Waverley Welfare 2007

(oh Christmas tree tune)

Oh Waverley ward, oh Waverley ward,

How is your wel-fare going?

Are you prepared against the day?

An emergency should come your way

Is your family trained in what to do?

Do you think your packs will get you through?

Now what about your storage plans?

Are they well behind or well in hand?

Oh Waverley ward Oh Waverley ward

How is your wel-fare going?

Can you get by for a week or two?

Do you know what foods will sustain you?

Have you got some water to drink and use?

Do you know how to fix a fuse?

If the power goes out, have you got a light?

Is it hidden away or in plain sight?

Oh Waverley ward Oh Waverley ward

How is your wel-fare going?

Hmmm, maybe a little dodgy in the middle there… but… well you get the idea anyway.

Seriously though the end of the year is upon us again, making it the perfect time to once again look at how well we have embraced the Welfare Program. What areas are we in need of fixing up and what areas can we give ourselves a kindly pat on the back?

In our own backyards (not literally) we have seen some pretty wild weather this year in the form of floods, drought, fire, hail storms, severe winds and all manner of other natural disasters here and around the world. We should not be complacent about our welfare needs. Neither should we panic and go to extremes. Setting ourselves a small achievable to do list will help us accomplish our welfare goals and maintain them without the need for panic or fear.

We also need to look at our plans for the year ahead, what do we individually, and we as families and then we as a ward need to do to be all the Lord would have us be and be prepared in all things?

Last year I made a New Year Resolutions check list, here it is again.

Without the history lesson though.

I would urge you to use it individually and as a family. Expand on it to suit your needs and challenge yourself to grow.

Consider also what talents and skills you have that may be useful for our dear Bishop Moore to know so that they could be used to further the wellbeing of the ward as a self sustaining family.

Until next week remember it is good to be a list making, goal setting, welfare strengthening, talent sharing, service giving, gospel living, uplifting, always improving, ever loving Latter Day Saint.

Yours in preparedness

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My very first edition of the Waverley Welfare began with me asking rhetorically why it was that most people seem to roll their eyes or tune out when the word Welfare is mentioned. Maybe it is because we have heard it all before, the same scriptures get trotted out and quoted ad nauseam. Now I know I too have been guilty of this at various times, and if I have made you roll your eyes and caused your mind to wander. I apologise.

But the fact still remains the same. We are not prepared. If we were prepared we would not be counselled on this issue year in year out. I am sure there are pockets of perfectly prepared people among us… but for those of us who are still struggling under the weight of ‘why should I’ or ‘she’ll be right’ attitudes or even ‘oh it is too hard I don’t know where to start’. Here are some facts to consider.

• We don’t just keep welfare in the advent of loosing our jobs and income.
• We don’t just keep welfare to be there for when unexpected things happen or people drop by for the night without a toothbrush.
• We follow the principles of Welfare because our Lord and Savoir Jesus Christ has told us too in His scriptures and through His Prophets and leaders.
• We do it because we want to be obedient.
• We do it against the great and terrible day when Jesus Christ returns to this earth to rule.
• We do it because we have been instructed on the signs of the second coming of Christ and we know it is for this day we must prepare.

I believe in Jesus Christ and I believe His words are true. He has said that if we are prepared we shall not fear. (see D&C 38:30) We shall not fear the wars and rumours of wars, earthquakes, famines, persecutions, the false prophets and false Christ, the stars falling from the sky, the moon bathed in blood.(Mark 13:8 and D&C 88:87) We shall not fear because we heeded the words of our Savoir and our Prophets and we did all that they asked us to do, no if’s, no but’s, no excuses.

In the time since I joined the Church I have heard some amazing comments on Welfare. Some have stunned me to silence.

They include such nuggets as:

· ‘ I’m old, I’ll be dead by then’

· ‘oh if I have nothing prepared the Church will provide for me’

· ‘ I can’t do it because of…’ any number of excuses from no money, no space, spouse won’t let me, don’t like powdered milk etc.

