Lethbridge Alberta East Stake
4105 Forestry Avenue South T1K4W3 Lethbridge, AB, Canada

I have developed a testimony of the divine inspiration of the Come Follow Me program this past year, as my husband and I were now the only source of gospel teaching when churches closed down. This seemed very daunting to me at first. When the Come Follow Me program was first introduced I felt very overwhelmed and felt as though I couldn’t prepare a lesson for my young family if I hadn’t completed each exercise in the manual in depth first - so I got behind in my reading and w...e got behind in our family learning. This year has taught me that simple consistent, lessons are okay, and maybe even more impactful than the Pinterest level lessons that I felt I needed to produce each week for the kids. I have found resources that help map out lessons and provide ideas for younger children (latterdaykids, latterdayfamily, and comefollowmetoddlers) and that takes the pressure off of extensive planning and allows us to come together as a family to learn. As our prophet has told us, I have learned this past year that the Lord loves effort. Me and my husband’s efforts to teach our family has reaped spiritual rewards and brought our family closer together. Although we aren’t even close to executing this program perfectly, we are learning and aiming to improve gospel study in our home - and I take comfort in the fact that the Lord notices and appreciates our efforts. - Stephanie Kwasney, Forestry Ward See more

Since the restrictions began last March, my wife and I have been supporting my parents, now both in their mid-eighties, and having Sacrament and Sunday School with them in their home. With the latest round of restrictions, we meet on zoom for Sunday school only and our course of study has been the Come Follow Me program. We take turns preparing to facilitate the discussion about the lesson materials. When there are just 4 students in a Sunday school class, you have to show u...p prepared to participate and share. In fact, we all have really enjoyed the richness of the discussion, the intimate sharing of experiences and challenges, the frequent opportunity to share testimony and a great outpouring of the Spirit. Sometimes our lessons last up to 2 hours! It has been a great experience and one of the highlights of an otherwise difficult year! Daren and Becky Heyland See more

Here is my new song! It's called Because of The Son. This song was patched together with little details from my life and the lives of some of the beautiful peop...le I have had the pleasure of meeting on my mission. This song is not only my testimony of Jesus Christ and His selfless Atonement, but the testimony of many, and even though they might not be singing it with us, their voices are there. See more

We are the Livingstone family from Fairmont Ward. Our kids range from 3 -16 years old, so we have to get creative when it comes to making the Come Follow Me program work in our home. When we first started, it was either way over our toddler and preschooler’s heads or way too little kiddish for our teens. And that was when we could even make time for a lesson. With my husband’s hectic work schedule, late sports practices for the teens, early bedtimes for the littles, it just... seemed near impossible to create my idealized version of family scripture study.We knew we wanted to make this work, and we had faith that the Home-Centered Church-Supported program could work well for us too. So with a little flexibility, we made the following changes a year or so ago, and it has worked well for us! Though very simple, it brings the Spirit into our home and gets us thinking and talking about the Savior on a daily basis - and so I am grateful to have found what works at these stages in our children’s lives. Here is how it looks in our home: 7:15 the teens roll out of bed and into the kitchen to help me whip together some breakfast. By 7:30, we say a prayer and happily (or sleepily) munch away while we watch a 10-15 minute segment of Don’t Miss This on YouTube. If you’re not familiar with these two awesome seminary teachers (Emily Belle Freeman and David Butler) teaching the Come Follow Me Lessons weekly, I highly recommend checking them out. They are marvellous for teens up to adults! At the end of 15 minutes, we press pause and continue watching the next morning. We’ve are uplifted, enlightened, and even entertained by these two Gospel giants.A bit later, the 3 & 6 year olds wake up, and while they eat breakfast I read them stories out of the Church’s Book of Mormon Stories with pictures. They look forward to this, and if I ever forget, our 3 year old says, Jesus Story! And goes to the drawer to get the book. I am grateful for this program - it has strengthened our family! See more

The Young women’s program turned 150 this year + the youth were challenged to complete 150 acts of service in any way they could. #strivetobe

For our family, this time of year has some extra special meaning for us. We celebrate a bit longer and feel overjoyed with gratitude and love for our Savior, and our extra special gifts our Heavenly Father has blessed us with. Our first gift was being sealed for all time and eternity on December 21st. After six years of heartfelt, pleading prayers, they were answered with our second gift, a beautiful baby boy on December 6th. He grew too fast, and before our eyes turned ...8! That year, our stake baptism day fell on Christmas Day. We anxiously awaited word to see what day it would be changed to during the holidays. Our 3rd gift was when we learned it was to be held on Christmas Day. Our initial, but fast fleeting thoughts were, how do we fit this into our own Christmas Day traditional schedule? We quickly were overcome with joy and a peaceful confirmation of His continuing love for us. Knowing this was another cherished gift from above, by having our only child receive Heavenly Father’s promises for him, as he commits his life to living as our Savior, Jesus Christ lived; and, on the day the world celebrates His birth! What a memorable Christmas indeed. Gift number four was when a couple of short years later, we were blessed with a beautiful daughter on June 20th. We again witnessed His hand in all things that led her beautiful birth parents to our family. The fifth gift was six months later on December 21st, our anniversary, we were able to take our two children to the temple and have our daughter sealed to us so that we can be a forever family. As Christmas approaches each year, we look back at how the years have passed so quickly. Those spiritual moments are filled with joy and peace, imprinted on our hearts forever. Each Christmas season, we celebrate and focus on our Savior’s life. We recommit to each other as a couple, to our children, and as a family to our Savior, and Heavenly Father to living, serving and loving each other, and all those we come in contact with. Striving to do our best. With a heart full of gratitude from the Bikman family, wishing you and your loved ones, a very Merry Christmas season. - Shanna Bikman, Stirling 2nd See more

"The greatest battle that ever was won" was won by our Savior Jesus Christ. Let us know if you'd like to learn more about this victory! #canadacalgarymission

Russell M. Nelson, prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will share a special video message with the world on November 20, 2020, at 11 a.m. MST. This 11-minute video will focus on ways we can find hope and healing through Jesus Christ during this time of significant global fracture and instability. It will be published on President Nelson’s social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter).

