Temple Reminder

Sister's,

Just a friendly reminder... The Billings Temple will be closed from May 6 through June 4.  Make sure to plan accordingly if you'd planned to attend the Temple in the month of May.  That's a long way to drive without the blessing of actually attending!  Although, you'd probably be blessed for the effort:)

Hello from Carol, London, & Chase

Just to let you know that we have not dropped off the face of the earth or gone inactive!  The 3 of us are in  Nebraska overseeing the repairs to our home west of Chadron that was inundated with water when a pipe fitting let loose back on March 20th, flooding our crawl space with 5 feet of water, flooding out into our yard, and of course flooding the house itself.  What a mess!.  Now that it is all dried out after 2 1/2 weeks of work by Servicemaster, we have hired a contractor  and repair work begins officially tomorrow, April 16.  It will take about 3 weeks to do the work...foundation repair, wall and ceiling repair/painting, all new floor coverings and much more.   We are doing our schoolwork here, and keeping track of what is going on with our home at the same time, living at Motel 6 in Chadron (actually this one is a really nice hotel with an indoor pool...great for the kids).  London is attending early morning seminary (we are two blocks from the church), and we are attending the Chadron Branch.  Chase and London are active at YMYW and Scouts as well.  We miss our 5th ward, and when the work is done we will be back.  John is holding down the fort in Casper, taking care of all our indoor kitties and working at TSA, attending some meetings in Chase's place (like for Northern Tier).  We may be back for an interim visit (we have already been here since Sat. Apr. 7th, and were here for a week the end of March, too) for a day or two, and John may come here for a weekend as well.


The happy news?  (maybe for RS happy news time) We will end up with a largely new home (on the inside, anyway!) for just our deductible, plus a lot of time, hassle, and some stress (which comes with remodeling anyway!). That's the silver lining of the cloud!

Thanks!
Carol Broome

April Visiting Teaching Message

Love, Watch Over, and Strengthen

Like the Savior, visiting teachers minister one by one (see 3 Nephi 11:15). We know we are successful in our ministering as visiting teachers when our sisters can say: (1) my visiting teacher helps me grow spiritually; (2) I know my visiting teacher cares deeply about me and my family; and (3) if I have problems, I know my visiting teacher will take action without waiting to be asked.¹

How can we as visiting teachers love, watch over, and strengthen a sister? Following are nine suggestions found in chapter 7 of Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society to help visiting teachers minister to their sisters:

• •Pray daily for her and her family.
• •Seek inspiration to know her and her family.
• •Visit her regularly to learn how she is doing and to comfort and strengthen her.
• •Stay in frequent contact through visits, phone calls, letters, e-mail, text messages, and simple acts of kindness.
• •Greet her at Church meetings.
• •Help her when she has an emergency, illness, or other urgent need.
• •Teach her the gospel from the scriptures and the Visiting Teaching Messages.
• •Inspire her by setting a good example.
• •Report to a Relief Society leader about their service and the sister’s spiritual and temporal well-being.

From the Scriptures

Luke 10:38–39; 3 Nephi 11:23–26; 27:21

From Our History

“Visiting teaching has become a vehicle for Latter-day Saint women worldwide to love, nurture, and serve—to ‘act according to those sympathies which God has planted in [our] bosoms,’ as Joseph Smith taught.”²

A sister who had recently been widowed said of her visiting teachers: “They listened. They comforted me. They wept with me. And they hugged me. … [They] helped me out of the deep despair and depression of those first few months of loneliness.”³

Help with temporal tasks is also a form of ministering. At the October 1856 general conference, President Brigham Young announced that handcart pioneers were stranded in deep snow 270–370 miles (435–595 km) away. He called for the Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City to rescue them and to “attend strictly to those things which we call temporal.”⁴

Lucy Meserve Smith recorded that the women took off their warm underskirts and stockings right there in the tabernacle and piled them into wagons to send to the freezing pioneers. Then they gathered bedding and clothing for those who would eventually come with few belongings. When the handcart companies arrived, a building in the town was “loaded with provisions for them.”⁵

Where Jesus Walked

If I could go to Galilee and walk where Jesus walked
And sit in tender grasses on the hillside where He taught.
If I could feel a gentle breeze that lifted from the sea
Where He chose the humble fishermen, how full my heart would be.

If I could sit and ponder on a rock that knew His hand,
Or walk along the seashore where His feet had touched the sand.
My spirit yearns within me, but it doesn't seem my fate,
I'll never walk where Jesus walked, I'll never see... but wait.

I've worshipped in His temple, where I know He's walked before.
Have his feet been down this hallway?  Have his fingers touched this door?
Has He stood here in this very room and looked at what I see?
In the beauty of His temple I feel His love for me.

