Church Services This Week at Elkhart 2nd Ward South Bend Stake Elkhart Indiana 11 Aug 2019

Sacrament Service 

First speaker

"Your success and happiness, both now and in the eternities, depend largely on your responses to the difficulties of life."(“True to the Faith A Gospel Reference”)

Mosiah 18

8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life

Matthew 26:36

36 ¶ Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

Luke 22

42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

84:88

88 And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.

Matthew 11

28 ¶ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

“Please remember this one thing. If our lives and our faith are centered upon Jesus Christ and his restored gospel, nothing can ever go permanently wrong. On the other hand, if our lives are not centered on the Savior and his teachings, no other success can ever be permanently right” (Howard W Hunter, “‘Fear Not, Little Flock,’” 1988–89 Devotional and Fireside Speeches, Provo: Brigham Young University Press, 1989, p. 112).

DnC 127

2 And as for the perils which I am called to pass through, they seem but a small thing to me, as the envy and wrath of man have been my common lot all the days of my life; and for what cause it seems mysterious, unless I was ordained from before the foundation of the world for some good end, or bad, as you may choose to call it. Judge ye for yourselves. God knoweth all these things, whether it be good or bad. But nevertheless, deep water is what I am wont to swim in. It all has become a second nature to me; and I feel, like Paul, to glory in tribulation; for to this day has the God of my fathers delivered me out of them all, and will deliver me from henceforth; for behold, and lo, I shall triumph over all my enemies, for the Lord God hath spoken it.

Next Speaker

2 Corinthians 5:18 - the ministry of reconciliation

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

To reconcile with others we need to find common ground. 

Elders Quorum

The lesson was based on Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s April 2019 General Conference talk, “Missionary Work: Sharing What Is in Your Heart”.

“Members of the Church of Jesus Christ—both in past times as well as in ours—have enthusiastically and joyfully shared the gospel with friends and acquaintances. Their hearts are aflame with the testimony of Jesus Christ, and they sincerely want others to experience the same joy they have found in the Savior’s gospel.”

"The first great commandment is to love God. It is a primary reason why we are on this earth." 

“I am not asking that you stand on a street corner with a megaphone and shout out Book of Mormon verses. What I am asking is that you always look for opportunities to bring up your faith in natural and normal ways with people—both in person as well as online. I am asking that you ‘stand as witnesses’ of the power of the gospel at all times—and when necessary, use words.”

Church Services This Week at Elkhart 2nd Ward South Bend Stake Elkhart Indiana 4 Aug 2019

Sacrament Service

Testimonies

Jesus was not only the Savior, but he was also a missionary. 

Sunday School

Paul was a pharisee.

Luke was likely a missionary companion of Paul based on the word we bring used in Acts when telling Paul's story and since Luke is the author of Acts. 

Paul saved the jailer's life by not running when the prison fell. He was ready to kill himself and if not his bosses would've killed him if the prisoners escaped. 

God doesn't need buildings or a church organization, but we do. 

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 21 July 2019

Sacrament Service

Bulletin

"Forging onward, ever onward, Blessed honored pioneer!" - Hymn 35

First Speaker

A sister that returned last year from the Washington Everett Mission spoke to us.

““The greatest decision I ever made in my life was to give up something I dearly loved to the God I loved even more.” (“Benjamin: Son of the Right Hand,” New Era, May 1974, 34–37.)

Romans 12:1-2

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Isaiah 49

16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

Next Speaker

"A religion that doesn’t require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation." (Joseph Smith, "Lectures on Faith" Kirtland, Ohio, December 1834.)

What if the Lord asked you to...

• Visit a neighbor?

• Pay tithing?

• Sell your house and move?

How long has it been since you have made a righteous sacrifice?

Dedication and consecration.

3 Nephi 9:20

20 And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.

Sunday School

Acts 10:9-21, 25-28, 34-35, 44-48

Matthew 28:19

19 ¶ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Acts 11:1-3

1 And the apostles and brethren that were in Judæa heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.

2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him,

3 Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.

2 Nephi 28:30

30 For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.

Elder David A. Bednar made the following observations about the Lord's pattern of revelation: "Many Of us typically assume we will receive an answer or a prompting to our earnest prayers and pleadings. And we also frequently expect that such an answer or a prompting will come immediately and all at once. Thus, we tend to believe the Lord will give us A BIG ANSWER QUICKLY AND ALL AT ONE TIME. However, the pattern repeatedly described in the scriptures suggests we receive 'line upon line, precept upon precept,' or in other words, many small answers over a period of time. Recognizing and understanding this pattern is an important key to obtaining inspiration and help from the Holy Ghost" ("Line upon Line, Precept upon Precept," New Era, Sept. 2010, 3—4).

