Church Cleaning in February

Sisters,

It is our branch's turn to show our gratitude for our building by cleaning the church each Saturday in February. If you'd like to help with this assignment, please talk with Brother Crowther.

Also, Brother Crowther will be making assignments to families as needed. If you and/or your family is asked to help, please come on your assigned day, so that it doesn't all fall on one person to clean it all on their own.

Thank you for your help with this!

Cooking Club Starting! New Information

Last week it was announced that the cooking club was starting up and would be on the fourth Wednesdays of each month. This information has CHANGED.

The cooking club will now have its meetings on the SECOND THURSDAY of each month. The location of the club meetings will change from month to month - depending on who is teaching/hosting it that month.

They will have various classes on all aspects of cooking. But they need out help! They need to know what we want to know and who has some ideas of something they can teach us.

If you have something you've been dying to learn about cooking, please leave a comment below and let us know!

If there is something you know how to do in the kitchen and you'd like to teach others, please let us know what that is in the comments below!

More announcements will be coming as to when and where all these classes will be held.

1-23-11 Good News

Sister Bishara was excited to announce that she now has Sister Gorham to help her with the Relief Society activities. We're happy to have her on board to help with planning and doing our activities!

Sister Pickett said she was excited for our new fourth Sunday teacher, Sister Runnells, to start teaching us. She did a great job on her first lesson today!

Sister Dearinger pointed out to us and we all agreed that it was nice seeing Sister Loyo back with us after her surgery! Welcome back!

If you have any good news you'd like to share, please leave a comment below and we can all rejoice with you!

1-23-11 Lesson Summary: "The Three Rs of Choice"

Teachings of Our Time

“The 3 R's of Choice”

Pres. Thomas S. Monson

Sister Runnells

Right of Choice

Within the confines of whatever circumstances we find ourselves, we will always have the right to choose. 

We who chose the Savior's plan knew that we would be embarking on a precarious, difficult journey, for we walk the ways of the world and sin and stumble, cutting us off from our Father. But the Firstborn in the Spirit offered Himself as a sacrifice to atone for the sins of all. Through unspeakable suffering He became the great Redeemer, the Savior of all mankind, thus making possible our successful return to our Father.

Responsibility to Choose

Each of us has come to this earth with all the tools necessary to make correct choices. The prophet Mormon tells us, "The Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil." Decisions are constantly before us. To make them wisely, courage is needed-the courage to say no, the courage to say yes. Decisions do determine destiny.

Results of Choice

No temptation, no pressure, no enticing can overcome us unless we allow such. If we make the wrong choice, we have no one to blame but ourselves. Pres. Brigham Young once expressed this truth by relating it to himself. Said he: "If Brother Brigham shall take a wrong track, and be shut out of the Kingdom of heaven, no person will be to blame but Brother Brigham. I am the only being in heaven, earth, or hell, that can be blamed." He continued, "This will equally apply to every Latter-day Saint. Salvation is an individual operation."

We have all made incorrect choices. If we have not already corrected such choices, I assure you that there is a way to do so. The process is called repentance. I plead with you to correct your mistakes. Our Savior died to provide you and me that blessed gift. Don't put your eternal life at risk. If you have sinned, the sooner you begin to make your way back, the sooner you will find the sweet peace and joy that come with the miracle of forgiveness. 

Conclusion

May we be filled with gratitude for the right of choice, accept the responsibility of choice, and ever be conscious of the results of choice. 

I plead with you to make a determination right here, right now, not to deviate from the path which will lead to our goal: eternal life with our Father in Heaven.

1-16-11 Good News

Sister Gorham is very excited to be in the Miss Deaf Utah Pageant again this year. We'll be rooting for you!!

Also, it was Sister Link's birthday yesterday, and we sang her the Happy Birthday song (most of it anyway :^)).

If you have any good news you'd like to share with the rest of us, please let us know by making a comment below! We'd love to celebrate with you!

Special Announcement: Hearing aids for Africa

Brother Barney's nephew is working on his Eagle project. He is collecting hearing aids and creating a hearing aid bank for children in Africa. Currently, children have to wait for months to receive hearing aids, so he'd like to change that.

If you have any old hearing aids - working or not (they will repair/refurbish any broken hearing aids) - please bring them to church or give them to Brother Barney for his nephew to take to Africa in March.

If you have any questions about this, please contact Brother Barney directly.

1-9-11 Good News

Sister Crowther joked that she was glad to be done with her Sacrament meeting talk. :^) She did a fantastic job - as well as the whole family!

If you have any good news to share, we'd love to hear it. Click on "comment" below and leave us a message, so we can all celebrate together.

