember that we are only going until our April general conference.  It's not too late to start reading and writing with us!

With love,

Marni Campbell, Michelle Quinn, Theresa Roth, and Jenni Currit

Your Seattle North Stake Relief Society Presidency

Week of January 12 2017: Always Remember Him

Follow the journey on twitter: @SeattleNStakeRS

Just six weeks left! Join us now and feel the joy of reading the Book of Mormon and writing your personal history!

Dear Sisters,

We hope that you had an uplifting week pondering the words, images, and doctrine so abundant in 3 Nephi 17, and that you took the time to write about a time when someone prayed for you or you prayed for a specific person, and/or a modern day prophet whose message has had an impact on you.  

And now on to this week's journey!

Read: 3 Nephi 18-20 and Our Heritage pages 111-115 (attached as a PDF!)

Write: This week as you take the sacrament, reflect on the words of the Savior in 3 Nephi 18.  Write your thoughts and feelings.  

This week I would like to share my own journal entry with you.  Many of you have told me that you have appreciated the prompting to do some reflection and recording of your personal history.  This week was particularly powerful for me.

Growing up we didn't have family prayer every day, but we did have a formal prayer every Sunday, before dinner.  We always kneeled by the dining room chairs, the smell of the roast beef hovering over us, but I remember most vividly my dad praying, with great detail and thoroughness, for each one of us kids.  He would voice his thoughts and feelings and hopes and concerns for us individually, and I will never forget feeling suddenly the significance of my life, my choices, my problems as I heard them voiced by my father.  3 Nephi 17 always reminds me of this feeling:  "no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father."  Greg and I always prayed out loud for our kids by name and now they do it too for each other and for us when we say family prayer.  Last night on a video call with Eliza, me in bed at midnight and her in Amman 10 hours ahead, Greg and Thomas sitting beside me, we prayed.  Thomas prayed, out loud, and prayed for each one of us, and I felt that same majesty and joy.  

Sisters, we have just six weeks left in our reading and writing journey.  Please join us!  I promise that you will be blessed with joy, insight, comfort, and guidance.

With love,

Marni Campbell and the Stake Relief Society Presidency