Addiction Recovery Announcement

An important message from Sister Johnson:

(Secretaries please be sure to include this in your ward bulletin.  See below)

This is Sister Gwenda Johnson.  I am a church service missionary and along with my husband, I serve as a program coordinator for the Addiction Recovery Program (ARP) in the Houston Coordinating Council.  I want to update you on the ARP program.

Addictions can disrupt one's ability to listen to the Spirit and they limit our agency.  Many who struggle with an addiction suffer from shame or a sense that they are unlovable.  They may feel discouragement and despair that recovery is not possible.  But we know that with God, nothing is impossible and that all can be healed and protected through Jesus Christ and His Atonement.  The church offers an inspired program to aid those who desire to recover from an addiction.

Currently, we have two kinds of Addiction Recovery meetings being held weekly in the Katy Stake:

(1)  A general meeting for anyone who is trying to recover from an addiction to drugs, alcohol, gambling, eating addiction, etc.  These are held unfailingly every Tuesday evening in the High Council room at the Stake Center.  Grant and Barbara Anderson are the group leaders.

(2)  A recovery meeting specifically for pornography addictions (for men only.)  This is held without exception every Thursday evening in the High Council room.  Brothers Jerry Udy and Val Ott are the group leaders.

The third kind of ARP meeting--for spouses of addicts--that was being conducted in our stake by Sisters Price and Udy was discontinued for the time being due to lack of attendance.  The stake presidency is waiting for the arrival of a newly revised manual from Salt Lake; when it becomes available, they will likely restart these meetings in our stake. 

In the meantime, there are other options for sisters who need a support group to help them deal with their husbands' addictions.  Very successful meetings, conducted by outstanding, loving group leaders, are being held in Cypress Stake and Houston North Stake on Tuesday evenings and in the Spring Stake on Thursday evenings.  These meetings are confidential and I highly recommend them.  The details of each of these meetings can be located atarp.lds.org.  Simply go to that website and click on "Find a Meeting" in the upper righthand corner. 

We have a standard announcement that should run in every Sunday ward bulletin in the stake every week.  Could you have your secretary forward this to each of the wards and ask them to see that it is included in their weekly and/or Relief Society bulletin? 

LDS Addiction Recovery Program
  ARP Tue 7:30 PM in HC Room at Stake Center
  PARG (men only) Thu 7:30 PM in HC Room at Stake Center
  For more locations and information:  http://arp.lds.org 
  or call Elder & Sister Johnson at 832-232-3419

 
You can familiarize yourself and other Relief Society leaders with the Addiction Recovery program at arp.lds.org.  The church continues to update and improve this website, and it is an excellent resource for you as an auxiliary leader. 

Elder Johnson and I are more than happy to answer any questions you might have about the program.  If you would like me to visit your presidency meeting to give you more information, I would also be delighted to do so. 

Thank you,

Sister Gwenda Johnson

Home 832-232-3419

Cell    832-418-6721