Monday, June 14, 2010

Know your Savior

The title just gave me an idea for a Relief Society Meeting...what do you think? Anyway, the lesson this week was given by Sis. Jana Starr from our manual about the Savior. She mentioned that He has around 168 different titles and then asked why we thought that was. Sis. Kemp gave a wonderful answer. She said that she thought it was because of all of the different languages there are and what different cultures called Him or referred to Him as. For instance, the word "flower" can be said differently in other languages, but they all mean the same thing. I had never thought about that and it really made sense to me. We all call Him something different but it's still out of respect and what we feel in our hearts. Most of the discussion was centered around this one cosmic question that she asked, "Can we become perfect in any aspect of our lives." The comments and stories erupted from that one question and they all pointed in the same direction YES!! One sister mentioned that we are not perfect in all things but in somethings or one thing. Like scripture reading, music, writing, teaching, cooking, cleaning, etc. Another sister pointed out that if you ask a child what his/her talent is they'll say something like jumping or skipping or climbing. They recognize that what they are good at is something simple but it makes them feel good that they are good at something. They don't consider the fact that writing a novel or playing a particularly difficult concerto is a talent because they can't do those things quite yet. But they sure can jump rope and count to 100 without messing up! These thoughts gave me hope in realizing that I don't have to be perfect at everything all the time but I can perect myself in the areas that I feel are important to me and my family. For instance, I'm okay at music and I love to cook, but cleaning my house is my nemesis! I want to have a clean house I just have too many other important things that take up my time. So this gave me food for thought to think about those things that I want to become perfect in and then moving on to the next area that needs help. And, those areas that I am good at I can share with others who may be working on that in their life. This is why I am still working on that pamphlet, "The Pursuit of Excellence." Remember when I gave all of you that challenge?!?!?! Anyway, it was a really good lesson and made me want to become a better person and work on my relationship with my Savior, to become more like Him. This lesson went hand in hand with the talks given by Bro. and Sis. Jones in Sacrament Meeting. They spoke on developing a relationship with our Heavenly Father. We should have a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father and Savior. After all, we do owe them our very lives and souls and they are our greatest advocates and guides on this journey we call life.

Thank you to all who participated or helped with the "Free Yard Sale" this past saturday. It was a huge success and many people received the things that they needed.
Temple Night needs a few more participants! I had planned to go but Jason got caught in the wonderful world of traffic and my little baby had her shots that day and was not doing well. She cried for an hour and a half straight before finally falling asleep! When she woke up later she was not any happier and I felt that I couldn't leave her in this condition with anybody else. So, we plan to go this weekend instead. Things like this happen and we all understand that. The point of the Elders and the RS sisters working together on this is to HAVE IT ON THE CALENDAR and MAKE TIME for it! It's important to go to the temple so make sure that you do it! (myself included!!)

Sis. Anita Stansfield had to cancel her speaking engagement with us because she has been ill and will be needing surgery this month. So we will be having her come in September. We will be doing our Dutch Oven night this month instead. We hope to have Bro. McKell come and teach us about how to use, clean, season and cook with dutch ovens as another resource incase of an emergency or natural disaster. We will have some food cooked in a dutch oven for refreshments. This class is also in preparation for our Ward Dutch Oven Cook Off that the Activities Committee is planning in August so come and have fun!!

I had to step out during the good news minute so I apologize that this is not updated. Please check out the prayer circle for those in our ward who are in a particular need and please let us know if you have any needs that we can help you with.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Temple Date Night

Don't forget that this month our Temple Date Night is this Friday at 6pm. We will be doing the 6pm session at the Timpanogos Temple for those who would like to come. We will be doing this every month.

Book Club

Wednesday the 9th is Book Club over at Sis. Childs house at 8 pm. We will be discussing the book "Moonraker's Bride" by Madeline Brent. Even if you have not read the book but would like to join the book club, please come and socialize and get the info for the next book which will be "Cheaper by the Dozen."

Trials and Enduring Them

Sister Makin gave a wonderful lesson about how we can endure our trials. She shared many stories and examples that she has collected along the way and they were to numerous to remember them all...but there was one in particular that has stuck with me this week.
I don't remember all of the details, but picture this...a man in on trial and Father in Heaven is the Judge. Satan steps up and says that he is going to prove that this man should be sent to Hell because of the crimes he's committed and the choices he's made. Satan wants Justice and the consequences must be served! Then the Savior stands up to plead his case. He says that he has already paid the price for this man and that justice should not be served, but Mercy. He tells the Judge that this man's sentence has been "Paid in full." We can liken this story to us by thinking of the many ways that Satan is against us and tries to tell us that we are not worthy of such help and that we must SUFFER for the choices we make. The Savior reminds us that HE SUFFERED so that we did not have to...but we have to seek His help and guidance and we are all worthy of that help and love.
These past few months my family has gone through some trials (like everybody else) that has me saying to myself..."why us? When will this be over?" I just finished a book by Anita Stansfield called "Reflections" in which she writes about her life and experiences. She talked about a particular time in her life where one thing after another kept going wrong...but it was leading her to the part that give her the blessing. She said that she witnessed first hand that the miracle really does happen AFTER the trial of our faith. This and Sister Makin's lesson have brought strength, comfort and peace to my heart this week and I grateful to these two sisters for that. It doesn't stop the trials from happening but it gives me hope that there are great things to come for my family.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

RS MEETING TONIGHT!!!

