"...For friends at first, are friends again at last."

We have some new Relief Society Board members! Julie Stephens is our new Visiting Teaching Coordinator, so be aware that your route and/or partner may be changed soon! Also we have Bunnie Kantro and Marietta Sperry officially called as teachers. I'm really looking forward to learning from their lessons. We're so thrilled to have you on board ladies! (No pun intended.)

What a lovely day shared together in a wonderfully cool building! :) Gaye shared her favorite hymn with us, pg. 292 O My Father. It's a beautiful song that reminds us that we are children of our Heavenly Father and Mother. Be warned that Debby Wood may be calling you for your favorite hymn to share, so you may want to be thinking about it.

Debbie Adams presented the lesson on Chapter 34 - The Power of Forgiving. Debbie pointed out that the entire lesson really is a blueprint on how to forgive people. Using examples from Joseph Smith's life she compiled a list of how to accomplish it:

1. Build each other up.
2. Don't listen to gossip.
3. Go to each other, one on one.
4. Reconcile / promote happiness.
5. Pray for help.
6. Copy the Savior's example.
7. Exercise mercy.
8. Be ready to forgive.
9. Forget the past and move on.
10. Repent.

I especially loved Debbie's explanation of #6, the difference between following the Savior's example and copying it. As a school teacher she'll often need the kids in her class to travel behind her to another classroom. When she asks the kids to follow her, they do... skipping or swinging their arms wide, etc. but when she asks them to copy her they become little ducks in a row, with their arms still and their eyes straight ahead. If we're following the Savior we're heading in the general direction we should, but to copy him we need to study and analyze in order to pattern our behavior after his.

Harboring ill will towards others really hurts ourselves the worst. Our spiritual, emotional, and sometimes physical health becomes affected and hampered by the negative feelings we carry around with us. There were some really wonderful examples shared, both happy ending and sad that really helped illustrate it for me. Thanks for the wonderful lesson Debbie!

Linger Longer was a hit as usual. Thank you to all those that brought wonderful things for us to eat. Some highlights were Dawn McLaughlin's homemade Pico de Gallo and Linda Scharf's Oatmeal Peanut Butter cookies, but I enjoyed someone's delicious brownies and I saw quite a few people digging into the Westenskow's gooey caramel popcorn. I'll post Linda's recipe as soon as I can get my greedy hands on it. :)

Leave a comment and share what your favorite part of the lesson was, or what Linger Longer treat you enjoyed the most!