The Church of Jesus Christ - Hopelawn NJ

05/21/2016

05/17/2016

Hopelawn Branch Newsletter

May 15, 2016

John 15:12

"This is my commandment,

that ye love one another,

as I have loved you."

Today, our Branch was blessed to have visiting Brothers and Sisters - our Region President, Brother Jim Sgro and Sister Lynda from the Mount Laurel Branch, and Brother Gary and Sister Maureen Calabro and family, from the Levittown Branch.

Brother Jim Sgro opened our meeting this morning, and spoke about the Rod of Iron, which is the word of God, and Lehi's dream. We must hold fast to the rod of iron and keep on the path that will take us to the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus is a beautiful part of our lives, He is a protective spirit and we need to hold on to His word. No matter where we are going - Jesus is already there!

Brother Jim Calabro had followed and spoke of Nephi, Lehi's son, who had a strong desire to see the same dream or vision that the Lord had given Lehi. Today, we must posses a "desire", or a joyful hope. We must be like the Brother of Jared, whose desire and exceeding faith had moved the arm of God. The Lord had responded to the brother of Jared by saying Ether 3:9 "never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast." Ether 3:24 " For behold, the language which ye shall write I have confounded; wherefore I will cause in my own due time that these stones shall magnify to the eyes of men these things which ye shall write."

Sister Janeth Bilardo was anointed today and will undergo a procedure on Tuesday, May 17. We will keep our Sister in prayer for the Lord to bless her with a clean report.

Prayer List:

Sister Dottie CalabroSister Mary BenyolaSister Ethel BanyacskiSister Janeth BilardoBrother Tom Banyacski, JrSister Betty D'OrazioJohn, Jackie - friends of Brother Tim CervoneSandra (Community Merchant for Branch Fundraisers)

Upcoming Events:

May 19 - Round Table Meeting for Teachers and Elders, Hopelawn 7:30 pmMay 22 - Ordination of Sister Enza Pusillo, MetuchenJune 4 - Area Ladies' Circle Brunch and Outreach Day, Hopelawn 10:00 amJune 5 - Hopelawn Branch Fasting and Prayer Service 10:00 amJune 12 - Hopelawn Branch Ladies ' Circle 10:00 amJune 26 - July 2 - Hopelawn Branch Fasting & Prayer WeekJuly 2 - 8 - GMBA Campout 2016 California University of PASeptember 9 - 11 - Area MBA Campout, Camp Haluwasa, Hammontown, NJ

05/08/2016

Dominick - Chris- Michael & Joseph Sing Sing Glory sing Glory my father is a wonderful things in honor of their mothers

09/17/2015

Sunday 9/13/15 - We were blessed to have the Murillo family attend our Branch today. Juanito Murillo and his wife Anne, and their children Juan and Amelia, are relocating to Aspach, Germany and had a desire to visit the Hopelawn Branch prior to leaving for their new home. A special prayer was offered for Juanito and his family for the Lord's blessing to be upon them. A luncheon was prepared following our Worship Service.

Our meeting was opened, by Brother Rick Calabro, our visiting Elder. Brother Rick spoke of the account of Lehi and how he was directed by the Lord to take his family and flee into the wilderness. Brother Rick had correlated this incident of Lehi with the GPS technology that we use today. A GPS will give us turn-by-turn directions to our destination providing we follow the instructions without deviation. Because of Lehi's obedience to the Lord, the Lord had warned Lehi of the impending danger to his life, and led him to the Promised Land. 1 Nephi 2:3 "And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him." We need to ask the Lord "where do I need to be in life?" "Give me your direction." When we ask the Lord what path should we follow, we better be ready to follow the path the Lord directs us to. Alma 37:37 "Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and He will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that He may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if you do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day." Brother Rick then spoke of the Ball and Director, or the Liahona. The Lord prepared the Liahona to be a compass, to show unto His people the course which they should travel in the wilderness. We must follow the Lord's directions in all that we do - He is our GPS of today!