I close my eyes and picture Him, my worries melt away.
I don't need to go to Galilee or travel far away.
For my tender heart is filled with what He wants me to be taught
And my testimony burns within... I've walked were Jesus walked.

~~Original Author Unknown

March Visiting Teaching Message

Daughters in My Kingdom10483_000_006

We are daughters of our Father in Heaven. He knows us, loves us, and has a plan for us. Part of that plan includes coming to earth to learn to choose good over evil. When we choose to keep God’s commandments, we honor Him and acknowledge our identity as daughters of God. Relief Society helps us remember this divine heritage.

Relief Society and its history strengthen and support us. Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president, said: “As daughters of God, you are preparing for eternal designations, and each of you has a female identity, nature, and responsibility. The success of families, communities, this Church, and the precious plan of salvation is dependent on your faithfulness. … [Our Heavenly Father] intended Relief Society to help build His people and prepare them for the blessings of the temple. He established [Relief Society] to align His daughters with His work and to enlist their help in building His kingdom and strengthening the homes of Zion.”¹

Our Father in Heaven has given us specific work to help build His Kingdom. He has also blessed us with the spiritual gifts we need to accomplish this specific work. Through Relief Society, we have opportunities to use our gifts to strengthen families, help those in need, and learn how to live as disciples of Jesus Christ.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, said of discipleship: “By patiently walking in the path of discipleship, we demonstrate to ourselves the measure of our faith and our willingness to accept God’s will rather than ours.”²

Let us remember we are daughters of God and strive to live as His disciples. As we do so, we will help build God’s kingdom here on earth and become worthy to return to His presence.

From the Scriptures

Zechariah 2:10; Doctrine and Covenants 25:1, 10, 16; 138:38–39, 56; “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” (Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2010, 129)

From Our History

On April 28, 1842, the Prophet Joseph Smith said to the sisters in Relief Society: “You are now placed in a situation in which you can act according to those sympathies which God has planted in [you]. … If you live up to your privileges, the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates.”³

Recognizing the power of Relief Society to serve others and to help individuals increase in faith, Zina D. H. Young, third Relief Society general president, promised the sisters in 1893, “If you will dig in the depths of your own hearts you will find, with the aid of the Spirit of the Lord, the pearl of great price, the testimony of this work.”⁴

Fun Fact

In the LDSliving January/February edition, there was an article about Leap Day.  Without leap year, this January 1, 2012 would have actually taken place on what we knew last year as September 14, 2011, and it would have been a balmy 70 degrees as leaves began to change color.  A year is supposed to be the amount of time it takes the earth to complete its orbit around the sun- or 365.25 days.  Thanks to Pope Gregory XIII in 1850, our current Gregorian calendar of 365 days is designed to keep us lined up with the seasons by adding in an additional day to every fourth year.  Interesting, huh!  And for those of you that heard my lesson on January 8, you'll be pleased to know that it's Gregory the 13th:)

Thank You

We'd like to Thank all of you that were able to attend our Christmas dinner and musical program.  We'd especially like to Thank those that participated in the program.  Teri Sundquist and Natasha Geddes played beautiful piano solos, Shannon Watkins and Hollie Wilmes sang two wonderful songs, Stephanie Dirks and Laurie Dykes played a neat piano duet, and the sisters all sang Away in a Manger and Silent Night.  It was a magical night.  Thanks for braving the frigid weather and joining us!  We want you to know that we recognized and missed those that were not with us.  We love you all!!

Merry Christmas!!!

December Visiting Teaching Message

An Extensive Sphere of Action

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The Lord, His Church, families, and communities need the influence of righteous women. In fact, Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that “every sister in this Church who has made covenants with the Lord has a divine mandate to help save souls, to lead the women of the world, to strengthen the homes of Zion, and to build the kingdom of God.”¹

Some sisters may wonder if they can accomplish such lofty aims. But as Eliza R. Snow (1804–87), second Relief Society general president, explained, “There is no sister so isolated, and her sphere so narrow but what she can do a great deal towards establishing the Kingdom of God upon the earth.”² Sister Snow also taught that Relief Society was organized “for the accomplishment of every good and noble work.”³

Participation in Relief Society enlarges our spheres of influence by giving each sister opportunities to build faith, to strengthen families and homes, and to provide service both at home and throughout the world. And fortunately, our efforts as individuals and as Relief Societies need not be large and overwhelming, but they should be deliberate and consistent. Righteous practices such as daily personal and family prayer, daily scripture study, and consistently magnifying Church callings will help increase faith and build the Lord’s kingdom.

