Relief Society Lesson today: Anxiously Engaged

Sister Margy Pfeifer gave the Ensign Lesson today and spoke on the talk given by Elder M Russell Ballard during the October 2012 Saturday afternoon session "Be Anxiously Engaged". (read it here)

A highlight from that talk: 

Honeybees are driven to pollinate, gather nectar, and condense the nectar into honey. It is their magnificent obsession imprinted into their genetic makeup by our Creator. It is estimated that to produce just one pound of honey, the average hive of 20,000 to 60,000 bees must collectively visit millions of flowers and travel the equivalent of two times around the world. Over its short lifetime of just a few weeks to four months, a single honeybee's contribution of honey to its hive is a mere one-twelfth of one teaspoon.

Though seemingly insignificant when compared to the total, each bee's one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey is vital to the life of the hive. The bees depend on each other. Work that would be overwhelming for a few bees to do becomes lighter because all of the bees faithfully do their part.

Great things are brought about and burdens are lightened through the efforts of many hands "anxiously engaged in a good cause."
The Saviors words are simple, yet their meaning is profound and deeply significant. We are to love God and to love and care for our neighbors as ourselves. Imagine what good we can do in the world if we all join together, united as followers of Christ, anxiously and busily responding to the needs of others and serving those around us - our families, our friends, our neighbors, our fellow citizens.

How do we make this change?

In your morning prayers eaach new day, ask Heavenly Father to guide you to recognize an opportunity to serve one of His precious children. Then go throughout the day with your heart full of faith and love, looking for someone to help. Stay focused, just like the honeybees focus on the flowers from which to gather nectar and pollen. If you do this, your spiritual sensitivities will be enlarged and you will discover opportunities to serve that you never before realized were possible.

Update and Renew

I've been meaning to update this blog for months now and I feel terrible that it has taken me this long. But it's never too late to make new resolutions and start fresh, so here we go: I will try and do at least a weekly blog update for our Relief Society so that those who could not be with us on a Sunday can catch up.

My hope is that we as sisters feel free to share a thought, story, thanks, announcement etc on this blog that might lift, encourage, or inspire someone who is in need. I realize that most people already use Facebook or some other type of social networking to do this and to you this may feel redundant, but in a fast paced world where the board updates and refreshes so quickly, there are things that may be passed over and forgotten all too soon. Facebook can be a great tool for keeping in touch with so many of our family and friends and it can be a useful resource. But I pray that if you so feel inclined to add to our Relief Society Journal that you will follow that prompting and uplift others with your thoughts and words. Here are a few ideas:

-A few years ago the Stake President asked if we would commit ourselves to bearing pure testimony during Fast and Testimony meeting and to make it less of a travel log or thankimony. But if you have an experience, memory, someone to thank, or a thought that you would like to share with others that will uplift those around you, please share it here. 

-If you don't like to get up in Sacrament Meeting, this is a great place to share your testimony.

-Did you miss your chance to comment on today's lesson? You can always share it here.

-Do you have an announcement or a question? Share it with us!

-Do you have a family tradition that you do during the holidays? 

-Was there a scripture you read during your recent studies that jumped out at you in a new light? Share it with us.

-And if you don't have anything you want to say, you can always share a picture.

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments  -Jasmine Christensen