Ensign 2016 PASTOR S CORNER

Transcription

1 The JUNE Ensign 2016 PASTOR S CORNER A Living Sacrifice by High Priest Doug Trahern The following is the beginning of President Ronald Reagan s speech at the 40 th anniversary of the D-Day Invasion at Normandy. We're here to mark that day in history when the Allied armies joined in battle to reclaim this continent to liberty. For four long years, much of Europe had been under a terrible shadow. Free nations had fallen, Jews cried out in the camps, millions cried out for liberation. Europe was enslaved, and the world prayed for its rescue. Here in Normandy the rescue began. Here the Allies stood and fought against tyranny in a giant undertaking unparalleled in human history. We stand on a lonely, windswept point on the northern shore of France. The air is soft, but 40 years ago at this moment, the air was dense with smoke and the cries of men, and the air was filled with the crack of rifle fire and the roar of cannon. At dawn, on the morning of the 6th of June, 1944, 225 Rangers jumped off the British landing craft and ran to the bottom of these cliffs. Their mission was one of the most difficult and daring of the invasion: to climb these sheer and desolate cliffs and take out the enemy guns. The Allies had been told that some of the mightiest of these guns were here and they would be trained on the beaches to stop the Allied advance. The Rangers looked up and saw the enemy soldiers at the edge of the cliffs shooting down at them with machineguns and throwing grenades. And the American Rangers began to climb. They shot rope ladders over the face of these cliffs and began to pull themselves up. When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another and begin his climb again. They climbed, shot back, and held their footing. Soon, one by one, the Rangers pulled themselves over the top, and in seizing the firm land at the top of these cliffs, they began to seize back the continent of Europe. Two hundred and twenty-five came here. After two days of fighting, only 90 could still bear arms. Behind me is a memorial that symbolizes the Ranger daggers that were thrust into the top of these cliffs. And before me are the men who put them there. These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc For almost two and a half centuries, men have sacrificed their lives for the freedom of this nation and its citizens. I can choose to bring honor to them by remembering them on a day set aside to do this. However, this hardly seems to be a logical response to the price that was paid for my freedom. I feel that my daily life and routine as a citizen of this great nation should reflect the gratitude I have to these men for standing in harm s way. That is my reasonable service. (Pastor s Corner continued on next page)

2 (Pastor s Corner continued) What is my reasonable service for the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross? In chapter 12 of Romans we find these very familiar words: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God is. Our reasonable or logical service to our Heavenly Father is to become a living sacrifice. This scripture is saying here that God no longer wants dead animal sacrifices. That law was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The sacrifice He desires is our lives lived out in service to Him. There are 4 ways outlined in the scripture that we need to do this. The first is outlined by the word brethren. This is an indication that Paul was speaking to those who were in the faith. So our first act of our living sacrifice is in entering into a covenant with Jesus Christ. The sign of this covenant is a broken heart and a contrite spirit. The second thing mentioned in the scripture is our body. Because of our fallen nature, even though the inner man has experienced this rebirth, the body remains in sin. The Book of Mormon says that the natural man is an enemy to God. That is why we must yield to the enticing of the Holy Spirit and offer our bodies as this living sacrifice. This isn t very easy for the Christian to do and takes a considerable amount of might. The third thing mentioned in our living sacrifice is our mind. Before the body can act out in sin or do works of righteousness, it is first conceived in the mind. It must be renewed. I believe this is done by what the mind consumes. In Philippians we are told to think only on good things whatever they might be. And finally, the last thing mentioned in our living sacrifice is living by the will of God and surrendering our own will. Wherefore I give unto them a commandment, saying thus: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind, and strength; and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve him. D&C 59:2a Branch Game Night, sponsored by the Zion's League On Saturday, May 21st, the Zion's League sponsored a game night for the branch. The first game we played was Hymn and Scripture Story Pictionary. It was a lot of fun watching people try to draw! It was even funnier when the team was able to guess the right answer from a sometimes cryptic picture! The second game we played was tic-tac-toe...with a twist. Before earning a square, teams had to answer a church related question. We had questions about church history and the scriptures. It wouldn't have been a social event without food, so we had lots of yummy snacks. It was a fun night! See pictures on last page.

