Sunday, December 18, 2011

Happy Like Jesus

Juli gave a wonderful 2-part lesson in Relief Society, all about being Happy Like Jesus (based on D. Kelly Ogden’s book).  Many of you are already so good at so many of these things.

Your challenge for 2012:  Pick just one of these attributes to work on this year – a gift you’ll give to the Savior.  It will change your life and those around you and you will simply be a happier person.  We promise.

Be Happy

“I am perfectly satisfied that my Father and my God is a cheerful, pleasant, lively, and good-natured Being.  Why?  Because I am cheerful, pleasant, lively, and good-natured when I have His Spirit.  (President Heber C. Kimball)

Be Holy

Our Redeemer has taught us how to be holy, and he has shown us the way.  By immersing ourselves in his words and sincerely talking each day with our Heavenly Father, along with giving selfless service to our brothers and sisters and offering faithful service to God in his House, we can be holy – like Jesus.

Be Spiritually Minded

By filling ourselves with the Spirit through his words (scriptures) and our words (prayer), we displace the powers of worldliness with the powers of heaven.  The devil will leave us, and angels will come.

Be Humble

God must be first in our life and labors, our fellow humans should be second, and we need to be third.  We get into trouble when we put ourselves in first place.  It is best to put our hand in the hand of God and let him work with us according to His plan.

Be Knowledgeable

Knowing God and his truths is absolutely urgent in order to escape the bombardment of worldliness surrounding us.  The knowledge of God, including his ordinances and covenants becomes our shield and protection against the powers of darkness.

Be Serviceable

Laying down our life doesn’t just mean dying for others; it also means living for them, being willing to sacrifice (give up) our time and effort to bless others.

Be Prayerful

God wants us to pray, plead, implore, and importune – specifically, frequently, and sincerely.  He wants us to plead with him in humility for what we need.

Be Peaceful

The Father, indeed, has great expectations that his chosen children will exercise the true independence of heaven, even while surrounded by wickedness, and still provide for the prodigals a serene view of happy living.

Be Fruitful

True disciples bring forth much fruit, and thereby they glorify the Father and the Son.  the Lord does not necessarily require huge, earth-shaking, world-changing accomplishments, but he does expect of us many quiet, unpublicized acts of kindness and compassion.

Be Obedient

The Lord expects complete obedience – exact and strict obedience.  You receive blessings commensurate with your level of obedience.  If you almost obey, the Lord almost blesses you!  And you get in trouble when you think you are above some commandment, that you are an exception to a rule.  Exact obedience is the rule of Heaven.

Be Loving

You too are called to feed the flock.  Whether it is the large flock (as bishop of a whole ward) or a small flock (as Primary teacher of the Sunbeams) – size does not matter to the Master Shepherd – you are called to watch over, guard, protect, and nourish the sheep under your care.  And for the ones who have wandered off, you will search them out and do all you can to guide them back.

Be Forgiving

Complete forgiveness for all our little failings and all our outright sins is what we hope to receive from the Savior.  You have frequent opportunities while here in mortality to learn to be like him, and one of the most important godly qualities you can learn is to forgive – as Jesus does.

Be Long-Suffering

“How can you and I expect to glide naively through life, as if to say, ‘Lord, give me experience, but not grief, not sorrow, not pain, not opposition, not betrayal, and certainly not to be forsaken.  Keep from me, Lord, all those experiences which made Thee what Thou art!  Then let me come and dwell with Thee and fully share Thy joy!’” (Elder Neal A. Maxwell)

Be Persevering

We, like Jesus, suffer contradictions as part of our probation on this earth.  It is what we do in the face of those contradictions, how we react, that demonstrates our commitment to God and thus determines our place in eternity.  The greater the contradiction, faithfully endured, the greater the blessing enjoyed afterward. (Andrew C. Skinner)

Be United

You and I must be united in thought and action with the Gods, and we must be united with one another to make the kingdom flourish, especially in family relationships between husband and wife.  We must come to see eye to eye and become as one in our most important thoughts and feelings – just as the Father and the Son are one in their thoughts and feelings.

Be Dedicated

The Lord Jesus Christ wants you and me to do the same:  dedicate ourselves and focus our lives on the things that matter most – the things of eternity.  He taught that the eye is the light of the body and the window to the soul.  If our eye is single, if we are dedicated to our Savior’s glorious cause, then our whole body will be full of light.

Be Disciplined

No one achieves self-mastery overnight; it is a long process of struggling and overcoming.  But we need to be sure we are on the right track and that we are moving forward – if we are just sitting there, we will be left behind.  The Savior does not expect instant perfection, but he does expect continuous progress.

