Good morning, our brothers and sisters and friends.
We are grateful for an invitation to express our love for you and for our Father in Heaven. We are grateful to worship with you, our friends. We are grateful to honor the name of the Savior by participating in a holy ordinance to recognize His sacrifice. He loves our souls. He lived, suffered, and died to free us from our sin, pain, and suffering.
May I begin please, by inviting the Holy Spirit to bring to our hearts what is ours to learn today?
My husband has taught us about fasting, which is sacrifice, and which brings power. Fasting comes from FAITH.
If Elder Starkey talks about fasting, what if I talk about breakfast?
Elder Starkey’s Peterson grandparents began a celebrated tradition of a hosting a family breakfast of whole wheat sour dough waffles. The leavening is stored and shared from one family to another. Heavenly Father had asked his missionaries and each one of us to be like leavening. When we come together, we feel his Spirit. Good things from that leavening stay with us after we separate from one another. We feel energy from uniting our hearts together, uniting them with powers of heaven. We show Heavenly Father an interest in His work, in taking part of His kingdom upon earth, in setting ourselves apart, or purifying our lives, becoming sanctified, worthy, prepared to receive what is needed to return and receive what he has prepared. And willing to work together for Him to return and receive US.
Doctrine and Covenants 45(:8,9) teaches that …as many as received me gave I power to do many miracles, and to become the sons of God; and even unto them that believed on my name gave I power to obtain eternal life. 9 And even so I have sent mine everlasting covenant into the world, to be a light to the world, and to be a standard for my people, and for the Gentiles to seek to it, and to be a messenger before my face to prepare the way before me.
It is the covenant that goes before Him.
We are learning to walk with God, to walk together (and be agreed.)
At the missionary training center we learned to walk hand in hand whenever possible–Mornings, evenings and sometimes middle of the day, we have been stopped more than once by neighbors [one with a big truck in the middle of the street] —to tell us that they appreciate being reminded of the power of walking together, being agreed.
What other things lift or quicken us, like waffle leavening?
We will carry with us images of the sun setting upon palm trees
Moonlit dance in our back yard
Learning to put one another first, care for, cherish, learn to be a team, dream dreams, see visions, redouble our bdiligence, our perseverance, our patience, and our works to reach for things we have not done before, some things we have—that nevertheless require faith.
We are learning that as we speedily repent and work to choose correctly, a promise from a living apostle is that it will be as if we never left home!
And the eternal life we are finding– is about coming nearer to God and Jesus Christ, whom He hath sent.
And in the process, coming to knowing some of his cherished children
Remembering JST, Mark 14:20–26. Compare Mark 14:22–25
21 Behold, this is for you to do in remembrance of my body; for as oft as ye do this ye will remember this hour that I was with you.
Covenanting with you in chapels, temples, baptismal fonts– fasting with you, praying with you, visiting with you, playing with you.
THIS IS THE SOUR DOUGH LEAVENING WE WILL CARRY WITH US and hope to leave just a little behind!
- The leavening of GOSPEL STUDY…WAKING EACH DAY TO learn what Heavenly Father will teach us by study and faith today (Alma 37:37) as we remember the Lord, being confident that He will remember us!
- THE LEAVENING OF MEETING TOGETHER: COME AND SEE
When we arrived in April, there were meetings in which we had scarcely over 15.
Last week I counted 65.
This is the Lord’s work. He is hastening it in His time. We are invited to observe. Watch ourselves. Follow. Help.
NEW friends arrive: Bustamante, Taracena, Stucki
RETURN: Peñaloza, Ibarra, Contreras (Antonio, Ruben, Irene), Manuela, Elidia, Sofia
Just like the prodigal son who Came to himself in Luke 15: 20 that as our friends (or sometimes ourselves) have been… yet a great way off, [our friends in Crows Landing branch], had acompassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
We celebrate interesting and inviting activities including cub scouts, activity day, and branch and combined activities with our neighboring ward and Turlock stake, Mutual, and a high adventure outing that involved so many of our YOUNG MEN, and new friends.
- THE LEAVENING OF MINISTERING: Come and Serve
BE WITH, strengthen, to visit the sick and the fatherless (James)
When cleaning the chapel grows from just a few, to over a dozen the work is done more quickly, and it becomes great fun!