Elder Dallin H. Oaks gave this counsel: "We should study things out in our minds, using the reasoning powers our Creator has placed within us. Then we should pray for guidance and act upon it if we receive it. If we do not receive guidance, we should act upon our best judgment" ("Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall," Ensign, Oct. 1994, 13—14).

Matthew 10:5-6

5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:

6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

2 Nephi 26:33

33 For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.

Acts 10:26

26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.

Right after Peter received the revelation to teach the gentiles, Cornelius arrived wanting to be taught. Cornelius was a Roman, which is gentle. 

Everything we learn in life is line upon line, religious or secular. 

What is doctrine and what is policy? Your engine will break if you don't change your oil. That is equivalent of a doctrine. Change your oil every 3000-5000 miles is a policy. 

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 14 July 2019

Sacrament Service 

Bulletin

"We need to know that the Lord rarely speaks loudly. His messages almost always come in a whisper."  - Dallin H Oaks

First Speaker

Mosiah 18:8-10

8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

Next Speaker

Someone who recently returned from a mission to Madrid, Spain spoke to us.

Mosiah 2:17

17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

Luke 10:30-37

30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Alma 13:27-29

27 And now, my brethren, I wish from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not procrastinate the day of your repentance;

28 But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering;

29 Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest.

Alma 7

13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

Next Speaker

Matthew 25

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Elders Quorum 

David P Homer, April 2019 conference talk

The teacher shared an address from Paul Harvey from 1965 about what he thought was coming and he was right. 

“The worst fear that I have about [members of this Church] is that they will get rich in this country, forget God and his people, wax fat, and kick themselves out of the Church and go to hell. This people will stand mobbing, robbing, poverty, and all manner of persecution, and be true. But my greater fear for them is that they cannot stand wealth; and yet they have to be tried with riches” (quoted in Preston Nibley, Brigham Young: The Man and His Work [1936], 128).

One class member recommended the book by Hugh Nibley, “Approaching Zion”. 

We need to work to understand more the spiritual promptings the Lord is sending to us. 

Practice when you have good thoughts.  Act on them immediately and observe the result.

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 7 July 2019

Sacrament Service 

Bulletin

Ether 9:20

20 And thus the Lord did pour out his blessings upon this land, which was choice above all other lands; and he commanded that whoso should possess the land should possess it unto the Lord, or they should be destroyed when they were ripened in iniquity; for upon such, saith the Lord: I will pour out the fulness of my wrath.

Testimonies

Isaiah 55

8 ¶ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Knowledge of something can seem meaningless as we go through our week.

A brother talked about the Church history library.  He said they will take your private histories, if you want, and remove sacred or embarrassing information and then publish them online for you.

Sunday School 

Pilot did not want to upset the taxpayers and have that word get back to Rome. If he caused a riot, he could get in trouble. 

Politicians today also refuse to take responsibility to do the right thing because of not wanting to be unpopular and lose votes. 

Matthew 27:46

46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

We do not earn salvation, but we qualify for it by applying Christ's atonement and becoming who he would have us become.

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 30 June 2019

Sacrament Service

Bulletin

Ether 2:12

12 Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written.

First Speaker

A young woman spoke about her experience at her first girls camp that she went to last week.

Alma 5:46

46 Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me.

“In reality, you can never love the Lord until you serve him by serving his people.” (Elder Thomas S. Monson, “Faces and Attitudes”, September 1977 New Era)

Next Speaker

Luke 6:20-22

20 ¶ And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.

3 Nephi 12:9

9 And blessed are all the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.

We can be peacemakers by not being easily offended or seeking revenge.

Matthew 26

31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

32 But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

John 21

15 ¶ So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

The speaker said that he served in the Missouri Independence Mission as a young man.

Fifth Sunday Meeting

Ministering

“There are lives to brighten. There are hearts to touch. There are souls to save. Ours is the sacred privilege to brighten, to touch, and to save those precious souls entrusted to our care. We should do so faithfully and with hearts filled with gladness.” (Thomas S. Monson, “True Shepherds,” 68.)

How do we become a shepherd? 

You need sheep. You need to pay attention to see if the sheep are getting in trouble and to encourage them to avoid trouble. 

How do we become a minister? Love the Savior. Be genuine. 

“As disciples of Jesus Christ, we ought to do all we can to redeem others from suffering and burdens. Even so, our greatest redemptive service will be to lead them to Christ. Without His Redemption from death and from sin, we have only a gospel of social justice. That may provide some help and reconciliation in the present, but it has no power to draw down from heaven perfect justice and infinite mercy. Ultimate redemption is in Jesus Christ and in Him alone.” (Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “Redemption”, April 2013 General Conference)

 

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 23 June 2019

Sacrament Service 

Bulletin

"I would invite all members of the Church to live with every more attention to the life and example of the Lord Jesus Christ, especially the love, hope and compassion He displayed. I pray that we might treat each other with more kindness, more courtesy, more humility and patience and forgiveness." - President Howard W Hunter

First Speaker

“Service is an important characteristic of disciples of Jesus Christ” - For the Strength of Youth

Next Speaker

A young person that recently returned from a mission to Florida spoke to us.