The older our children have gotten, the stronger the desire I’ve had to move away from a secular Christmas and focus more on Christ. Several years ago we started The Jesus Stocking. We have a white stocking that hangs on our mantle with the rest of our stockings. Throughout the Christmas season we fill the white stocking with slips of paper for every act of service we give - to family, friends, neighbors and strangers. These acts of service are gifts that we give to Jesus... to celebrate his birth. On Christmas morning, before we open presents, we pause and give gratitude for our Savior. For his birth, his life, his atoning sacrifice on our behalf, his example, and his everlasting love. Mike empties out the stocking and reads every gift of service that we have given to the Savior in honor of his birth. Tears often fill my eyes as I reflect on how these small and often simple acts throughout the Christmas season fill our home with a Joy and Love that can only be found by serving others. - Laura Quinton, Stirling 2nd Ward #lighttheworld

For the next seven days, flood social media with a wave of gratitude using the hashtag #GiveThanks. Gratitude is a fast-acting and long-lasting spiritual pre...scription that soothes us from sorrow and sadness. Earlier today, global faith leader and prophet President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shared how you can experience its healing power: I invite you to turn social media into your own personal gratitude journal. Post every day about what you are grateful for, who you are grateful for, and why you are grateful. At the end of seven days, see if you feel happier and more at peace. Watch President Nelson’s full message at PowerofGratitude.org See more

https://www.loveprayteach.com/articles/2021dandcreadingchart

October 2020 Womens Session.

#GiveThanks is an invitation to heal the worldand our heartsthrough gratitude to God. Join in. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/givethanks/?lang=eng

Visit our page tomorrow morning to hear a special message of peace from global faith leader President Russell M. Nelson. Get a reminder for the premiere: https://www.facebook.com/ChurchofJesusChrist/posts/10158915707701550

Despite the changes we have faced this year, we can still focus this Christmas season on what matters most. Visit https://findingfaithinchrist.org/ to find tools and resources to help you keep Christ at the center of your Christmas!

Elder Ulisses Soares quoted Spencer W Kimball in his talk Seek Christ in Every Thought. ‘Seldom does one enter into deeper transgression without first yielding to lesser ones, which open the door to the greater. ‘A clean field [does not] suddenly [become] weedy.’ The last sentence really stuck out to me, it reminded me of something my mom used to say to us when we were growing up, It’s easier to maintain than it is to obtain. Though she was almost always referring to... the state of cleanliness of our bedrooms, this can be applied to life very easily. It is much easier to maintain a clean field than it is to obtain a clean field. Hannah Johnson -Fairmont Ward-

It is faith in Him and the full effects of His infinite Atonement that will qualify you, and those you love and serve, for the supernal gift to live in that sociality of a long-looked-for and promised Zion. There you will be sisters in Zion, loved in person by the Lord and those you have blessed. - Pres. Henry B. Eyring. : Peter Koegler

Sisters, you have been on my mind so often during these past few months. You are more than eight million strong. You have not only the numbers but the spiritual... power to change the world. I have watched you doing just that during this pandemic. Some of you may wonder, How are we to deal with both the somber prophecies and the glorious pronouncements about our day? The Lord told us how with simple but stunning reassurance: If ye are prepared ye shall not fear (Doctrine and Covenants 38:30). Our ultimate security comes as we yoke ourselves to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ! Life without God is a life filled with fear. Life with God is a life filled with peace. #GeneralConference

Life without God is a life filled with fear. Life with God is a life filled with peace. President Russell M. Nelson #GeneralConference

Introducing the faces behind those texts + emails, asking for YOUR STORIES. We’d love to hear your family traditions + what you love about conference weekend.

We are looking forward to #GeneralConference in just a few days. We look forward to being with you. It will be a time of great rejoicing and great revelation, a...nd I promise you that you will get answers you need as you prepare yourself for this important time. I invite you to prepare yourself for a marvelous general conference with the three suggestions in this video. I express my love and my great happiness at being with you soon.

Join us this weekend to hear messages about Jesus Christ. For more details on how to watch and listen, click here: bit.ly/3iaFyso

The youth in our stake making hygiene kits a few weeks ago. They assembled 1300 hygiene kits to distributed to families and individuals in need in our community through The Lethbridge School District, Street's Alive, and the Soup Kitchen. // For more local service opportunities check out @just_serve_lethbridge

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For our family, at home church was a bit of a struggle. There were many times where we had a kid or two rolling on the floor, or trying to make sounds to disrupt the reverence. It was easy to get frustrated because it really was so much shorter than regular sacrament meetings at our church building. How could they not sit still? Even though we had some challenges, there were some special moments. There were times our kids wanted to share their knowledge of the gospel, and they were excited to do it and we felt the spirit. So even though we struggled, we still were able to have some special experiences together. Mendenhall Family - Forestry Ward

Music Devotional Sunday at 7pm http://mywebcast.churchofjesuschrist.org//lethbridgealbert

Young Women leaders have blessed my life by // Stirling 2nd Ward #strivetobe