Jesus asks for us to Pray for more laborers and promises He will labor with us.
BRANCH sent missionaries x 3
Azucena
Moroni
Trinalyn
Bettilyn
There will be more
We have prayed with and heard you pray for each other:
The Lord says in Doctrine and Covenants Section 112:
11 I know thy heart, and have heard thy prayers concerning thy brethren.
Prayers for unity, for our children,
Peace
Protection, Divine, guidance
See also Deliver; God to Fight Our Battles
Exodus 14
14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
COURAGE TO ACCEPT HIS WILL
TO UNDERSTAND AND FOLLOW
PATIENCE TO AWAIT AND HOPE FOR
MIRACLES IN PROCESS WE ARE STILL WAITING TO WITNESS
Friends who do not meet with us have participated in prayer and fasting
Members and family helped in immigration? New homes
Other promises of fasting found in Isaiah 58: health spring forth speedily:
Friends improving in health, receiving new work
Operations on hands, feet, appendages, hearing,
Family members spared, and not spared, loving arms to comfort
Tests passed, education furthered
Friends driving, walking, working again
Effectual doors opened, D&C 100:3 (112:19; 118:3).
(ie.) Martha Servin, cake
8 year old
24 year old YSA Chavez, Ortiz
Isaiah 58: repairer of the breach restorer of paths to walk in.
9) the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.
We have seen blessings in our families
Section 31: YOUR FAMILY SHALL LIVE
Thrust in your sickle
—grateful to see the hand of the Lord over each of our children, even those that are not currently aware.
Abraham 2:8
8 My aname is Jehovah, and I bknow the end from the beginning; therefore my hand shall be over thee.
16 Therefore, aeternity was our covering and our brock and our salvation,
We see each of our children, grandchildren in a good (some in a much better) place.
IN MY NUCLEAR FAMILY:
Sister: new house, new job
Brother: daughter graduated from Harvard law school, other children progressing
Brother: daughter rejoiced and wept through her mission to Romania subsequent battle with difficulties, married in the temple yesterday
Brother: watched over our mother—trip to Hawaii, 12 year old son on a wave, preparing to finish requirements for his Eagle scout. Helped our daughter
So close
Bound to thee, by loving ties.
Leah
Amber
Graciela
Bound to thee by loving ties
Maria Starkey: steady, pleasant, compensating employment, friends
Walls fall down, our walls continually before Him
Grandson play piano
Fly on own, little children, little bird, children
MIRACLE: daughter
Miracles, potential for more prayers:
Children, desire to connect more fully
Kristen helping, Dominican Republic changed
4 THE LEAVENING OF WORK OF SALVATION:
Seen friends enter waters of baptism,
Value membership
Testimony/covenants/ordinances
Help Prepare names for Temple
BETTER STILL, experience ordinances, Temple names:
5.THE LEAVENING OF GOOD CHEER
MUSIC
Sherrilynn, Eric, Mahonri, Kellie,
Laurene
Increase in beauty and holiness
Tegucigalpa (replace yourselves) I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you
When the Savior left his beloved friends, his words were, “ I will be with you always, even unto the end of the world.” When you see Eric or Mahonri playing, when we remember the time that were together, what if we try to remember His miracles are supreme? They are available. We are counting upon our friends to carry the leavening. To continue to qualify for it each day, each week.
- I testify that we have a Heavenly Father.
1 [men and women who turn their lives over to God will find out that he can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace. Whoever will lose his life to God will find he has eternal life.]
- I TESTIFY OF A SAVIOR, petitioning for me, things that cannot be uttered, righteous desires of heart Just like the woman at the well, John 4:13–14 we can learn and experience, as we choose well
We can have within us (PERMANENT CONTINUAL LEAVENING!) a well of living water, springing up unto everlasting life. Doctrine and Covenants 63:23
3.GOSPEL IS TRUE, still being restored, working to not sleep through RESTORATION as we prepare for the BRIDEGROOM
4.LIVING PROPHET, receives revelation, leads and guides His Church
5.BOOK OF MORMON a continual delightful feast!
Omni 1: 26 And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
aprenderelevangelio 