To sisters who wonder if these seemingly quiet contributions make a difference, Elder Ballard affirms: “Every sister who stands for truth and righteousness diminishes the influence of evil. Every sister who strengthens and protects her family is doing the work of God. Every sister who lives as a woman of God becomes a beacon for others to follow and plants seeds of righteous influence that will be harvested for decades to come.”⁴

From the Scriptures

1 Corinthians 12:4–18; 1 Timothy 6:18–19; Mosiah 4:27; Articles of Faith 1:13

From Our History

Eliza R. Snow, who had served as secretary when Relief Society was organized in Nauvoo, was called by President Brigham Young (1801–77) to travel throughout the Church, helping bishops organize Relief Society in their wards.

Sister Snow taught: “If any of the daughters and mothers in Israel are feeling in the least circumscribed [limited] in their present spheres, they will now find ample scope for every power and capability for doing good with which they are most liberally endowed. … President Young has turned the key to a wide and extensive sphere of action and usefulness.”⁵

What Can I Do?

Open Your Gift

Christmas Day

Some of you may not know, but Christmas Day lands on Sunday this year.  Just an FYI, We will only be having Sacrament meeting that day.  There will be no other meetings held.  We hope you have a great Holiday Season this year.  May we remember to keep Christ in Christmas and in our lives all year long!

I have never...

For those of you that missed our Ice Cream Social, we sure missed you!!  We didn't want you to feel left out, so we thought we'd would post some answers from one of our games, I have never.  You state something that you have never done/liked/eaten and so on.  Those that have done the thing you named had to get up and eat Raquel's YUMMY Apple Cinnamon Chex Mix.  Here are some of the I have nevers...

Gotten a speeding ticket
Gone to the bathroom outdoors
Gone to Prom
Dyed my hair
Worn Heals
Sky Dived
Eaten a peanut butter and jelly sandwich
Like seafood
Had a baby
Waterskiid
Had a vaginal birth
Tried Caviar
Scuba Dived
Seen the ocean
Been to Hawaii
Been to Wisconsin
Been to another Country
Run a marathon
Ran more than 1 mile without stopping from exhaustion

There were many more, but I'm having a hard time remembering them all.  We had such a fun night hearing embarrassing stories, weird facts, random thoughts, eating ice cream, and listening to inspiring music and thoughts.  Thank you to those that were able to make it.  Thank you to the men that sacrificed in the Nursery for us to bring our kids.  Thank you to a loving Heavenly Father that give us everything.  Including the wind!  What a fun night.  We hope more can come to the Christmas Dinner on December 6th.  Prepare yourselves for a night of Spiritual Power!  Remind those that don't make it to church regularly.  We'd love all to come!

Daughters In My Kingdom

Relief Society sisters have a glorious heritage. We pray that this volume will be an important resource for preserving that heritage.

~ The First Presidency

In grateful recognition of the blessing of Relief Society in the lives of Church members, the First Presidency has directed the preparation of Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society.

The teachings, stories, and examples in this history book will guide you in establishing priorities and practices in your life that will help increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and seek out and help those in need.



The history of Relief Society teaches the divine identity and infinite worth of daughters of God. It is a Spirit-filled story of strong, faithful, purposeful women who have served with little public recognition.

As you study this history you will see that our Heavenly Father knows His daughters, that He loves them, that He trusts them with sacred responsibilities, and that He guides them as they fulfill those responsibilities.

You are encouraged to share the book with others. Church members of all ages may use the book as a reference in lessons, talks, council meetings, and at home.

October Visiting Teaching Message

If We Do Not Doubt

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In the Book of Mormon we read about exemplary young men who were exceedingly valiant, courageous, and strong. “Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him” (Alma 53:21). These faithful young men paid tribute to their mothers—their examples and teachers.

The mothers of Helaman’s warriors lived in times not unlike our own. Their circumstances were difficult and dangerous, and youth were being called upon to defend physical and spiritual liberty. Today we live in a world where we “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12).

Challenging times cry out for strong parents and examples who teach the truth that Helaman’s warriors knew: “If they did not doubt, God would deliver them” (Alma 56:47). Teaching and exemplifying this truth today requires vigilance. However, we need not fear. When we know who we are and who God is and we have made covenants with Him, we—like these mothers of warriors—will have great influence for good.

Most likely, each of Helaman’s 2,060 warriors was influenced by a mother. But these mothers did not act alone. Together with other righteous men and women, these mothers must have united their faith and example to teach the power of covenants. The young people of the day understood the covenant their parents had made not to engage in warfare. And even when it seemed impossible, a loving Heavenly Father opened a way for these parents to keep their covenant—and to preserve their liberty (see Alma 56:5–9). We likewise must honor our covenants so that children and youth—our own children and those in our wards, branches, neighborhoods, and communities—will understand and support covenant keeping.