1 Nephi 11

21 And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?

Moroni 10:32

32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

Hymn - Because I Have Been Given Much

“Inspiration will help us minister to others for the Lord. You have seen that in your experience, as I have. My bishop once said to me—at a time when my wife was under great strain in her own life—“Every time I hear of someone in the ward who needs help, when I get there to help, I find that your wife was there ahead of me. How does she do that?’

She is like all who are great ministers in the Lord’s kingdom. It seems there are two things they do. Great ministers have qualified for the Holy Ghost as a nearly constant companion. And they have qualified for the gift of charity, which is the pure love of Christ. Those gifts have grown in them as they have used them in serving out of love for the Lord.” (President Henry B. Eyring, “His Spirit to Be with You”, April 2018 General Conference)

1 Ne 8:12

12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.

Elders Quorum 

Lesson was based on “Answers to Prayer”, Brook P Hales, April 2019 General Conference

Matt 7:7-8

7 ¶ Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

DnC 88:64

64 Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you;

How do we align our will to God's? 

Work to get to the point where you will always ask for what is God's will. 

Isaiah 55

8 ¶ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

 

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 16 June 2019

Sacrament Service 

Bulletin

"I would encourage you to be available to your children. I have heard it said that no man, as death approaches, had ever declared that he wished he had spent more time at the office." -  President Thomas S Monson

First Speaker

Work = To do what is needed to accomplish something.

DnC 104

15 And it is my purpose to provide for my saints, for all things are mine.

16 But it must needs be done in mine own way; and behold this is the way that I, the Lord, have decreed to provide for my saints, that the poor shall be exalted, in that the rich are made low.

17 For the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare; yea, I prepared all things, and have given unto the children of men to be agents unto themselves.

18 Therefore, if any man shall take of the abundance which I have made, and impart not his portion, according to the law of my gospel, unto the poor and the needy, he shall, with the wicked, lift up his eyes in hell, being in torment.

“To be truly self-reliant, you must learn how to work with others and turn to the Lord for His help and strength.” (For the Strength of Youth pamphlet)

Next Speaker

“We believe that far from being superfluous, fathers are unique and irreplaceable.” 

...

“Some see the good of fatherhood in social terms, as something that obligates men to their offspring, impelling them to be good citizens and to think about the needs of others, supplementing ‘maternal investment in children with paternal investment in children. … In short, the key for men is to be fathers. The key for children is to have fathers. The key for society is to create fathers.’ (Blankenhorn, Fatherless America, 25, 26.) While these considerations are certainly true and important, we know that fatherhood is much more than a social construct or the product of evolution. The role of father is of divine origin, beginning with a Father in Heaven and, in this mortal sphere, with Father Adam.” (Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “Fathers”, April 2016 General Conference)

Genesis 17:17

17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?

Next Speaker

All that we do in the Church is ministry (missionary work, temple work, teaching, serving, and so forth are all ministering.

Those you minister to need to feel loved.

“Fill your heart with love for others. This is the second great commandment. Try to truly see everyone around you as a child of God. Minister to them—regardless of whether their names appear on your ministering sister or brother list.

“Laugh with them. Rejoice with them. Weep with them. Respect them. Heal, lift, and strengthen them.” (Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Missionary Work: Sharing What Is in Your Heart”, April 2019 General Conference)

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 9 June 2019

Sacrament Service 

Bulletin

"We must remember that those mortals we meet in parking lots, offices, elevators, and elsewhere are often that portion of mankind God has given us to live and to serve." - President Spencer W Kimball

Elders Quorum

President Oaks’ April 2019 Priesthood Session talk, “Where Will This Lead”

"The restored gospel of Jesus Christ encourages us to think about the future. It explains the purpose of mortal life and the reality of the life to follow. It teaches great ideas about the future to guide our actions today."

With regard to our health or our finances or our spirituality, why do we not change our behavior that leads to a negative outcome or even to correct negative results that are happening right now because of that behavior. 

Many of the great leaders or people that accomplished great things had really hard things happen to them before becoming the leader or accomplishing the thing. 

Church Services This Week at Elkhart 2nd Ward South Bend Stake Elkhart Indiana 2 June 2019

Sacrament Service 

Testimonies

Be sure that it is clear to those around you that you and your family believe in Christ. 

Sunday School

Create a holy place in your home where people feel good to be.