Mark 13:32 is very clear on a few things. ‘But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.’ So who is to say if you are too old and will be dead when no one knows the day or the time? Wouldn’t it be better to be prepared just in case?

Likewise Moses in Chapter 4:25 ‘By the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, until thou shalt return unto the ground—for thou shalt surely die—for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou wast, and unto dust shalt thou return.’

D&C 75:28-29 states ‘And again, verily I say unto you, that every man who is obliged to provide for his own family, let him provide, and he shall in nowise lose his crown; and let him labor in the church.

Let every man be diligent in all things. And the idler shall not have place in the church, except he repent and mend his ways.’

The Church should not be expected to help us unless we have done all in our power to help ourselves first. Once before I covered the idea of making the decision to get your welfare in order and the means, space or whatever you stand in need of will be provided.

Now I am not perfect, I wish I was one of the perfectly prepared, but I am not. I am however striving to become one of the perfectly prepared, so I can not point the finger and call anyone else out for not being prepared either.

I can however in my capacity of Ward Welfare specialist offer help in getting prepared whether it is food storage, social and emotional health, education or any of the other aspect of the Welfare program. If I can be of assistance call on me. Don’t let me waffle on week after week and not touch on something you want to know or understand better.

But back to the point of my topic today.

We none of us know when we may be in need of aid, we can, however, do all that we can do to be prepared and to help each other to become prepared. We can seek out knowledge from books, from each other, from the scriptures. We have one amazing source at our disposal and all we have to do is get on our knees and ask. Jesus Christ will answer our earnest prayers. He will provide a way if we provide the faith to get it started.

One of my early editions also mentioned my absolute abhorrence of powdered milk. I believe my words were ‘… for many of us that dreaded white powder could have even the toughest saint quaking at the mere mention of it. For me growing up with milk powder I came to hate it, nasty watery stuff, swore I would never have it in my house when I grew up. Well here I am a wife and mother and have several kilos of it in the cupboard. Sigh.’

I would be the worst sort of hypocrite if I did not live by what I profess to uphold, so I challenged myself and in doing so my family, to try it for two weeks and see what we thought of it. After the first few days I found I didn’t mind the taste after all, the kids proclaimed it to be delicious. So we decided for the benefit of being true to ourselves and our God we would begin truly living what we stored and we would make the switch to milk powder. I am glad we did, switching to milk powder may not be a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but I felt the spirit touch me and confirm to me that I was doing o.k. in trying to actively live what we are taught and what I proclaim long and loud each week. I felt the spirit as we discussed as a family how we could better live in accordance with the words of our prophet. I know each member of my family also felt the spirit testify to them of the rightness of what we were doing.

In summing up I would like to exhort each and every one of us to exercise our faith and commit to living the principals of the Welfare program as best that we can. One of the previous Mission Presidents was often heard to say. ‘Good, better, best, never let it rest, until your good is better and your better best.’

I believe we have it in us to be all that the Lord would have us be and I believe that we need only exercise faith in the Lord to live as He would have us live, and look to each other for support when needed for us to truly be His elect people, prepared in all things.

Until next week remember it is good to be a commitment making, faith placing, prepared against the day, labouring for our own good Latter Day Saint.

Yours in preparedness

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While preparing this weeks Welfare spot one of my favourite songs came on. It got me to thinking about the choices we make. The song is “Heroes and Friends’ by Randy Travis.

The line that impressed me most is ‘ your heroes will help you find good in yourself, your friends won’t desert you for somebody else, they’ll both stick beside you through thick and through thin, that’s how it is between heroes and friends.’

Strange that a song about heroes and friends could relate to Welfare, you may think. Not really.

Who are our heroes of welfare? Noah, Moses, Joseph, the early Church pioneers, Jesus Christ. And who are our friends? Noah, Moses, Joseph, the early Church pioneers, Jesus Christ in fact all those of whom we read about in the scriptures and all those of whom have trod this path before us and with us.

