Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Meetings for the Atherton Ward are held at 6500 E. Atherton St., Long Beach. Sacrament service is held every Sunday at 9 a.m., followed in the second hour by Sunday school on the first and third Sundays. Relief society and Elders Quorum meetings on the second and fourth Sundays. Primary classes for children are held every Sunday during the second hour. Members who are unable to attend Sacrament services in person can request a link from Bishop Mike Gravley at 562--212-8681. The Newport Beach Temple will be closed July 15-28 for semi-annual cleaning. There be will a Stake County Fair on Saturday, July 27, beginning at 4 p.m. at the Stake Center.

The course of study this year is the Book of Mormon. Personal study for July 15-21 should be centered on Alma 30-31.

The “Come, Follow Me” manual says “The accounts in Alma 30–31 clearly demonstrate the power of words—for evil and for good. The ‘flattering’ and ‘great swelling words’ of a false teacher named Korihor threatened to bring ‘many souls down to destruction’(Alma 30:31, 47). Similarly, the teachings of a Nephite dissenter named Zoram led a whole group of people to fall ‘into great errors’ and ‘pervert the ways of the Lord’ (Alma 31:9, 11). In contrast, Alma had unwavering faith that the word of God would have a ‘more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else’ (Alma 31:5).”