BISHOP JORDAN MERRILL
Our greeters this afternoon were Kelly and Doris Mountford.
Bishop Jordan Merrill conducted.
Announcements: next week we will be back in the chapel and our sacrament meeting will start at 1 o'clock
Scout Camp Year in review: September 14th, 6:30 at the Southgate building on top of the hill
An Eagle Scout court of honor will be held on Sunday, September 18 in our Manzanita building at 6:30.
Relief society activity this Thursday, September 15 at 7 o'clock the Manzanita building.
Bloomington community picnic will be held Tuesday, September 27 at the Bloomington park at 5:30.
The temple will be closed for the next two weeks - Sept 19 through Sept 30. Temple will re-open Oct 3 (closed Oct 1 & 2nd for General Conference).
Our Book of Mormon reading for next week will be Helaman chapters 13 through 16.
FAST SUNDAY FOR OCTOBER WILL BE OCTOBER 9TH!
Our youth speaker was Brimley Johnson
her topic was charity the pure love of Christ. For one thing charity is loving those who let us down. She quoted Corinthians 13:1-13.
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become
as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
The next speaker was Becky McDonald
who has just recently moved into our ward family with her husband Morris. She started off by telling us that one of her daughters suggested that when on a date and you run out of things to say ask your date what his favorite scar is since we all have scars. Her next topic was about impressions and she told us how she met Morris online; how he drove out from Indiana. How certain she was that he would not want, upon first seeing her, to meet her. How when he walked in the door she left the door open so he could leave after seeing her and talking to her a moment if he so chose, and then he closed The door and put his arms around her and how safe she felt. It was all very sweet, touching and beautiful. They have been married for two years now!
She referred to Elder Garret Gong's conference address entitled "Always Remember Him."
First, we can always remember Him by having confidence in His covenants, promises, and assurances. Second, we can always remember Him by gratefully acknowledging His hand throughout our lives. Third, we can always remember Him by trusting when the Lord assures us, “He who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.”11 Fourth, He invites us to remember that He is always welcoming us home. Fifth, we can always remember Him on the Sabbath through the sacrament. At the end of His mortal ministry and the beginning of His resurrected ministry—both times—our Savior took bread and wine and asked that we remember His body and blood,20 “for as oft as ye do this ye will remember this hour that I was with you.”21 Finally, sixth, our Savior invites us to always remember Him as He always remembers us.
Morris McDonald
spoke to us and told us that he is a computer gypsy and that the focus of this meeting is to partake of the sacrament and he quoted first Corinthians chapter 11 verse 28; "But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup." He told us how he drove through Carthage Illinois and saw the statue of Joseph and Hyrum; how he wished that he had an older brother then a voice came to him and told him "you do have an older brother and I am always here for you.
He then referred to the poem "Invictus" by William Henley
Invictus Poem
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
by William Ernest Henle
then quoted the poem by Orson Whitney called "The Soul's Captain."
The Soul’s Captain
by Orson F. Whitney
Art thou in truth the master of thy fate?
The captain of thy soul?
Then what of him
who bought thee with his blood?
Who plunged into devouring seas
and snatched thee from the raging flood?
Who bore for all our fallen race
what none but him could bear--
the God who died that man might live,
and endless glory share?
Of what avail thy vaunted strength,
Apart from his vast might?
Pray that his Light
may pierce the gloom,
that thou might see aright.
Men are as bubbles on the wave,
as leaves upon the tree,
O’ captain of thy soul, explain!
Who gave that place to thee?
Free will is thine--free agency,
To wield for right or wrong;
But thou must answer unto him
To whom all souls belong.
Bend to the dust thy head “unbowed,”
small part of Life’s great whole!
And see in him, and him alone,
The Captain of thy soul.
We are thrilled to have this amazing new couple in our ward family!
Benediction Cary Mac Arthur
Other announcements: there will be an open house for Donna Farnsworth's 90th birthday on Thursday, September 15 from seven to 9 o'clock in Washington. 4260 Bayhill Dr (Coral Hills)
Elders Quorum Activity at Sand Hollow: boating, atv, eating, fishing and camping - September 23rd & 24th
daughter of Christine. They have been in this ward family for about two years and Kassie has an older brother in the Navy and an older sister attending BYU-Hawaii. Her topic was "preparing for general conference". She told a story of an 8 year-old girl watching her mother make notes during a meeting and wanted to know what her mother was doing. Her mother told her about making notes during general conference and The little girl proceeded to do just that. Kassie challenged us to pay attention to the conference talks next weekend as if Heavenly Father were up there speaking to us. 
and her topic was "standing with the leadership of the church. "She is a convert of 50 years and loves the missionary program. She read Moroni 10:4-5 before she read the Book of Mormon and knew the book was true before she even read it. She's always been blessed with good home and visiting teachers and she knows the church leadership callings are made by Heavenly Father. Her first calling in the church was as Homemaking Leader in Relief Society. She told us that Floyd Weston, who wrote "17 points From the Bible found in the True church" was in her stake presidency. (I couldn't write fast enough to get them all down. But Floyd Weston and three of his friends were converted when they found the church.)
was our concluding speaker. His topic was "the plan of salvation". He referred to Elder Robert D Hales remarks from the October 2015 issue of the Ensign, page 25, about how he pondered the hopelessness of God's children wandering around in this mortal life , Not knowing the plan salvation or that eternal life is the greatest gift to be given to us or that Christ was sent to give his life for us.