Ok, I know I'm a little late in getting this posted but there is a Gardening Class tonight in the RS room at 7pm. Sister Jamila Williams will show us how to box garden and square foot garden and Bro. John Schiess will go over the what's, where's, when's and how's of planting. If you want to beef up your gardening skills or do one for the very first time you do not want to miss this meeting! See you there!

Friday, May 7, 2010

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!

Our very own Russ McKell has written a book!

You can purchase this book on lulu.com click on this linkhttp://www.lulu.com/browse/search.php?fListingClass=7&fSearch=Crossroads+my+journey+of+words&fSubmitSearch=Go&showingSubPanels=&fSort=relevance_desc
and it will take you right to his page. Here's a little blurb about the book:

I guess I’ve always believed that while life is a journey; the destination is secondary. How we travel is everything. The moment is important; the now is all we have. Living for tomorrow is a waste of time. If we wait till tomorrow to appreciate, love, change or apologize, then we’ll be waiting a very long time. Because tomorrow never comes. There is only today – there is only this moment. So I’m a big believer in stopping to smell the roses or listening to the music on the journey. The journey is what’s important. I’m not saying that the destination is completely unimportant. It’s not. It gives us direction. But if the destination is the goal, it seems like we’re missing out on a whole heck of a lot of important stuff. So I guess I have some things to say about my journey so far.

He will be having an Open House and book signing at the Thanksgiving Point Cafe on Saturday May 15 from 1-4pm. You can bring your copy of the book and have him sign it or he will have a few copies there, but numbers are limited.
How exciting!!! Those of us who know Russ know how eloquent he is and what a deep thinker he is. I for one am excited to get my copy and read it. Come and see him at his Open House and support him on his journey. Walk the gardens while you're there and take time to smell the roses.
See you there!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Mothers

Sis. Proctor gave the Presidency message this month and she chose to speak on Mothers. What an appropriate lesson for this month! She didn't speak about how we can be better mothers, but rather how we can treat our mother's better. Broke up into four different categories as follows: Mother forgotten, mother remembered, mother blessed and mother loved. I was in the back taking care of my baby so my notes are not very good but I will do my best to remember what she said.

Mother Forgotten: How many times do we forget about our Mothers? Sure we remember them on the "important" and "special" days, but what about everyother day? How many mothers are sitting in a nursing home, or in a hospital bed feeling lonely because nobody comes to visit or call them on the phone? And for that matter, how many mothers are sitting at home and feeling the same way? Why is that the woman we spent almost every hour of every day watching, learning, growing and being nurished by is the last woman we think of today? Remember your mother everyday and let her know that you think of her and that you are grateful for her.

Mother Remembered: Sis. Proctor told a story about a large group of burly men getting together and having several rounds of drinks, but there was one man who would not drink. To tease him and give him a bad time the men asked him to do the toast. He said he toast with water and the toast he made was to his mother. Each man thought of his mother as the man spoke and in the end they all drank in silence as they toasted their mothers and remembered her.

Mother Blessed: I can't remember what this one was so I will make up something of my own :) Of course as a mother we always feel blessed but I remember thinking a lot to myself as Sis. Proctor was teaching this part and that's why I can't remember what she said. The past few weeks I've been feeling really stressed lately. That comes with just having a new baby and fulfilling all of my other responsibilities as well...something we all do and face every day. But these past weeks with sun...snow...sun...rain...made me contemplate how my life is like that lately. Happy one second and bitterly cold the next. My little 20 month old son has been giving me a run for my money and I question why I ever brought this cute but destructive little boy into this world on a daily basis. I've nick-named him "The TermiNATEr." Moving from one thing to the next and destroying everything in his path I found myself trying to find the local Gypsies because I was sure they had left one of their children behind. Or maybe I could put him up on E-bay and see if I had any takers! Of course I love my little guy more than life itself but he was wearing me out and I was just about to fall apart. But then, the other night it was just him and me alone for a few hours while Jason and the girls went and helped his sister move into her new house. We read books together, played together, laughed together and sang songs together. My heart grew and I couldn't believe I had even thought about giving him back to the gypsies! My undivided attention that used to be his, was now being shared with his baby sister and he missed me. How truly blessed I am to be reminded of that and taught by my little TermiNATEr.

Mother Loved: Reviewing the story of the 2000 stripling warriors, we are reminded how the young soldiers were brave and true to the Lord because of their mothers. They didn't fear because they had been taught by their mothers that if they served the Lord they would be protected. What love they showed toward these magnificent women by honoring what they were taught.

This Mother's Day think of your mother and give her a call, visit or card to show your appreciation towards her. Focus on the kind of mother she was and the kind you want to be.