THE ENSIGN OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS • MARCH 2009 COVER STORY Self-reliance: Spiritual and Physical, pp. 48-65 Young Adults Find Guidance in the Scriptures, p. 28 How Families Can Prepare for General Conference, p. 23 COURTESY OF THE CHURCH HISTORY MUSEUM The First Relief Society, by Walter Rane On Thursday afternoon, March 17, 1842, the Prophet Joseph Smith, in company with John Taylor and Willard Richards, formally organized the women into a society. Emma Smith was called to be president with Sarah M. Cleveland and Elizabeth Ann Whitney as counselors and Eliza R. Snow as secretary. MARCH 2009 Contents VOLUME 39 • NUMBER 3 14 4 13 ON THE COVER Front: Painting by Dan Burr. MESSAGES FEATURE ARTICLES Back: Photographs by John Luke and Welden C. Andersen. FIRST PRESIDENCY Walking by Faith, Not by Sight MESSAGE ADAM C. OLSON Sister1 0 Daggi Ramirez de Vargas, who is blind, testi es Come unto Him that “we walk by faith, not by sight.” in Prayer and Faith 4 PRESIDENT THOMAS S. MONSON Hand in Hand PAUL SKOUSEN Come unto Christ to nd 1 3 peace in troubled times. Nightly walks together strengthen our marriage. VISITING TEACHING From Young Women to Relief Society MESSAGE Six women share their stories of spiritual progress as 1 they 4 moved from Young Women to Relief Society. Uphold, Nourish, and Protect the Focusing on the Lord’s Work of Salvation 6 8 Family JULIE B. BECK How1 8 can Relief Society make a difference in the world? 46 56 Preparing Our Children Family Home Storage: A New Message for General Conference New guidelines to make home storage doable. Ideas2 3 for making conference meaningful for the whole family. 56 The Celestial Nature of Self-Reliance His Power in My Life PRESIDENT MARION G. ROMNEY Young Adults nd direction in the scriptures. Independence6 1 and self-reliance are critical keys to our 2 8 spiritual growth. Likening the Scriptures to Our Personal Lives The scriptures are alive and powerful and have To Perfection application 3 2 in our lives today. AMANDA DIERENFELDT My6 6strength was limited, but the Savior’s is always suf cient. The New Disabilities Web Site KATHLEEN PETERSON This4 0 online resource for members with disabilities—and for their teachers, leaders, and families—can help take the fear out of dealing with challenges. DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO TELL? Is there a scripture passage that has been instrumental in your personal Ellie’s Challenge conversion? Please share the speci c scripture reference and its impact TIA HAYWARD 4 6 on your life. Label your submission “Scripture and Conversion” and send Instead of praying for medical answers for my daughter, it by April 17. I started praying for help in dealing with the situation. We also welcome other submissions that show the gospel of Jesus Christ at work in your life. You can nd this and other calls for articles The Parable of the Ten Virgins online at http://ensign.lds.org. Ensign Magazine Writers’ Guidelines are Understanding the symbolism in the parable posted on the same page under “Resources.” 4 8 of the ten virgins. Send submissions to [email protected] or Ensign Editorial, 50 E. North Temple Street, Room 2420, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3220, Becoming Self-Reliant— USA. Include your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, Spiritually and Physically ward (or branch), and stake (or district). Because of the volume of 5 0 ELDER M. RUSSELL BALLARD submissions we receive, we cannot acknowledge receipt. Authors whose At the root of self-reliance is the dignity and importance work is selected for publication will be noti ed. If you would like your of seeing ourselves as children of God regardless of manuscript, photos, art, or other material returned, please include a self- circumstance, culture, or location. addressed, stamped envelope. THE ENSIGN CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT http://ensign.lds.org 2 MARCH 2009 VOLUME 39 • NumbeR 3 AN OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LattER-DAY SAINTS The First Presidency: Thomas S. Monson, Henry B. Eyring, Dieter F. Uchtdorf The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: Boyd K. Packer, L. Tom Perry, Russell M. Nelson, Dallin H. Oaks, M. Russell Ballard, Richard G. Scott, Robert D. Hales, Jeffrey R. Holland, David A. Bednar, Quentin L. Cook, D. Todd Christofferson Editor: Spencer J. Condie Advisers: Gary J. Coleman, Kenneth Johnson, Yoshihiko Kikuchi, W. Douglas Shumway Managing Director: David L. Frischknecht Editorial Director: Victor D. Cave Graphics Director: Allan R. Loyborg Managing Editor: Don L. Searle Assistant Managing Editor: LaRene Porter Gaunt Senior Editors: Matthew D. Flitton, Larry Hiller, Michael R. Morris, Judith M. 28 69 Paller, Joshua J. Perkey Assistant Editor: Melissa Merrill Editorial Staff: Susan Barrett, Ryan Carr, Jenifer L. Greenwood, R. Val Johnson, USING THIS ISSUE DEpaRTMENTS GOSPEL TOPICS IN THIS ISSUE Adam C. Olson, Laurel Teuscher Help those with disabilities. Agency, 