July Activity: Fun ideas for bringing families together and sharing family history

We hope you enjoyed the activity, and for those of you who were unable to attend, we hope to see you next time.

Sister McMahon spoke to us about how to make family history coloring books. They were really cute! If you have questions about it, I'm sure she would LOVE to help you.

Sister Perry talked to us about the family history center (which is right next to the church building, folks!). They have a LOT of resources. Her biggest point was that there is NO good reason not to be doing family history work if you have the time. All you need to know is what you need to know--the family history center can help you with the rest! They can teach you how to search for names, how to use several different software programs, and everything else you might need to know. Check the "resources" tab to see the days/time the family history center is open.

Sister Norton showed us a new part of FamilySearch, which is the "descendency" view of your family tree. This allows you to work back down through your family tree so you can see cousins and what work they may need done. Cool! She (or Sister Haverfield, or anyone at the family history center) would be more than happy to help you with this great new tool.

We had a beautiful display of items from personal family histories, and several sisters brought family recipes to sample. See below for links to the recipes.

Shelley Hughes - Pineapple Cookies
Jordyn Whiting - Elephant Foot Pudding
Effie Dickerson - Pinwheels
Joyce Haverfield - Homemade Bread
Ariel Weaver - Spicy Chicken Dip

"Self-Reliance" by Sister Adamson

In our ward councils we have been asked by our First Presidency to discuss and implement two principles that are needed and very important to our spiritual and temporal welfare.  The first is keeping the Sabbath Day holy.  The second is self-reliance.

I loved the talk Joyce Haverfield face in Sacrament meeting on the subject of keeping the Sabbath day holy.  She quoted Leviticus 26:2-12.  That scripture promises many blessings and protections when we obey God’s command to keep His Sabbath day sacred.  Isaiah 58:13-14 together with D&C 59, are powerful scriptures that teach a principle with a promise. If you keep the Sabbath day holy you will be blessed with temporal blessings.  D&C 59:9-15 gives the principle; 16-19 gives the Lord’s promise.

The reason I bring up the principle of keeping the Sabbath day holy first, is because it contains the Lord’s promises for temporal blessings.  The only other commandment that contains the same promises is the command to pay an honest tithe.  Temporal blessings are important if we want to be self-reliant.

But self-reliance is much more than having monies or temporal blessings.  It’s an attitude of independence that helps build self-esteem and self-respect. Elder L. Tom Perry gave a talk entitled, “Becoming Self-Reliant” in which he makes the point that after the Lord gave Nephi the commandment to construct a ship, Nephi’s first question was, “Whither shall I go that I may find ore to molten, that I may make tools to construct the ship after the manner which thou hast shown unto me?” 

Elder Perry says, “This is one of the more interesting stories we have in the scriptures because it tells of an instance in which the Lord provided help but then stepped aside to allow one of His sons to exercise his own initiative. I have sometimes wondered what would have happened if Nephi had asked the Lord for tools instead of a place to find the ore to make the tools.  I doubt the Lord would have honored Nephi’s request.”

From the beginning of time, the Lord counseled Adam that he would eat his bread by the sweat of his brow and cursed the ground for his sake.  It’s interesting to me that Adam’s need for self-reliance was one of the first directives given to him.

Elder Marion G. Romney said, “The practice of coveting and receiving unearned benefits has now become…fixed in our society…  Elections often turn on what the candidates promise to do for voters from government funds.  This practice, if universally accepted and implemented in any society, will make slaves of its citizens.”

President Henry D. Moyle spoke of those who through no reason of their own cannot be self-reliant; “This great principle does not deny to the needy nor to the poor the assistance they should have.  The wholly incapacitated, the aged, the sickly are cared for with all tenderness, but every able-bodied person is enjoined to do his utmost for himself to avoid dependence, if his own efforts can make such a course possible.”

