Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We hope this finds you well as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and prepare for the coming year. This has been a memorable year in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are grateful for your continued faith and loving service to our brothers and sisters within the St. Paul Minnesota Stake through this time of continuing revelation and great change.
As we approach the new year, we are excited for the possibilities that await each of us. This time of year is traditionally a time of reflection and we invite each of you to take a moment to reflect on your journey of discipleship. This life is a time of learning, growth, and preparation for eternal life. Some find themselves in a season of significant personal challenges and hardships, and others do not. Regardless, our beloved prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, has pleaded with us to continue walking the covenant path in faith and hope. We can each do this in 2019 through ever-increasing efforts to strengthen ourselves and our homes.
In our November Stake Conference, General Authorities and other leaders discussed the North American Central Area 2019 vision and priorities. The Area vision reads:
With faith in Jesus Christ, we joyfully walk the covenant path that leads to life eternal, inviting all God's children to join us in the journey.
Our Area Presidency has invited each of us to actively support this vision in 2019 by focusing on four areas of priority:
· Member missionary service
· Temple and family history
· Ministering one-by-one
· Sabbath Day observance
We feel strongly that, as you take a moment to reflect and identify small and specific ways to support the above vision and priorities, your course for 2019 will be more firmly set on the covenant path. As you then walk that path, your foundation in Christ will become even stronger, your homes will be further fortified, and you will bless the lives of others in our Stake and communities. You will feel an increased measure of joy.
What does your 2019 covenant path look like? Perhaps, as a member missionary, it is taking advantage of more frequent service opportunities in the community, serving alongside your family and friends; inviting family history consultants into your home to help you start (or restart) preparing yourself or your family members—both living and deceased—to enter into sacred temple covenants; coming up with new ways to care for the individuals and families you've been assigned and others you simply care for; or using the "extra hour" on the Sabbath Day for Gospel study or Christ-like service to others. We invite you to consider what you will do, write it down as a continual reminder, and begin walking that path.
We are truly blessed to serve alongside you. We are grateful to know you. We express our sincere desire to help strengthen each of you in your testimony of the Savior and His Atonement, and in any other way we can, as you strengthen us. We wish you happiness, health and increased joy through this Christmas season and in the year to come.
With love, your Stake Presidency,
David S. Pattberg
Richard J. Ertel
Daniel A. Ward
You received this email because you made your email address available to your local Church leaders. It was sent by Robert Bunker, whose calling is Stake Executive Secretary.
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