1-9-11 Lesson Summary: Gifts of the Spirit

Gospel Principles Manual

“Gifts of the Spirit”

Lesson 22 p. 125-132

Sister Parker

After our baptism, we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. When we are faithful, we can be blessed with certain spiritual powers- gifts of the Spirit. These gifts help us to teach and share about the gospel.  With our gifts, we can bless others and help us to become closer to Heavenly Father.  Below are the gifts of the Spirit:

The Gift of Tongues (D&C 46:24)

The Gift of Interpretation of Tongues (D&C 46:25)

The Gift of Translation (D&C 5:4)

The Gift of Wisdom (D&C 46:17)

The Gift of Knowledge (D&C 46:18)

The Gift of Teaching Wisdom and Knowledge (Moroni 10:9–10)

The Gift of Knowing That Jesus Christ Is the Son of God (D&C 46:13)

The Gift of Believing the Testimony of Others (D&C 46:14)

The Gift of Prophecy (D&C 46:22)

The Gift of Healing (D&C 46:19–20)

The Gift of Working Miracles (D&C 46:21)

The Gift of Faith (Moroni 10:11)

Like a Swiss Army knife, it has a lot of different parts. Each has different functions and they all are useful. Those help to make this knife very helpful.  It’s same thing with the spiritual gifts. None of them are more important than other. Yet, they all serve different purposes and with all gifts together like us, we can serve to build the kingdom of God.  

We need to develop our gifts by seeking, praying, and fasting. Sometimes patriarchal blessings will help us to know which gifts we have been given. I challenge you to ponder which spiritual gifts that would make you stronger personally or help to serve the Lord and others.  Seek these gifts and think how you can use them to bless others. Beware of Satan as he will try to imitate the gifts of the spirit. Work with the Lord to confirm your gifts and to seek it true without Satan’s deceiving plan. 

I’m grateful for having the gospel in my life. Heavenly Father know each of us and he knows which gifts of the Spirit to give. He knows our heart and what we can do to nourish our gifts. I encourage you to open your hearts to these gifts, seek them and live worthily to receive them.  When we do that, we can bless our lives and bless others greatly. Think about what you can do to bless others with your gifts of the Spirit. I know that President Monson is a true prophet for this latter day. He also have the gifts of the spirit because Heavenly Father chose him to lead us at this time. I’m thankful for Joseph Smith’s courage to listen and to restore the church so we can receive the truth. I know He lives.  I say things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.  

Special Announcement: Exercise Group

Ladies, we are starting the new year off right! We will have a our first exercise group of the year tomorrow night starting at 8:00! We'll be doing Zumba. Sister Pickett has the DVDs and we'll find a room, get a TV (we hope) and go for it! Come join in on the fun and get fit with us! Hope to see you there!

1-2-11 Good News

Sister Crowther was very excited to share that she is happy to have her turn to be in Relief Society. She's been in Primary since the split and is happy to be in Relief Society for a change. We are happy to have her.

If you have any good news you'd like to share, please leave a comment below and let us know, so that we can celebrate with you!

1-2-11 Lesson Summary

Leadership Instruction

“Increase our testimonies of Jesus Christ
through prayer and scripture study”

Sister Pickett

Relief Society Declaration

This year, 2011, I will still be focusing on the women in the scriptures, but with a different purpose. I want to focus on the Relief Society Declaration and the principles we, as Relief Society sisters, should practice in our own lives in order to get back to the presence of our Heavenly Father.

Increase our testimonies of Jesus Christ through prayer and scripture study.

The first principle stated in the declaration helps us know how to increase our testimonies of Christ.

Scripture Study and Martha

In Luke 10 we learn of Mary and Martha whom Christ and His followers visited. Mary was working very hard to take care of her guests while her sister, Martha, sat at Christ’s feet to listen to Him teach. When Mary complained to Christ about Martha not helping her, she got an unexpected answer: vs. 42 “But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” 

“The Savior’s response strikingly clarified what mattered most. On that evening in Martha’s home, the good part was not in the kitchen; it was at the Lord’s feet. Dinner could wait.” Bonnie D. Parkin

Prayer and Hannah

In 1 Samuel 1 we read of Hannah. Hannah was a woman who could not have children. Her husband had another wife who could. Hannah wanted more than anything to give her husband a son. On one visit to the temple to offer sacrifices, Hannah “prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. (vs10)” Hannah promised the Lord if He would give her a son, she would give the son back to Him to serve Him - meaning her son would work in the temple. Hannah waited on the Lord and was finally blessed with a son. When the son, Samuel, was weened at about 3 years old, Hannah took him to Eli the prophet and left Samuel in Eli’s care. Hannah was then blessed with more children.

Summary

Studying Christ’s words helps us to know Him better. Knowing Him better, helps us to love Him better. Loving Him better, helps us to trust Him and helps our testimonies of Him grow.

Praying with sincerity and with His will in mind and then waiting for the answer, helps us to trust and rely on the Lord even more.

Challenges

 Make a plan to read the scriptures daily

 Prayerfully read Relief Society Lessons before Sunday

 Prayerfully read Sunday School Lessons in student manual before Sunday