The Lord tells us in D&C 29:34-35 that he gives no commandment to man that is temporal.  He also says man is to be “an agent unto himself.”  Man cannot be an agent unto himself if he is not self-reliant. Elder Marion G. Romney said, “Both independence and self-reliance are critical keys to our spiritual growth.  Whenever we get into a situation which threatens our self-reliance our freedom is threatened as well.  If we increase our dependence, we will find an immediate decrease in our freedom to act.”

I found a great link on the LDS website (click here) that illustrates the freedom that comes from self-reliance.  I hope you enjoy the stories of the saints learning this principle, as much as I did.  It’s amazing and inspiring.

"Stay-cation" Ideas -- June Activity

Thanks for your help with the baby quilts. I know they will be much appreciated wherever they go.

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Amee Smith is our new preparedness leader. She gave some great handouts that can help you gauge where you are in your personal emergency preparedness. If you didn't get one, contact her!

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Here is the list of the "stay-cations" we came up with. Enjoy!

BOISE

• International Market
• Basque Block
•  Trolley Tour (Boise Township Tours)
• Old State Penitentiary
• Zoo Boise
• Morrison Knudsen Nature Center
• Walk the greenbelt
• Float the Boise River
• Idaho Botanical Garden
• Lucky Peak

 NAMPA/CALDWELL

• Warhawk Museum
• Lake Lowell (Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge)
• Greenbelt (Wilson Pathway) and others 

OTHER PLACES IN IDAHO

• Shoshone Falls (near Twin Falls)
• Thousand Springs (near Hagerman)
• Balanced Rock (near Castleford and Twin Falls)
• City of Rocks/Castle Rocks (south of Declo)
• Emmett Cherry Festival (June 17-20)
• Huckleberry Festival (Donnelly, August 14-16)
• Starlight Mountain Theatre (Garden Valley)
• Craters of the Moon
• Redfish Lake
• Blue Lake
• Cascade
• Yurt Camping
• Eagle Island State Park 
• Bruneau Sand Dunes 
• Jump Creek (near Marsing)
• Shoshone Ice Caves
• Kuna Caves
• Burgdorf Hot Springs (Ghost town N of McCall, can stay in old cabins)
• Givens Hot Springs (near Melba)
• Walters Ferry and Cleo's Trail (near Melba)
• Warren (Ghost town abt 45 miles NE of McCall)
• Silver City (Ghost town abt 1.5 hr drive south of here)
• Custer (Ghost town near Redfish Lake/Stanley; July 11th is Custer Day!)

You can get an Idaho Parks Pass for $10 with your car registration which will allow you entrance to ALL Idaho stake parks! It is possible to get the pass if you have already renewed your registration.

Here is another website with some more local activities.

"Share Your Talents" by Sister Bugby

As I pondered what I should talk about in this post, I could not stop thinking about how talented the women of our ward are. It is truly amazing how many different talents we have and should share with each other. I feel a great need to be connected with each of you and can imagine that others feel the same. I want a friendship with you, to share with you, to love you.
 

Russel M. Nelson said: "Blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion..., for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb."

I come to you pleading to share with each other our great talents. To connect and bond and grow together so we are connected in a way that only sisters can be. If I want to do something crafty, I feel inadequate. If I want to learn something I know little about, I want someone to teach me. 

Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president said: "You have had every opportunity poured into you so that your gifts and talents and abilities will be built and strengthened. And why do you think the Lord gave you that opportunity?... All the talents and abilities that have been poured into the sisters of the church up to this time are going to be required to help build the kingdom."

The love is here in our ward, I can feel our sisterhood so eager to spring out and wrap it's arms around each other. Sisters, I am begging for your support to bring our ward together, to share with one another, to become true sisters in the gospel. I can feel a love of the gospel in our ward and I again Plead with you to share the gifts that the Lord has given each one of you with just one sister. If we start small and gain the courage and strength to expand our own horizons we will be able to lift up each of our spirits, lift up each of our hearts and grow together as a unit in the love of the gospel and true service.