Noah was faithful, he followed the Lord’s counsel and built an Ark. He filled it with seeds of every kind, with food for his family and for every animal that was to be found on the face of the earth. He did not set up an umbrella stand or say 200 furlongs should do it and we’ll make it more like a yacht. He showed obedience, faith and diligence. Good virtues to be had in a hero.

Moses, parting the Red Sea, endured to the end, holding up his arms to keep the sea parted so that the Israelites could pass through on dry land. He showed faith, obedience and endurance to the end. Also good virtues to be had in a hero.

Joseph, suffered all manner of cruelty from those he loved, those he served and finally rose above it all to become the right hand man of Pharaoh. He showed patience, long suffering, obedience, faith, he listened to the counsel of the Lord and he did not falter in his duty. He had the opportunity to become bitter and vengeful but did not.

A worthy hero.

The early Pioneers, suffered all manner of hardship, personal loss and tragedy, yet they followed Joseph Smith because they knew he was a prophet of God, they knew and they followed him, though it cost many of them their lives, their families, their health, their worldly possessions. Once they reached each of their settlements, what did they do? They set about growing crops of every kind, sometimes knowing they would not see the fruits of their labours, but knowing those who followed would. They showed faith, endurance, humility, strength, courage all manner of heroism.

Jesus Christ. Born in a manger of lowly parents, as soon as he was able too he was about His Fathers business, doing what he was sent to do. He chose every moment of every day to be obedient and faithful, he taught by example and by every word that He spoke. He never failed to be loving, full of grace and mercy, he rebuked where needed but did not hold a grudge, he was obedient in the face of great sorrow and torment. And when all was said and done he returned to His Father, our Father, humbly, meekly, asking for the forgiveness of those who betrayed, tortured, humiliated and ultimately sent him to His mortal death. Hero is too shallow a word for Him.

All of these men women and children are also our friends. They stand beside us, encouraging us to be all that we can be, to do all that we are asked to do as they did all that they were asked to do. They are our role models, our inspiration, and our friends who understand what we have been asked to do. They understand because they have done it, it was not too difficult for them and it should not be too difficult for us.

What have we been asked to do? To be as self reliant as we can, to set aside a reserve of food, money and goods to sustain us in times of need. We have been asked to give service, to share our talents and to accept service in return when in need. To be wise stewards, increasing our employment and educational standards, take care of our bodies, our minds, our spirits so that we can be faithful, enduring all things to the end. Raise our children in righteousness; study the scriptures diligently that we may be prepared for all things. Strengthen and uplift each other, fortify our hearts against ungodliness. We need to be each others Heroes and Friends.

We need to prepare every needful thing, make a list, make it today. What do we personally need to do? Where can we improve, how will we set about achieving this?

The week before last my Visiting Teachers came by to see me. I love their visits because I know they care about me and I learn so much from them. Sister Berry gave me much food for thought when she talked about how we can be successful. Little things, like successfully reading the scriptures every day for a week. So what can we each do to be successful in our welfare efforts? Every little bit counts. The scriptures share with us many valuable lessons and pieces of advice. Such as by little things do big things grow. To me, our little efforts to become self sufficient and scripturally sound can become big things, making us stronger and better able to withstand all that the world can throw at us.

Until next week remember it is good to be a faithful, spiritually strong, obedient, meek and humble, wise steward, righteous children raising, diligently serving, hero and friend finding Latter Day Saint.

Yours in preparedness

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Ahh the silly season is upon us once again. A time when people go mad buying gifts and over doing it. Poor it, forgotten, cast aside or misinterpreted and changed to suit the conveniences of a worldly minded people. But we remember what it is. We remember that it is the anniversary of that long awaited event, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For many it is a time of plenty, family, friends, gifts, food and drink. For others a time where they have little to share, maybe no family, no friends, few or no gifts, no food and drink that mark the season by the worlds standards.

For many it is a time of sorrow. Remembering loved ones passed or family either far away or estranged from them, and that can be made even harder by being surrounded everywhere they go with signs and sounds of good cheer.

We need to be mindful of others and extend to them our it. Jesus Christ came into this world in a lowly manger. This we know, we’ve read the account in the Bible, seen the movies and sung the songs that celebrate His birth.