50 Missionary work, Editorial Intern: Meagan D. Lake Senior Secretary: Christy Banz Help your family and those MESSAGES FROM Atonement, 66 35, 73 THE DOCTRINE AND Blessings, 35 Obedience, 28, Managing Art Director: you teach understand that our Callings, 40 56, 61 M. M. Kawasaki COVENANTS Art Director: J. Scott Knudsen loving Heavenly Father has a Children, 74 Parenthood, 74 Senior Designers: C. Kimball Bott, plan for all of His children, and LEARNING TO Communication, Peace, 69 Colleen Hinckley SHARE THE GOSPEL 74 Perfection, 66 Design and Production Staff: talk about ways to assist and be 35 Cali R. Arroyo, Collette Nebeker Aune, ELDER DON R. CLARKE Conversion, 10 Prayer, 4, 28, 32, sensitive to ward members who Courtship, 13 70, 71 Thomas S. Child, Eric P. Johnsen, What is the key to successful Preparation, 23, Scott M. Mooy, Jane Ann Peters, have disabilities. See pp. 10, 40, Disabilities, 40, 46 Scott Van Kampen member-missionary work? Faith, 4, 10, 40, 48 56, 74 46, and 66. 66, 69, 70, 71 Prophets, 23, 56 Printing Director: Craig K. Sedgwick Gain inspiration through Family, 68 Relief Society, Distribution Director: Randy J. Benson LattER-DAY SAINT study. Do you ever wonder Family history, 74 14, 18 © 2009 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. VOICES Family home eve- Revelation, 23, All rights reserved. The Ensign (ISSN how you can feel inspiration 69 ning, 39, 55,74 32, 46 0884-1136) is published monthly by The Would God hear my cries if I Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, from the Lord more clearly? followed Alma’s counsel and Fellowshipping, 14 Sacrifice, 35 50 E. North Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Young adults and others share literally cried unto Him over Forgiveness, 28 Scripture study, UT 84150-3220, USA. Periodicals Postage General confer- 28, 32 Paid at Salt Lake City, Utah. stories on how reading the my flocks? ence, 23 Scriptures, 10, 28 To subscribe: By phone, call scriptures has helped them Grace, 66 Self-reliance, 10, 1-800-537-5971 to order using Visa, overcome challenges and see Happiness, 50 50, 56, 61 MasterCard, Discover Card, or American RANDOM SAMPLER Healing, 66 Self-worth, 28 Express. Online, go to ldscatalog.com. By their purpose in God’s plan. 74 Tips for moving, Heavenly Father, Service, 61, 73, 74 mail, send $10 U.S. check or money order to nurturing children, and 4, 50 Teaching, 23 Distribution Services, P.O. Box 26368, Salt See pp. 28 and 32. Lake City, UT 84126-0368, USA. For years, mem- preserving family home Hope, 69 Testimony, 10, 69 Prepare now. evening memories. Jesus Christ, 4, 66 Visiting teaching, To change address: Send both old and bers of the Church have been Journals, 74 68, 70 new address information to Distribution Services at the above address. Please allow counseled to prepare for times Love, 13, 74 Work, 50 60 days for changes to take effect. NEWS OF THE Marriage, 14, 28 Young Women, 14 of adversity. After reading pp. Text and visual material in the Ensign may 76 CHURCH be copied for incidental, noncommercial 50–65, go to providentliving church or home use. Visual material may not .org for ideas on how to put be copied if restrictions are indicated in the COMING IN APRIL credit line with the artwork. Copyright your family finances in order, Look for articles on: questions should be addressed to Intellectual how to store food and sup- Property Office, 50 E. North Temple Street, • The importance—and Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3011; e-mail: plies, and what to do in an blessings—of education. [email protected]. emergency. You can also order • The last week of the POSTMASTER: Send address changes to food storage items online at Savior’s mortal ministry. Distribution Services, P.O. Box 26368, Salt Lake City, UT 84126-0368, USA. ldscatalog.org under “Welfare • Fasting with power. Canada Post Information: Publication Services.” Agreement #40017431 ENSIGN MARCH 2009 3 FIRST PRESIDENCY MESSAGE FIRST PRESIDENCY MESSAGE Come unto Him in Prayer and Faith BY PRESIDENT THOMAS S. MONSON rust in the Lord with all thine heart; and What he may not have realized was that this lean not unto thine own understanding. simple counsel would solve more problems, In all thy ways acknowledge him, and alleviate more suffering, prevent more trans- T 1 he shall direct thy paths.” So spoke the wise gression, and bring about greater peace and Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel. contentment in the human soul than could Jacob, the brother of Nephi, declared, be obtained in any other way. “Look unto God with firmness of mind, and A prominent American judge was asked pray unto him with exceeding faith.” 2 what we as citizens of the countries of the In this dispensation, in a revelation given world could do to reduce crime and disobedi- to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord said, ence to law and to bring peace and content- “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, ment into our lives and into our nations.