When we honor our covenants, Heavenly Father can prepare the way for us. We are to live our covenants with precision. We can, for example, be precise in praying, in studying the scriptures, in holding a current temple recommend, in dressing modestly, in honoring the Sabbath. As we do so, our children will know and be able to say, “We do not doubt our mothers knew it” (Alma 56:48).

Latter-day Saint women who recognize that their strength comes from the Lord’s Atonement do not give up during difficult and discouraging times. As covenant keepers, we excel at upholding, nurturing, and protecting children and youth so that one day we might say of this rising generation, “Never had I seen so great courage, nay, not amongst all” (Alma 56:45).

Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president.

From the Scriptures

Alma 53; 56–58

What Can I Do?

1. 1.How can I help my sisters recognize and act on the power they have to influence the rising generation?
2. 2.What inspiration will I find in the Book of Mormon to answer the challenges I face today?

Wyoming Temple Announcement

Good Morning Sisters,

We hope you had a wonderful Conference Weekend with your loved ones.  It sure was inspiring and spiritually packed.  How fun to see President Monson so fun-loving and happy.  How awesome it is to have a living Prophet on the earth today.  For US!

With the news of many other temples around the world, the exciting news that hit close to home for all of us was the announcement of a temple in Wyoming!  Star Valley is now the envy of all of us!  Sisters, President Hopkins promised that if we can get 2 Stakes, we would be considered for a temple of our own.  We are still in the 15% of LDS membership that live more than 200 miles from a temple.  Let's work hard to change that!  Make the commitment now to attend more frequently.  If you have not yet gone through the temple, make the commitment to go soon.  Ready yourselves for this most Sacred and Wonderful Covenant with our Heavenly Father.  He Loves us.  He wants us to return to him.  Let's work hard to get a temple in Casper, Wyoming.  Let's be a "Covenant Keeping People."

September Visiting Teaching Message

Strengthening Families by Increasing Spirituality09689_000_0

Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president, said: “There has grown in me an overwhelming testimony of the value of daughters of God. … I have felt that there has never been a greater need for increased faith and personal righteousness. There has never been a greater need for strong families and homes.”

Sisters can help create strong homes and families as they act on personal revelation. “The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life,” Sister Beck continued. “Qualifying for the Lord’s Spirit begins with a desire for that Spirit and implies a certain degree of worthiness. Keeping the commandments, repenting, and renewing covenants made at baptism lead to the blessing of always having the Lord’s Spirit with us. Making and keeping temple covenants also adds spiritual strength and power to a woman’s life. Many answers to difficult questions are found by reading the scriptures because the scriptures are an aid to revelation. … Daily prayer is essential to having the Lord’s Spirit with us.”¹

We also strengthen our family members spiritually as we help them understand Heavenly Father’s eternal plan. “What can we do to better prepare our children spiritually for their eternal roles?” asked Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “Perhaps the most inclusive answer is: Teach them how to live the principles of the gospel.” This teaching comes through daily prayer, scripture study, and family mealtimes as well as weekly family home evening and Church attendance. Elder Ballard explains: “We prepare each day, right now, for eternal life. If we are not preparing for eternal life, we are preparing for something less, perhaps something far less.”²

From the Scriptures

Proverbs 22:6; 1 John 3:22; Doctrine and Covenants 11:13–14; 19:38; 68:25

From Our History

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught the sisters in an April 1842 Relief Society meeting that they had a solemn obligation to seek their own salvation. He said, “After [my] instruction, you will be responsible for your own sins; it is a desirable honor that you should so walk before our heavenly Father as to save yourselves; we are all responsible to God for the manner we improve the light and wisdom given by our Lord to enable us to save ourselves.”³ He taught them to be righteous individuals, to become a holy people, and to prepare for temple ordinances and covenants.

What Can I Do?

1. 1.How can I help my sisters increase in spiritual self-reliance?
2. 2.How can I improve my own ability to recognize and respond to the Holy Spirit?

Welcome Sisters

We as a Relief Society Presidency wanted a way for everyone to have access to the goings-on of all things 5th ward.  This will be a place where you'll find announcements, activities, and other information needed to feel apart of this sacred organization within our 5th ward.  Please feel free to browse and let us know if there is anything else you'd like added to our Relief Society Blog.  You can email us at casper5thwardrs@gmail.com.  We love you, Sisters.  We pray for your well being.  Please don't hesitate to ask us for anything.  Remember, "Don't worry about what others say about you.  Worry about what they say about themselves when they are with you."