Jesus Christ was born in winter in a stable, his parents had travelled far and had little to offer him, except the greatest gift they could give him, their love and their devotion, both as his mortal parents and as his spiritual brother and sister, recipients of the greatest gift he would later give them, give us, Salvation. Three wise men saw a star in the sky and they followed it, bringing gifts of great wealth to the baby boy who they knew was their King. Angels sang heralding the birth of the only begotten of Heavenly Father.

But by the majority of the world His birth went unnoticed, uncelebrated, just as it is today.

We as Latter Day Saints have before us the greatest opportunity to share with those who are filled with sorrow some of our joy. Social and emotional health is never more important than right now at this time of year. Many members and countless thousands of non members find the Christmas season hard to bear. We can’t help everyone in the world but we can help those within our reach. Be mindful of the feelings of others, if they are family or friend less share your family with them, invite them to be a part of your family, not just for Christmas but throughout the year. Extend the reach of the Home and Visiting Teaching edict.

Very early on this year Mr. Darcy was feeling the loss of family, he had no cousins, uncles or aunts to speak of. Being estranged from family became intolerable to him. Though I could do nothing at the time to ease the estrangement I did the next best thing. I went to those members who I felt he was comfortable with and I asked them if they would become surrogate uncles, aunts and cousins to Mr.Darcy.

They all agreed immediately and we threw a surprise family party for Mr Darcy to show him that family is not just a blood thing and that he now had 17 cousins and 4 Aunts and 3 Uncles to whom he could turn. It was an amazing day. I saw then how wonderful the work of the Lord was, I saw faithful men, women and children embrace my son and in doing so the rest of our family with Christlike love and compassion. Recently we called upon one of these marvellous families to mind our children while Grant took me to hospital, they had no notice, no chance to prepare yet they did not hesitate, our children went joyfully and Grant and I had peace in our hearts knowing that our children were loved and cared for in our absence.

So what can we do to help ease the heartache of others at this time?

Invite them into our homes, not as a guest but as family, include them in family activities. A gift no matter how small and even inconsequential will never go astray. Share with each other our testimonies and feelings about the Savoir, His birth, His life, His eternal gift to us. Be sensitive to their needs and to the cause of their sorrow. If someone is feeling the loss of family inviting them into your family may make it worse, unless you address the loss of family first. Let them know you want to include them not because they are alone but because they are valued and loved by you for who they are.

If you feel giving them a gift will make them uncomfortable because they may not have one to give in return, let them know their being with you is what you want the most. Leave a gift on their door step before or after their time with you making it a surprise from persons unknown. I know we have the capacity to do this.

Talk to people, listen to them, and be open to ways you can serve them.

Maybe they had a family tradition that they really miss, you could surprise them by fulfilling that tradition with them. It could in years to come become part of your family traditions too.

Other ways we can live the principal of social and emotional health is in the way we teach our children about Christmas and what it means to us. By teaching our children the joy of giving rather than just the joy of receiving we are teaching them to be a service giving people. Instead of looking to meet their own gratification needs they will look to ways they can help others, and not just at Christmas time, we can instil in our children the honour of serving others at all times of the year.

And it is an honour, if we look at it from the point of view of the scriptures, Matthew 25:31-40 tells us “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

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. (bold type added)

We know serving one and other is serving the Lord but do we really look on it that way? Until now I must honestly say I don’t think I have. I serve because I want to, I like to help, but now I shall strive to serve understanding the Lord’s view. We can in essence imagine our Lord standing before us in place of those we serve. It gives a whole new feel and meaning to service. Jesus Christ washed the feet of his apostles, we as His disciples can and should do no less.

I love the Lord not just for all He has done for me, but for all He has helped me to do for others and others for me. I find it an honour to serve Him in my calling and an honour to serve you my brothers and sisters. Until next week remember it is good to be a service giving, sorrow easing, joy bringing, Lord honouring Latter Day Saint.

Yours in preparedness