December Book Club Mtg

You're invited to join us at Barbara Doerk's house Thursday, December 16th, 7:30pm. We will be discussing our November read (click here for details).

Barbara is making yummy spiced cider and her house is all decorated for Christmas so come join us for some good company, good conversation, and good dessert!

December - bring someone!

Tomorrow is the first official day of our Christmas celebrations. Next week, December 7th, we will have our Relief Society Christmas Party at Shirlee Chaillet's home. We have our Humanitarian Aid service project all ready in progress with our ward Christmas Party on the 11th. We must include the Stake Christmas Concert this Saturday evening as well as a Primary Party on December 4th and an Elder's Quorum Party at Brad and Annie Reid's this Thursday evening.
Christmas is a time to celebrate and we do it right in this ward and in this stake. It is our hope that with everything we do and everywhere we go - let's make a call to a friend, neighbor, relative, VT partner - to anyone and bring them to an event.
Let's support as many events as we can - ask someone to come with us if we can - and open our hearts as well as our wallets!

From Abroad

Dear Sisters ,
I am in Nicaragua. Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the
western hemisphere(the first being Haiti). We are in a 4 wheel drive
vehicle traveling deep in the woods. We are looking at the different
schools Peyton taught at while serving in the Peace Corps(he tells me
there are 5 LDS volunteers serving in Nicaragua) These schools are so
primitive; with only a few books to share and a precious little amount
of paper. The children love school and don' know what abject poverty
they live in. Living in America as we do we are besot with many
blessings. America is the country that has allowed religious freedom
since it's inception. This blessing provided the fertile environment
where the gospel could be restored.

Speaking of blessings; on 11-28 we will be discussing "Healing the
Sick" by Elder Dallin H. Oaks (05-10 General Conference). In it he
discusses our ability to give and receive blessings through the power
of the Priesthood. Read this one sisters, it has a reference from our
own Dallas Morning News reporter Steve Blow. I am looking forward to
seeing each of you on Sunday.

Warmly,

Shirlee

Holy Ghost

This week's lesson is on the Gift of the Holy Ghost. I have a testimony of the power of the Holy Ghost. It is my favorite topic in the gospel because he provides a way for each of us to have our own testimony and he guides us back to our Heavenly Father. Below are two quotes I like that remind us what it means to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost in our daily lives.

"Heavenly Father has given a simple pattern for us to receive the Holy Ghost not once but continually in the tumult of our daily lives. The pattern is repeated in the sacramental prayer: We promise that we will always remember the Savior. We promise to take His name upon us. We promise to keep His commandments. And we are promised that if we do that, we will have His Spirit to be with us (see D&C 20:77, 79). Those promises work together in a wonderful way to strengthen our testimonies and in time, through the Atonement, to change our natures as we keep our part of the promise."

Elder Eyring, Nov 2007 Ensign

“When you were confirmed a member of the Church, you received the right to the companionship of the Holy Ghost. He can help you make good choices. When challenged or tempted, you do not need to feel alone. Remember that prayer is the passport to spiritual power.”
President Monson, May 2010 Ensign

The Holiday Service...I Mean Spirit!

Life, in the second estate, is really an oxymoron. We are taught that in order to get the most out of our own lives, we should forget about ourselves and serve others! It is the great secret of true joy. When we are "surviving" a stressful experience or season, we have a tendency to hibernate and lick our wounds. And during the Holiday Season, many might feel very stressed and for very good reasons.
Yet, it is written in the Book of Mormon, that "when we are in the service of our fellowman, we are only in the service of our God." So, if we want peace, or comfort, or anything from our Heavenly Father - we are encouraged to go out and serve others - as an act of FAITH - that our prayers and needs are being seen, heard, and answered by HIM.
This "Holiday Season" we will have many chances to serve others. We will be sending out email blasts to make you aware of some of the ways we can serve.
If anyone in this Dallas 4th Relief Society is struggling - for any reason - and in any way - SERVE.
The peace, joy, contentment, and answers will come!
I have proven the Lord in this area. I bear my testimony that this is a true principle.

Baptism

"Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, by one having authority, is a true principle, because Christ taught it; Christ obeyed it, and would not fail, for anything, to fulfil it—not that He was sinful and needed to be baptized for the remission of sins, but He only needed to do it to fulfill all righteousness, that is, to fulfil the law."
Joseph F. Smith

Tomorrow's lesson is Chapter 20 from the Gospel Principles Manual. Hope to see you there!

How May I Serve You?

I love how I feel every time I further my own efforts to be prepared for what may come down my path. The efforts we all make to prepare physically and spiritually will bless our families and give them a feeling of security and peace. We have a responsibility to care for our ourselves and our own. I encourage you all to take this seriously and ponder the ways you can strenghten your own desire for self-reliance. We should not live thoughtlessley or recklessly, believeing that we can just tap into other people's resources any old time, or that no large-scale crisis will ever happen to us. This is not the way the Lord would have us think. Instead, we have been receiving warnings about self-reliance for EVER SO LONG! Don't wait another minute to get started or to continue your efforts!

I LOVE this provident living calling and I want to serve you as best I can. Please tell me what we can do to best help you progress in the area of provident living. What types of group orders are you particularly interested in? What would you like to know or what do you need help with? Reply to this post or talk to me in person/phone/email and I will see what we can do to help you out!

Easy Reading for November

Submitted by Barbara D.:
"Just finished re-reading the book for November - "The Incredible Journey of Edward Tulane". I always finish this book with tears in my eyes. There are soooo many great thoughts about love. It's a really quick read - - I'm sure Jeanne can finish it in an hour. Great to share with children, also."

Submitted by Ruth G.:
"I read it last Sunday while I was home sick. Very heartwarming. And a little sad. Still, I highly recommend it."

Has anyone else read it?

Chinese anyone??

I know this is random and might not be appropriate for a RS blog but I am desperate to find good Chinese food in this area. I have good food ideas/restaurants for every other food/cuisines but I can't seem to find affordable Chinese food!
Please let me know if you have a favorite place and I will trade your good ideas with COOKIES!!!

IF YE ARE PREPARED. . . .

As a followup to our continuing 72 Hour Kit classes - we talked about the need of having important papers laminated and in our 72 Hr. Kit in an emergency. The contents of your wallet - credit cards, drivers license. Social Security cards for all your family laminated. If you have small children - laminate their pictures in case you were ever separated in an emergency. Our instructor Kim Adair, will have a laminator, we will have access to the library copier. This activity is planned for Tuesday, November 16, at 7 p.m. at the R.S. Room. Now is the time to get prepared - "if ye are prepared, ye shall not fear", If you haven't started on your kits - this is a good place to start, There will be a small cost for the laminate sheets. You will feel so good about working toward the goal of being prepared. It should only take about an hour. If you are planning to attend please comment on the bottom of this blog, so we will know how many to plan.div>

Law of the Harvest

This Sunday I will be giving the Relief Society lesson on the Law of the Harvest. In studying this topic I'm reminded how important our choices in this life are. I pray that as we choose our actions, we will remember, that whatever we sow, we shall also reap.