3 JUNE BIRTHDAYS 1 Rafael Chinnery 2 Caryn Stilwell 3 Dennis Elwell 4 Doug Trahern 6 Brock McKay 7 Bonner Davis 9 Heather Olivarez 10 Hailey Norman 12 Genie Simmons 13 Tara Broadway 16 Danielle Chinnery 19 Joshua Trahern 22 Jeff Gross 22 Ashley McKay 24 Janet Forth 24 Nathan Perry 24 Meagan Brock 25 Pat Bronson 25 Sharon Martin 25 Audra Heyl 25 Jareb Peabody 28 Emma Moore Deacon s Schedule June 5th Jerry Gerber June 12th Kyle Norman June 19th Rudy Leutzinger June 26th Lloyd Stilwell June 5th Phil O Camb family June 12th Lloyd Stilwell Family June 19th Wayne Simmons family June 26th Jim McKay family YOUTH ACTIVITIES Lindsay McMilian Basketball Games at Blue Springs South High School Monday, June 6-7:30 PM - Main Gym Wednesday, June 8-8:20 PM - Small Gym Monday, June 13-6:30 PM and 7:20 PM - Small Gym for both games Monday, June 20-7:10 PM - Main Gym Wednesday, June 22-4 PM - Small Gym Monday, June 27-6:40 PM - Small Gym Wednesday, June 29-4:50 PM - Main Gym

4 PIANO SCHEDULE June 5 9:15 Kevin McMilian 10:30 Kevin McMilian 6:00 Jill Moore 4th JUNE ACTIVITIES 11:00 am District Old Fashioned Sunday School Picnic at Buckner Park. June 12 9:15 Lindsay McMilian 5th 8:00 am Priesthood prayer service. 10:30 Jill Moore 6:00 Summer Series June 19th 9:15 Jeri Gault 10:30 Jeri Gault 6:00 No services June 26 9:15 Ashley Gault 10:30 Ashley Gault 6:00 Summer Series 11th 9:00-11:00 am Zion s League will meet at Jack McClain s house to help with yardwork. 11th 8:30 am Young Adults will leave the Clute home to carpool to the City River Market for breakfast/brunch and shop local vendors. Return by Noon. 12th Potluck after the worship service. June 5 June 12 June 19 June 26 SPECIAL MUSIC Sacrament Lloyd Stilwell Kelley Manning Emily Kreutner 16th 7:00 Branch Planning Meeting. 18th 5:30 pm Father/Son Banquet. Please sign up on the sheet in the foyer. 19th Missionary Reunion begins at 3:00 and runs until the 25th at noon. 25th 5:30 pm Fireworks and potluck at the McMilian home. Bring potluck food and chairs or blankets. 27th 10:00 am 2:00 pm Lamplighters will meet at McMilian home and work on their Nutrition and Experimental Cooking badge.

5 Zarahemla Branch Activities Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Hebrews 11:6 Presiding: Doug Trahern Assisting: Phil O Camb District Picnic 11:00 Buckner Park 5 10:30 Presiding: Roger Gault Preaching: Bonner Davis 6:00: Belief in Christ Presiding: Brad Gault Preaching: Wayne Simmons D&C 85:83a Presiding: Bob Moore Assisting: Wayne Simmons Zion s League 9-11 am Young Adults 8:30 am John 13: Branch Father/Son Planning Banquet 10:30 Presiding: Dan Norman Presiding: Roger Gault Meeting 5:30 Preaching: Patrick McKay POTLUCK Assisting: Rudy Leutzinger 7:00 pm 6:00: Summer Series 19 10:30 Presiding: Dave Bronson Preaching: Roger Gault Mosiah 2:20-24 Presiding: Patrick McKay Assisting: Jack McClain Branch Social at McMilian s Annual Fireworks No evening Services Beginning of Reunion Reunion ends at noon Ephesians 4:32 30 Lamplighters 10:00 am at 10:30 Presiding: Jim McKay McMilians Presiding: Rex Curtis Preaching: Doug Trahern 6:00: Summer Series Assisting: Jerry Gerber

6 District News Summer Series Date Preaching Location Presiding June 12th Doug Smith Saints Haven Devon Park June 19th Beginning of Missionary Reunion No local services. June 26th Joel Loving Zarahemla Zion s Witness 2016 SUMMER REUNIONS 1. Missionary Seventies Reunion held at Graceland in Lamoni, Iowa June 19th to the 25th Independence District Reunion will be held July 30th to August 6th 2016 in Odessa, Missouri. NEWSLETTER INFORMATION Beginning with the July 2016 Newsletter, Tara Broadway will become the Editor of The Ensign, the Zarahemla Branch Newsletter. Please call her with any information that needs to be included in the newsletter. Her telephone number is (H) or (Cell). Pictures from the Zion s League Game Night at Zarahemla.

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