Little by little, line upon line and precept upon precept we can change how we look at unity, support and love. When you think about praying for a sister, do so, then go do something special for her. When you feel the need to hug a sister, do so (even if you think they'll wonder what we're doing) they may have been praying for that very thing! If we're prompted by the Holy Ghost to go and do, then Go and Do. I have always wondered if that still small voice is my own or the Holy Ghost. Last week I heard something that changed how I view that difference. It doesn't matter if it's our own voice or the spirit of the Holy Ghost, it only matters that we Act upon it. Now let each one of us Go and Do, Live and Learn and find our sweet sisters who need to be gathered and lifted up (I assure you, each one of us needs this) we need the love and support of one another, our sisters, in the gospel to help us return to our loving home, to our Heavenly Father, with honor. 

Return With Honor

May Activity: Gardening and Veggie Pizza

We hope you enjoyed our gardening activity and picked up a few tips to make your garden better! If you have questions about "pallet gardening", Tambi B. is your gal. KLynn showed a great video on "square foot gardening," a method developed by Mel Bartholomew; both the video and book are available at the library.

We had some delicious "veggie pizza" that I'm sure many of you would like to make yourself. Here is the recipe:

Veggie Pizza
2 tubes refrigerated crescent rolls
1 (1 oz.) pkg Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning packet
16 oz. sour cream
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c. chopped olives
1/2 c. shredded carrots
1/2 c. chopped broccoli
chopped peppers or any other veggies you desire

Preheat oven to 375º. Unroll the crescent rolls and press into a greased 11 x 17 cookie sheet making sure to seal any seams. Bake 11 to 13 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool. In a small bowl stir together the sour cream and seasoning packet until completely combined. Spread evenly over the cooled crust. Top with the shredded cheese, olives, and veggies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

We hope to see you at our next activity! We will be making baby quilts for a humanitarian project.

May Presidency Message (newsletter)

Thanks to all of you who help lift the load. Your faithfulness is appreciated. When I think about you sisters and the blessings you bring to our ward, I am grateful. I love you and I feel unity with you. Elder Marion G. Romney said:

The way to unity is for us to learn the will of the Lord and then to do it. Until this basic principle is understood and observed, there will be no unity and peace on the earth. The power of the Church for good in the world depends upon the extent to which we, the members thereof, observe this principle.

"Unity" by Sister K. Miller

As we study the scriptures we see a recurring theme among the followers of Jesus Christ. That theme is unity.  As members of the Church we should feel that unity, harmony and peace among those in our family, our Ward, our Stake and then by example extend these virtues throughout the world.

President Marion G. Romney (former 1st counselor in the First Presidency) said this:

There is but one way that we can be united, and that way is to seek the Lord and his righteousness.  Unity comes by following the light from above,  It does not come out of the confusions below.  While men depend upon their own wisdom and walk in their own way, without the guidance of the Lord they cannot live in unity…The way to unity is for us to learn the will of the Lord and then do it.  Until this basic principle is understood and observed, there will be no unity and peace on earth.  The power of the Church for good in the world  depends upon the extent to which we, the members thereof, observe this principle.

We of this Church can come to a unity and a oneness which will give us strength beyond anything we have yet enjoyed if we will obtain a sounder understanding of the principles of the gospel and come to a unity in our interpretations of present world conditions and trends.  This we can do by prayerful study of the Lord’s word, including that given to us through the living prophet.

Only a united people, keeping God’s commands, can expect the protection which he alone can give when the floods come, and the rains descend and the winds blow, and beat upon our house.

As we travel along the highway of life we may not always be able to choose our traveling companions or the conditions that we have to face. But as we make and keep sacred covenants and receive the ordinances of the gospel we will be prepared to assist others in our company.  Let us strive to be united to become one that we may be a Zion society.

Sister KLynn Miller

To read the rest of Pres. Romney's talk, click here: Unity: Marion G. Romney