March 2007 Ensign
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THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS • MARCH 2007 COVER STORY: Relief Society Home, Family, and Personal Enrichment around the World, p. 14 Faith and Families: An Apostle’s Counsel, p. 36 Hope and Rebuilding after the Hurricanes, p. 46 MAY NOT BE COPIED NOT MAY We Are the Clay in His Hands, by Julie Rogers “O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand” (Isaiah 64:8). MARCH 2007 Contents VOLUME 37 • NUMBER 3 Preparing 62 physically and mentally should begin at least two years before a full-time mission. THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS • MARCH 2007 COVER STORY: Relief Society Home, Family, and Personal Enrichment around the World, p. 14 Faith and Families: An Apostle’s Counsel, p. 36 Hope and Rebuilding after the Hurricanes, p. 46 4 14 ON THE COVER MESSAGES FEATURE ARTICLES Benevolence: Through Love Serve One Another, by Avard FIRST PRESIDENCY Home, Family, and Personal Enrichment around Fairbanks. This bas-relief is found MESSAGE 14 the World CONNIE D. CANNON on the Relief Society Centennial The Gift of Compassion Relief Society sisters have caught the vision of what home, Campanile at the base of the PRESIDENT THOMAS S. family, and personal enrichment meeting can be: a place Nauvoo Bell on Temple Square. 4 MONSON where women of all ages can strengthen their faith in Jesus Let us open the door of our Christ, socialize, learn, and be uplifted. hearts that the Savior—the living example of true com- The Parable of the Tomato Plant passion—may enter. 20 CHERYL YOUNG I had little hope for the two-inch tomato sprout, but I under- VISITING TEACHING estimated its potential and worth. MESSAGE Listening to and Having Faith in God’s Timeline 57Following the 22 CATHERINE EDWARDS Promptings of the Spirit I had hoped to be married by now. I realize, though, that God’s timeline for the important events in my life differs from the timeline of many others. 30 46 Joshua’s Walls Storming Back 26 CINDY GRITTON 46 NORMAN C. HILL AND RICHARD M. ROMNEY The faint sliver of hope that our son’s progress was simply A year and a half after Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, delayed faded away. Now the word autism became part of Latter-day Saints in the Gulf Coast area of the United States how we understood Joshua. continue to face the future with faith. Forgiving Oneself Questions and Answers 30 ELDER D. CHAD RICHARDSON 58 I have difficulty distinguishing between promptings While Satan uses our refusal to forgive ourselves as a means of the Spirit and my own personal feelings. How can I tell of enslaving us, the Savior beckons us forward with the the difference? promise that we can become free from the chains of sin. Missionary Health Preparation Hailstorm 62 DONALD B. DOTY 34 STEPHEN L. KNIGHT Careful physical and mental health preparation is essential With the storm just minutes away, we were totally helpless. for young adults who are preparing to serve missions. Ours was a desperate plea for Heavenly Father’s mercy and protection. DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO TELL? Faith and Families The Ensign welcomes submissions that show the gospel of Jesus ELDER RUSSELL M. NELSON 36 Christ at work in the lives of Latter-day Saints, especially articles Unshakable faith in the Lord enriches married life and with personal experiences and gospel insights. This month we invite love. Faith in Him increases one’s very capacity to love. you to describe how you make Easter a Christ-centered season. Limit submissions to 500 words, and label them “Easter. ” Send them by Coming into the Fold April 13 to ensign@ldschurch.org or Ensign Editorial, 50 E. North Temple Three members recount trials of faith and the Street, Room 2420, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3220, USA. Include your name, 42 address, telephone number, e-mail address, and ward and stake (or branch strengthening blessings of membership in the Church. and district). Writers’ guidelines: Visit the link in the lower-right corner of the Gospel Library page at www.lds.org. Due to the volume of submissions, we cannot acknowledge receipt. Authors whose work is selected for publication will be notified. If you would like your manuscript, photos, art, or other material returned, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. 