Calendar items:
Relief Society Temple day 11 am endowment session, Tuesday, February 4th, make your appointment and meet at the temple
Relief Society "We're Muffin without you" ministering interviews Saturday, Feb 8th 9am-12noon at the schoolhouse by Gay Matheson's home
Relief Society sisters Galentines Activity, Feb 27th 7-8pm at the church. We will be doing a fun service project making and coloring cards for refugee kits that each refugee receives. If you want to, please bring a charcuterie board to share. It can be traditional, or any flavor or style.
Dear Sisters,
Some of my thoughts this month have been on the subject of "intent" in regards to my relationship and time spent with Jesus Christ.
I am going to relate the concept of "intent" to horses. Horses are masters of intent. They can sense the intent of other horses and humans even from greater distances than we can notice. If a person is having a hard day, is maybe feeling angry or hurt, or maybe not being truthful with themselves, horses read that intent and often show it by moving away from the person. The person might try to persist in interacting with the horse but the horse will do what it can to ignore the person, walk briskly away, and not let the person touch them or be with them. On the flip side, if a person walks up to a horse and is genuinely calm, friendly, and asking the horse to come to them with feelings of openness and welcoming, then most horses will act curious, sniffing the person and even allowing the person to touch the horse, brush the horse, or put a halter on the horse. As a person is mindful of their intent with a particular horse and consistent with their genuine intent, the horse begins to trust and understand the person even more.
I have learned that I can just look at a part of a horse's body with the intent to ask them to move a certain part of their body and they will move without me talking or touching them. I can use my intent to draw the horse to me or to ask the horse to move away from me. I have noticed when I thank the horse, pet them with calmness and feelings of gratitude they respond by dropping their head close to me or closing their eyes or even snuggling closer to me. How does this relate to intent with my relationship with Jesus Christ?
Bishop L. Todd Budge said in connection to spending time with the Savior, "... but let me suggest that what may be needed is not necessarily more time but more awareness of and focus on God during the times we already set aside for Him." I can correlate this to being intentional with my time spent with the Savior.
I ask myself, what is my intent with the Savior when I sit down to read the scriptures? Also, am I taking the time to think about my intent or my desire to be close with the Savior when I pray or sing a hymn? I can tell you that many times I just go through the motions or am not present with what my intent is in my studying or praying. I believe if I can strive to be more mindful about my intent towards the Savior in my scripture studying, prayers, and other aspects of my relationship with Him, that our relationship with each other will be strengthened. I believe it will grow and develop, and I might learn more. I appreciate Bishop Budge's suggestion. I hope I can work at being more aware of my intention in my studies, and times I set aside for Him. I challenge you all to join me in trying Bishop Budge's suggestion as well. May you all have a wonderful February and find strength in your own personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Much love,
Sis. Rachel Hunt
Relief Society Presidency
Beth Ercek, President - 661-466-3878
Rachel Hunt, 1st counselor - 435-590-7598
Susan Leavitt, 2nd counselor - 435-619-6684
Audrey Edgel, Secretary - 435-463-9578