Brother Jim Calabro then followed "if we need an answer in our life - Christ will be that answer!" Don't put your faith in the arm of flesh. Christ will never direct you to to the wrong path. He sits upon the circle of the earth and He is always there for us. Though the storms of life will back us into a wall, the Lord has promised He will never leave us! We need to make our decisions to follow the Lord today. We only have today - tomorrow is not promised!

09/09/2015

Sunday 9/6/15 - Brother Jim Howard opened the meeting by telling us we must be like Christ - we must be baptized and endure to the end to be saved. Repentance and baptism are the gate to the straight and narrow path. Eternal life comes to those who keep the commandments of Christ after baptism. Brother Jim mentioned that he and his wife, Sister Jennifer are helping an elderly neighbor who can no longer attend to his own personal needs. When we are attentive and compassionate to the needs of others we are fulfilling the commandments of Christ - "When you are in the service of your fellowman, you are in the service of the Lord." We must also be sincerely repentant of our sins, and only the truly repentant are saved. We can only repent if the Lord gives us the spirit of repentance. 2 Nephi 31:20 -21: "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen." Brother Jim then told us of three keys that we must possess that will lead us to the kingdom of heaven: (1) Self-Denial: We must deny ourselves by placing others first and placing ourselves last. (2) True Love of God: It is easy for us as humans, to love our own, but hard to love others, especially when they despitefully use us. (3) Possess the Spirit of the Lord: We must read the scriptures in both Bible and Book of Mormon. Things that are good spiritually are not always easy to acquire; but there is spiritual survival when we possess the Armour of God.

08/31/2015

Sunday 8/30/15 - Our meeting was opened by Brother Leonard Benyola, telling us how important it is to visit the sick. There are many that lie in hospital beds, or at home with pain and afflictions. Brother Leonard's mother, Sister Mary Benyola, had recently suffered a fall resulting in a fractured hip. Sister Mary was taken to the hospital for repair of her injury and is now temporarily residing at a Care and Rehab Center. Brother Len then spoke about the Apostles' message and how it relates to the grievous afflictions of this world at this time. In 3 Nephi 21, V 14 - 15 tells us: "Yea, wo be unto the Gentiles except they repent; for it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Father, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will detroy thy chariots." "And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strongholds." The Lord has promised that He will protect His people - But, He will not protect His people in their sins! We now enjoy the comforts of life, but there will be a day that these comforts will no longer be there.

Brother Jim Calabro followed with on the same theme. If the Gentiles repent and hearken unto the words of the Lord they will be gathered in with the House of Israel. 3 Nephi V 23- 25: "And they shall assist my people, the remnant of Jacob, and also as many of the house of Israel as shall come, that they may build a city, which shall be called the New Jerusalem." And then they shall assist my people that they may be gathered in, who are scattered upon all the face of the land, in unto the New Jerusalem. " And then shall the power of heaven come down among them; and I also will be in the midst." We must have hope for these things to come - Where there is no vision, the people perish!

08/17/2015

Sunday 8/16/15 - Our Meeting was opened by Brother Nick Boruch, our visiting Elder. Brother Nick mentioned that his thoughts were centered on the same scripture that Brother Jim Calabro used in our Sunday School lesson that morning - 3 Nephi 28, V 1: " And it came to pass when Jesus has said these words, he spake unto his disciples, one by one, saying unto them: What is it that ye desire of me, after I am gone to the Father?" God loves us so much that He will do what we ask of Him, but we must do as He directs us. We need to develop a close relationship with the Lord so we will understand how He will communicate with us. When the Brother of Jared and the Jaredite people had served the Lord in faith, the Lord gave them the guidance and the direction necessary to be successful in their journey to the Promised Land. Ether 2, tells us of how the Brother of Jared had built barges according to the precise instructions from the Lord. When he had asked the Lord how will they have light to see, the Lord had answered V 23: " "What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels?" Because of the great faith that the brother of Jared had in the Lord, the Lord had not only provided light for the vessels, but he had seen the finger of the Lord!