Thoughts on the March Theme

Here are Michelle Greenwood's thoughts on our March Relief Society Theme:

A Valiant woman is A COVENANT KEEPER

We live in a fallen world, which means we will all experience hardships and trials. The only question is, will we go through the hard times alone or with the Savior by our side? The answer is up to each of us. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have each made a covenant to always remember the Savior and to keep His commandments. In turn, He promises to always be with us. There is no question as to whether or not He will keep His covenant, He has already made His choice.

In the Garden of Gethsemene, our Savior experienced every pain, every heartache, and every sorrow for every sin we would ever experience. He knows exactly how we feel and how to help us endure. And when necessary, He is even strong enough to carry us when the load seems too much for us to bear. What each of us has to decide is whether or not we are going to accept His help. We make this choice when we choose to keep our covenants with Him. Every time we make and keep a covenant, we draw closer to the Lord. When we break our covenants we distance ourselves from Him.

It is because He loves us that the Lord gives us opportunities to make covenants with Him. We show our love for Him when we accept those covenants and choose of our own will to keep them. He is always by our side with outstretched arms and when we keep our covenants with Him, we can feel His warm embrace.

Favorite Pins from February

Kiersten Militoni was our featured pinner in February.  Here are some of her favorite pins.

Find it here

I love this take on a gratitude journal. It gives a few small things to try to feel more joy in our lives. Meditating  is my favorite and has been a huge release of stress for me and helps ground me during the day.  I also love that there is one for serving others!

Find it here

I love love love this!!! I know in my life i can get consumed by things that don't make me happy sometimes, social media or people who don't make me feel great. I have found that by discarding the things that don't bring joy into my life it has helped me focus on the things that DO bring joy. Now this doesn't mean i don't do hard things, it just means when there is an option to cut something out and that thing doesn't make you a happier and better person that it is OKAY to discard it : )

(To follow FV Relief Society, go here ----> https://www.pinterest.com/fuquayvarinars/ )

March Theme

Our theme for 2015 is "Becoming a Valiant Woman", and our sub-theme for March is:

“When daughters of God focus on the temple and on their sacred covenants, God is able to send blessings in personal and powerful ways.”

Jean A Stevens

Goals for this month:

When we partake of the sacrament, we covenant to remember Him.  Choose     one (or more) of the following to do to remember Him this month:

a.  Be a 100% visiting teacher.  We remember Him by serving,          loving, and caring for our sisters.

b.  Hold a FHE on baptism and/or sacrament covenants.

c.  Attend the temple and make a personal goal on how you can more fully live your covenants.

Thoughts on the February Goal

Here are Monica Danner's thoughts on our February Relief Society Theme:

A Valiant woman is JOYFUL

I was asked to give some of my thoughts about this month’s challenge to become a more joyful woman of God.  We have been given some great counsel from general authorities in the church of how to live with joy in our hearts, regardless of our circumstances. 

I want to share about a time I wasn't so joyful and my thoughts on it now. My husband was deployed to a dangerous place, I was in living in a new area with no friends, I had two small babies, my mom was 3,000 miles away and it. was. HARD!  The worst part was that I felt guilty for not being happy. Although I was truly blessed, I couldn’t deny that I was feeling defeated. I felt like there were times that I was just doing what had to be done. I was in survival mode. 

You’ve probably all read or heard the words of the prophet Thomas S. Monson ‘Brothers and sisters, my sincere prayer is that we may adapt to the changes in our lives, that we may realize what is most important, that we may express our gratitude always and thus find joy in the journey’.  This was my inspiration and I’m so grateful for words of a prophet who loves us dearly.  In 2014, I decided that instead of a list of resolutions for the new year, I would choose one word that encompassed many goals I had for myself.  The word I chose was ‘enjoy’.  It was my goal to enjoy my kids, my life, my calling, my role as a mom, being a sister, a daughter, etc. etc. etc. To find joy in whatever situation I was in, even if it was the simplest thing.  I savored that year.  It was truly a reminder to me to live with gratitude.  I can look back now and realize that some of those trials I had were part of a refining process.  

I share my testimony with you that the gospel of Jesus Christ can give us true joy.  President Uchtdorf, who said ‘My dear sisters, I have a simple faith. I believe that as you are faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, as you draw closer to Him in faith, hope, and charity, things will work together for your good. I believe that as you immerse yourselves in the work of our Father—as you create beauty and as you are compassionate to others—God will encircle you in the arms of His love. Discouragement, inadequacy, and weariness will give way to a life of meaning, grace, and fulfillment. (Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

I hope that you may all find joy in your lives, no matter the season you’re in. May we be aware when someone is going through their own ‘refining process’ (or, ‘survival mode’) and lift them up.  I love my Savior.  I know He knows us, loves us and wants us to be happy.  I share these things with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.