Be Christlike

Jesus has laid out a clear pattern of how to live, here and forever.  He is the personification of all noble character traits, humble, knowledgeable, serviceable, prayerful, peaceful, fruitful, obedient, loving, forgiving, long-suffering, persevering, united with him and his Father, dedicated, disciplined, and Christlike.

Merry Christmas!

Monday, December 5, 2011

Visiting Teaching Open House

Friday, December 16th
2p – 6p at Juli Shogan’s Home
17311 N Golden Drive
(come when it’s good for you)

We love this time of year when we get to visit with you one-on-one.  Please come and share just a few minutes of your time with us.  And, if you’d like to hang out and get the Christmas Spirit,
we couldn’t talk Juli out of these fun “extras.”

imageCandy Cane Craft
I know this little girl is cute, but look at this fun candy cane.  These will be available to make, if you wish.  $3 for materials.  (The little girl might available for rent)

image

Homemade Caramel Demo
Cyndi Barnes will be giving a little demo on her famous caramels at 3pm.  There will be a possible repeat at 4pm.  You won’t want to miss this one.  She has a special pan and a special recipe.  Yum.

Monday, November 28, 2011

December Relief Society Meeting

It’s just around the corner . . . . . .. .

image

Thursday, December 1st, 2011
6pm Canvas and Vinyl Project (for those who have signed up)
7-8:30pm Dinner, Entertainment, and Dessert

We provide the dinner and entertainment. 
You provide the dessert. 
Please bring your favorite holiday finger-treat.
Childcare provided if needed.

We’re so looking forward to spending the evening with you.  Please feel free to bring friends.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Home for the Holidays Vinyl Project

 

Relief Society Christmas Gathering
Thursday, December 1st
6pm  Vinyl Project
7-8:30pm Dinner, Fun, and Dessert

More details to come, but in the meantime, check out the cool vinyl projects available.  Remember to bring your money and sign up on Sunday.

002
Home for the Holidays Canvas
red vinyl lettering with gold snowflakes
$8.00 (includes canvas and all lettering)

001
Whimsical Christmas Subway Art
red lettering on white canvas
$10 (includes canvas and all lettering)

003
Spiritual Christmas Subway Art
off-white lettering on black canvas
$10 (includes black canvas and all lettering)

**All Checks Made Payable to Sherry Morgan

Friday, November 4, 2011

Relief Society Temple Trip

 

Come join us for our temple session on
Thursday, November 17th at 6:15pm

image

“Understanding the eternal nature of the temple will draw you to your family; understanding the eternal nature of the family will draw you to the temple.” (Elder Gary E. Stevenson, April 2009 Conference)

Remember to call the temple (926-2824) to make an appointment.
If you would like to carpool, we will be meeting at the church at 5pm.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Daughters in My Kingdom

This Sunday, we will be handing out the new Relief Society History Book that is being distributed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a gift to all sisters in every ward, stake, district, country, and world.

001

Relief Society sisters have a glorious heritage. We pray that this volume will be an important resource for preserving that heritage.

~ The First Presidency

You can read all about this new resource for all Sisters in Relief Society on the Church’s website, here.

Here’s a little preview:

 

002

I love that this book is not curriculum.  It is just a gift to us, that begins with the very beginnings of Relief Society,

003

and applies and relates it to Relief Society Sisters all over the world, today.

Come find us on Sunday so you can get your copy, and one for those you visit teach who may not be there.  You’re going to love it.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Super Saturday is Coming

 

Saturday, October 22, 2011
11am to 3pm

Greenbluff Building

Here’s a peek at what will be offered.
Sign-ups and payment will be accepted between
Sunday, September 18th and Sunday, September 25th, only.

(in order that we may purchase adequate supplies in time)

Please note:  This blog is for information purposes only.  You must sign-up and pay in person in order to be counted for the class.

nativity-blocks

Original Artwork Nativity Block Set $7 for the first set
$4.50 for each additional set.
Checks made payable to Anita Carroll

woolstitchery

Fall Wool Stitchery $20 (includes entire kit)
Checks made payable to Juli Shogan

Please note you may not be able to finish this project in its entirety, but you will have all skills and supplies necessary to finish it at home, by the time you leave.

clipboard

Photo/Recipe Clipboard Stand $5.50 ea.
Checks Made Payable to Cassi Campbell.

crayon-wallet-toy (1)

Felt Crayon Roll $4.25 ea.
Checks Made Payable to Anita Carroll

014

Collage Charm Necklaces $1.50 ea.
This includes one small charm and one larger charm.
Checks made payable to Cassi Campbell.

 

You can also look forward to:

A Sharing Table:  Bring your favorite neighbor/teacher gift with several copies of a small card describing your gift or noting the recipe.

Baby Blanket Tying:  Come and sit and socialize and provide service – we will have 3 flannel quilts to tie during the meeting.

Lunch will be served.