April Presidency Message

 

Dear Sisters,

Imagine my surprise when my husband and I, AND our 11-year-old daughter, Emma, were recently invited to attend the Exeter Ward YW New Beginnings. Is it possible that her primary years are already coming to a close and the YW program is just around the corner this fall? Where has the time gone? My tiny little princess is growing up and growing ever closer to the “terrific teens,” as President Monson calls them.

Emma is a very special girl. She already has a strong budding testimony and an inner drive to learn and serve and participate. She is ecstatic about joining the YW program. She cannot wait to begin Personal Progress, attend Girls Camp and go to mutual. She is a tremendous example to me and her enthusiasm could, quite possibly, light an entire city.

Another thing Emma is looking forward to is going to the temple. She has been asking me when she can go for years and years. We are planning to go the day after her 12^th birthday. She and her grandfather, Brother Bibbins, are planning to prepare some family names this summer for her to take to the temple for her first time. This will be a very special day for our family because Emma will be doing proxy work for our cousin, Carole, who passed away last year.

Last general conference, Elder David A. Bednar invited the youth to become anxiously engaged in doing their own family history and temple work for those who have passed on without the blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

At our recent General YW Meeting, Sister Dalton said to the young women, “As he [Elder Bednar] issued this invitation to you, my heart leapt inside. In the Doctrine and Covenants we read of “other choice spirits who were reserved to come forth in the fulness of times to take part in laying the foundations of the great latter-day work, including the building of … temples and the performance of ordinances therein for the redemption of the dead.” This is your day, and your work has begun! … The promised blessings of the temple extend not only to you but to all generations. As you make the temple your goal, your influence for good will transcend time and place, and the work you perform for those who have gone before will be the fulfillment of prophecy!” (Elaine Dalton, "Now is the Time to Arise and Shine!" March 2012 Young Women General Meeting)

In Sister’s Dalton’s talk, Return to Virtue, she says that, “the temple is the reason for everything we do in the church.” “We must help every young woman to be worthy to make and keep sacred covenants and receive the ordinances of the temple.” (Elaine Dalton, "A Return to Virtue" October 2008)

Sisters, may you be mindful of the temple as our goal for the young women in every lesson you teach and every activity you plan this year. Be a shining example to them by your own temple service. Tell them about it. Share your feelings and testimony of how your temple attendance benefits your life. I know that if we retain our vision of the temple we will be strengthened, uplifted and blessed. I have a testimony of temple service. I will strive to continually teach my daughters of its importance and I look forward to the day when we will all be there together. Let us all look forward to the day when our young women will arise and take their places at the altars of the temple.

LET’S SERVE TOGETHER:

Sisters, join us on Friday, April 20^th as we prepare for Stake Conference by attending our stake conference temple night together in the 7:00 or 8:00 sessions.

Love,

Sister Amy Edwards

Exeter Stake Young Women Secretary

2012 Young Women Auxiliary Training from Salt Lake

Last Thursday our presidency gathered at Sister Kelly’s home with a pot of chocolate fondue and united hearts to watch the 2012 Young Women Auxiliary Training from Salt Lake. It was tremendous!  We encourage you to gather with your presidencies to watch and then council together about specific things you will implement to strengthen your families and our Young Women. 

Be sure to check in regularly at the News & Announcement and the Church News sites for future information related to the Young Women’s organization.
Off to return back to General Conference…(Hasn’t it been wonderful thus far?)

With Love & Gratitude,
Sister Shannon Gish
Exeter Stake Young Women President

P.S. Be watching your emails for an exciting announcement about a summer multi-stake Young Women Conference August 10-11, 2012. Details will be sent soon.

Preparation for Saturday’s Broadcast

We are really looking forward to gathering with you, the girls, their mothers and Priesthood leaders this Saturday to view the annual Young Women General Broadcast live from Salt Lake. 


Where: Exeter Stake Center.
Time: Seated in the chapel before 7:30pm.
Dress: Sunday Dress 


We invite each Ward Young Women leader and the young women to spiritually prepare for this event.  Think about and pray for ways you and the girls might go about this.  One idea is to pray that a specific question will be answered. Another might be to seek revelation to know how to minister "to the one" within the scope of your responsibilities.  Since the Sunday following the broadcast is Fast Sunday, we encourage you to come to the meeting fasting which will heighten your spiritual sensitivity to have - as Elder Bednar once stated - a revelatory experience.

In addition to these things, I hope you will join me in fasting and praying for a very specific purpose:
Last Sunday in the Sanford ward, a young Deacon Quorum President named Jacob Bartolome was asked to speak about his goals for his quorum. Being the only Deacon, he has set a goal to bring at least one boy his age into the gospel which will double his quorum size. My heart burned as I listened to him and felt drawn out to join him in his desires. To that end, I invite you to join me in fasting that this young Aaronic Priesthood holder will have the faith and revelation to bring this righteous desire to fruition.

As a Stake Young Women Presidency, we would also like to add to our fast any goals that your presidencies and our young women class presidencies from around the stake may have set, so please let me know.


We love you. We pray for you, your families and the extraordinary Young Women of our stake. May you continue to be blessed for all you do as you engage in our Father's Work (Moses 1:39)

With Love & Gratitude,
Sister Shannon Gish

Graduating Laurel Activity

What a wonderful evening at the home of our Stake Relief Society President, Sister Tori Farrer. 

In addition to delicious food, an inspiring welcome message by Sister Farrer, and a goodie bag from the Exeter Stake Relief Society Presidency to our graduating Laurels, we had a fun time chatting while doing a service project.  We finished off eight fleece tied blankets which will be donated to the Seabrook Police Department to give to children when drug raids are made in their homes.

Thank you to everyone who made this evening a success.

With love & gratitude,
Sister Shannon Gish – Exeter Stake YW President

P.S. I got a sneak peak at the upcoming Exeter Stake Women’s Conference which Sister Farrer and her presidency are planning.  Be sure you have marked off Saturday May 19th from 9am-2pm.  From the teasers I saw, it is going to be amazing.

March Presidency Message

On March  4th, my son will be departing the Missionary Training Center to go to  the Honduras Tegucigalpa Mission. He is ready and eager to go like the missionaries that at one time taught my family about the gospel. Their dedication and persistence made our spirits teachable. We were baptized and we've been greatly blessed with the gospel in our lives.

The Gospel has brought us happiness and a purpose in life. We all have gone through the process of being converted to the church. Its when we know for ourselves that Jesus is the Christ and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the true church. Once we know this, we begin to have a change of heart, we are teachable and we are willing to do God’s work. We work hard in our callings and begin to love God’s children as they are.  

As leaders of our Young Women in the Stake this is what we want them to feel. We want them to know that we care and love them as they are. We want them to know that Jesus Christ is their Savior. They will be able to recognize these principles as they participate in their weekly activities and stake activities. We need to make sure that we  prepare activities that will strengthen their testimonies and help them recognize the spirit. These experiences will motivated them to seek guidance from the Spirit and to follow it.

I'm grateful for the missionaries that came to our door and pray that all our Young Women will be truly converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

~ Sister Sandra Reyes

Exeter Stake Young Women 2nd Counselor