Relief Society

Lakewood Sisters,

Message from President Nichol Dowell

Dearest Sisters that we love,

I love that we are talking and learning of the restoration.  I also love restoration hardware, the store, haha, and think of it as clean and crisp and new and shiny, so the word restoration has come to mean so much to me.  I watched my father in law restore a portion of his wood floor and am amazed at how he was able to fit it into the old floor so seamlessly.  I feel that the restoration of the gospel fits seamlessly into every heart that is open to receive it, no matter what dispensation of time they receive even a portion of what He offers.  He can restore our minds and hearts, and His atonement, encompassing the Garden of Gethsemane, His suffering on the cross, His death on the cross and the Resurrection, are all part of the process of being able to provide us with restoration of body and spirit. 

About 3 years ago I got new couches in my house after like 10 years of the saddest frumpiest couches that my kids destroyed and I was giddy.  I ordered them and then they were scheduled to arrive and I started running into delivery glitches.  I was supposed to coach (be at work) on the only delivery date and then I tried to get someone to cover for me so that I could be home and a few hours before the practice they cancelled and said they would not cover for me. Just as I was feeling exasperation, the delivery people called and asked if they could come right then and I knew that Heavenly Father had intervened... not because He cared about my couches, or about my delivery, but He did care about me and I had asked Him for help.  He also knew that I was miffed at the girl who bailed last minute on me and I feel like He spoke directly to my mind... "Don't talk about things, talk about ME."  He gave me a direct commandment to let it go and just testify of how He came through for me.

I often think of that silly situation.  He loves me, AND He loves whoever is frustrating me.  He doesn't want me to waste time talking about couches or schedules, He wants me to testify of His love. It is deep and real and He is there holding our arms up when they fail us and even when others fail us.  He cares and loves you deeply.  We have a month to study and prepare to celebrate His resurrection. LET'S ALL TALK ABOUT HIM.  

I WILL TOO!!

All my love,

Nichol

Announcements At A Glance

Every Tuesday  Scripture class every Tuesday at 7pm in the Relief Society room

Weekly Join President Nichol Dowell in the temple.  Updates for day and time are posted by Nichol in the Facebook group each week.  

Sunday, March 23 1:30pm Linger Longer (Green Theme)

Sunday, March 23 6pm,  Tempe West Stake Choir rehearsals begin for stake conference

Saturday, March 29, 6:00 PM  Tempe West Stake Devotional:  Priesthood Power and Authority of Women, by Barbara Morgan Gardner. See the details below.

Sunday March 30, Fast Sunday

Friday, April 4 Ward temple day. 7pm session. 

Wednesday April 9, Mesa Temple Easter Pageant begins and is the best day to go

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 6:30-7:30pm SPRING BABY SUPPLIES DRIVE See the details below.

Saturday April 19, 9am, Easter Breakfast (Check out the ward calendar for this event to get a sharable QR code)

April 26-27, Stake Conference

YOUR voice is needed for the Tempe West Stake Choir

STAKE CONFERENCE ADULT SESSION: April 26, 2025 @ 6:00 PM

STAKE CONFERENCE GENERAL SESSION: April 27, 2025@ 10:00 AM

Rehearsals will be held at the Stake Center (1050 W Grove Pkwy, Tempe)

6:00 PM to 7:00 PM 

-Sunday, March 23

-Sunday, March 30

-Sunday, April 6 (General Conference weekend)

(no practices on Palm Sunday, April 13 or Easter Sunday, April 20)

Young Men/Young Women who read music are also welcome

If you have any questions, please call, text, or email Bonnie Welsh at 480-221-8791 or bwelshaz@gmail.com

Lakewood ward history YOUTUBE link

Check out the slideshow from this year of our ward members lovingly put together by our Ward Historian, Rebecca Case.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9ZCqIpwGXQ

Tempe West Stake Devotional

SATURDAY, MAR 29, 6:00 PM

PRIESTHOOD POWER AND AUTHORITY OF WOMEN

BARBARA MORGAN GARDNER

Barbara Morgan Gardner is a daughter of God, wife, and mother, deeply committed to her faith. She serves as a Chaplain-at-large for Higher Education and is a professor at BYU, teaching Church History and Doctrine. As a member of the Interfaith Outreach Council, she fosters dialogue between religious communities. A Deseret Book author, she wrote The Priesthood Power of Women in the Temple, Church, and Family. Above all, Barbara Morgan Gardner is a devoted follower of Jesus Christ, striving to live by His teachings and inspire others to do the same.

1050 W GROVE PKWY,TEMPE, AZ 85283

ALL WOMEN AND MEN, AGES 16 AND UP, ARE INVITED TO ATTEND

Oh Baby!  It's time for the Tempe West Stake RS  SPRING BABY SUPPLIES DRIVE

Kindly drop off collected items to the Knox Building, 4525 E Knox Rd

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 6:30-7:30pm

Items needed:

Diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream, baby products, baby cereal, food, formula, bottles, pacifiers, thermometers, educational toys, new or gently used clothing sizes 0-5 yrs, new or gently used strollers, umbrella strollers, car seats (any size), baby swings, playpens, cribs.

Items will be donated to Seewa Tomteme

Community Center in

Guadalupe

Relief Society Help with rides for Sister Glenda Martinez

Dear Sisters, we need your help planning rides for Sister Glenda Martinez and her baby, Angel. They need rides from home (4411 E. Chandler Blvd Apt 1073 building 17) to their physical therapy appointments (4350 E Ray Rd) on Thursdays. There is one appointment each Thursday. Please see if you are available to help with rides for any portion of the following sign ups. Glenda's phone is 347-857-5256 &

She has a carseat. Thank you sincerely for your Christlike Love and Service.

Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up. Thank you!

https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/5080B44AEAF2CABFD0-54529028-relief

Weekly Temple Sessions

President Nichol Dowell would love to invite you to join her in the temple.  She goes every week and any sister is welcome to join her.  She will post her days and times in the Facebook group and try different timing slots to see what works for her and others. 

Lakewood Ward Relief Society Facebook Page

Do you need a little help with something?  We would love to have you share it on our Facebook Page. Here is the link to the Lakewood Ward Relief Society Facebook Page.

https://fb.me/g/enBYTQYLY/yiqW80jq

Lakewood Ward Mission Plan 2025

Monthly Missionary Challenge:

We will outline monthly missionary goals/activities that will assist us to achieving our baptismal goals by utilizing 12 mini action plans, one for reach month.
Strengthen our ward by,

• Love, Share, Invite

• Encourage the entire Ward family to participate in the ward monthly missionary goals/activities.

• Bringing 4 people to baptism and focused on going to the temple.

• Re-Activate 2 families​.

MARCH: Family Mission Plan

We are all in this together. With fellow ward members and missionaries, we plan and pray and help one another. Please keep the full-time missionaries in your thoughts and prayers. Trust them with your family and friends. The Lord trusts them and has called them to teach and bless those who seek Him.

Elder Neil L. Andersen

The Ward Council would like to challenge your family to:

Pray for help to identify a specific family or individual you can serve.

Join in learning and evaluating how your family is doing with your own missionary work by Love, Share, Inviting your family and friends. There are those who need help around us; seek inspiration from God for how you can best serve one of His children more fully.

Love, Share, Invite