2 MARCH 2007 VOLUME 37 • NUMBER 3 AN OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS The First Presidency: Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, James E. Faust Quorum of the Twelve: Boyd K. Packer, L. Tom Perry, Russell M. Nelson, Dallin H. Oaks, M. Russell Ballard, Joseph B. Wirthlin, Richard G. Scott, Robert D. Hales, Jeffrey R. Holland, Henry B. Eyring, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, David A. Bednar Editor: Jay E. Jensen Advisers: Gary J. Coleman, Yoshihiko Kikuchi, Gerald N. Lund, W. Douglas Shumway Managing Director: David L. Frischknecht Editorial Director: Victor D. Cave Senior Editor: Larry Hiller Graphics Director: Allan R. Loyborg Managing Editor: Don L. Searle 22 54 Assistant Managing Editor: LaRene Porter Gaunt Senior Editors: Linda Stahle Cooper, Michael R. Morris, Judith M. Paller USING THIS ISSUE DEPARTMENTS Assistant Editor: Melissa Merrill Trusting the hand of the Lord. Editorial Staff: Susan Barrett, Ryan Carr, LESSONS FROM LATTER-DAY SAINT Monica L. Dickinson, Jenifer L. Greenwood, Think about an event in your life THE NEW TESTAMENT VOICES R. Val Johnson, Adam C. Olson that didn’t happen as you 68 Editorial Intern: Erin Marie Pitcher Jesus Christ, the A long-lost pen pal, decades Senior Secretary: Christy Banz thought it would—or when you Publications Assistant: Sally J. Odekirk 11Bread of Life of waiting, the universal thought it would. Read “Having ELDER WONG YONG KO language of the Spirit, and Marketing Manager: Larry Hiller Faith in God’s Timeline” (p. 22), Managing Art Director: M. M. Kawasaki The miracle of the loaves success despite skepticism. Art Director: J. Scott Knudsen and consider times you have and fishes is more than an Senior Designers: C. Kimball Bott, RANDOM Colleen Hinckley recognized the hand of the Lord ancient story. It teaches us Design and Production Staff: in your life. that through the Savior all 72 SAMPLER Cali R. Arroyo, Collette Nebeker Aune, Effective budgeting, kind Thomas S. Child, Eric P. Johnsen, Being self-reliant in can receive eternal life. Jane Ann Peters, Randall J. Pixton, words, teaching with music, Scott Van Kampen emergencies. After reading “My Burden Is Light” remembering ancestors, Printing Director: Craig K. Sedgwick “Storming Back” (p. 46), think 54 ELDER PAUL V. and gifts of the Spirit. Distribution Director: Randy J. Benson about emergencies you might JOHNSON © 2007 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.The Ensign (ISSN face. Go to the Food Storage Each of us faces challenging NEWS OF THE 0884-1136) is published monthly by The and Preparedness link on trials, but each of us also has 74 CHURCH Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 50 E. North Temple Street, Salt Lake City, www.providentliving.org, and access to the Atonement to UT 84150-3220, USA. Periodicals Postage click on Emergency Preparation help us through the difficult Paid at Salt Lake City, Utah. GOSPEL TOPICS IN THIS ISSUE To subscribe: By phone, call 1-800-537- to learn how you might be more times and to bring peace 5971 to order using Visa, MasterCard, self-reliant in an emergency. and joy into our lives. Activation, 42 Hope, 20 Discover Card, or American Express. Adversity, 20, 34, Jesus Christ, 4, 11, Online, go to ldscatalog.com. By mail, 46, 54 30 send $10 U.S. check or money order to Preparing for missionary work. Distribution Services, P.O. Box 26368, Salt Agency, 22 Knowledge, 14 Lake City, UT 84126-0368. After reading “Missionary Health Atonement, 54 Love, 30 Preparation” (p. 62), discuss the To change address: Send both old and Book of Mormon, Marriage, 36 new address information to Distribution reasons that physical and mental 68 Missionary Work, Services at the above address. Please allow preparation for missionary service Communication, 72 62, 68 60 days for changes to take effect. Compassion, 4, 46 Music, 72 The Ensign can be found on the Internet at are just as vital as spiritual prepa- Conversion, 68 New Testament, 11 www.lds.org, under Gospel Library. ration. In family home evening, Disabilities, 26 Obedience, 57 Text and visual material in the Ensign may talk about ways your family might COMING IN APRIL Divine Worth, 20 Peace, 54 be copied for incidental, noncommercial Look for articles on: Faith, 4, 11, 22, 26, Prayer, 26, 34, 58 church or home use. Visual material may make these kinds of preparations. not be copied if restrictions are indicated 34, 36 Preparation, 46, 62, in the credit line with the artwork. Copyright • How feeling joy and feeling the Family, 36 72 questions should be addressed to Intellectual Family History, 72 Relief Society, 14 Property Office, 50 E. North Temple Street, Holy Ghost are interrelated. Family Home Repentance, 30 Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3011; e-mail: cor-intellectualproperty@ldschurch.org. Evening, 72 Service, 4, 46 • One woman’s decision to place Forgiveness, 30 Single Adults, 22 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Distribution Services, P.O. Box 26368, Salt motherhood before her career. Health, 62 Teaching, 72 Lake City, UT 84126-0368, USA. Holy Ghost, 57, 58, Temptation, 36 Canada Post Information: Publication • The power of example. 68 Testimony, 42, 68 Agreement #40017431 ENSIGN MARCH 2007 3 FIRST PRESIDENCY MESSAGE The Gift of Compassion BY PRESIDENT THOMAS S.