"Of thee I sing"

I went to watch the fireworks in Allen on Saturday evening (a week early, I know). My son Matthew has a home that is situated right next to the field which was used for this display. In speaking with my grandchildren, I realized that they did not really understand why we had fireworks as a 4th of July celebration. So I rehearsed the story of Francis Scott Key and the origins of the Star Spangled Banner for them. I cannot imagine sitting offshore(as Francis Scott Key was forced to do and in an enemy boat), watching Fort Mc Henry/Baltimore/or anyplace in the United States be bombed for 24+ hours! Then waiting until the first light of dawn and holding my breath to see if our flag was still flying over the fort.
I am so grateful for this country. My brother tells of flying from Singapore to San Francisco and having some suspicious planes threatening their airspace over the Pacific. This was during a time that a plane had been "lost"near South Korea and he said the passengers were very quiet and pensive. Then the captain of the plane announced that they would be getting some escorts back to the USA and along side the plane they could see several Air Force pilots wave to them as they formed a shield around their plane. The passengers erupted into a huge applause. He told me that he travels alot but still gets choked a little as he remembers the safety he felt just seeing those fighter planes protecting his flight home.
I'll bet we all have memories of feeling that lump in our throat over the freedoms that have been perserved for each of us. Just being able to have this blog and express myself as I see fit - that is a treasured freedom!
I would love to hear/read some of your thoughts and feelings on what this great land of America means to you - and why!

Treat for Thoughts

Leave a comment on this post & you'll get a treat Sunday. If you can't remember how, look to the right of this blog for instructions (under the Visiting Teaching message).

Can't wait to see you Saturday at Shelly's party and Sunday at church. Our RS lesson this Sunday is "Watching with all Perseverance" by Elder Bednar from the April 2010 General Conference.

Veteran's Project

Sisters, just a reminder that there are only 2 Sundays left for the Veteran's Service collection. We are collecting all types of entertainment items (CD's, movies (DVD or VHS), books & magazines) for our courageous men and women in the armed services. So now is the time to do some Summer cleaning. Just bring your items to church and we will deliver them to the VA Hospital in Dallas. Thank you to all those who have already contributed. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Remembering Others

This is a special time in our calendar year as we consider Memorial Day, Father's Day, and soon the 4th of July. We have set aside times to pay tribute to people who have had an impact upon our lives. (Our current RS service project speaks to this as we are asking everyone to come up with magazines, CDs, DVDs etc that might be of use to our service men or women who have to stay at the Veteran's Hospital.)
BUT, we also remember the women in our Relief Society who are moving or have moved to other areas. Diana Quintero has moved back to Tyler with her husband and baby to pursue more education. She served on our Enrichment Committee, as a visiting teacher, and wrote on the blog. Nikole Vigil and her husband have moved to Colorado to be with his family. She served as a visiting teacher and they both helped on the Activities Committee. We have Shelley Whiddon, who has been part of our ward family for more than 20 years. She has been so diligent to serve in the Primary and as a visiting teacher. She is moving back to North Carolina to be with her mother and family. Barbara Doerk (15922 Windy Meadow) is having an Open House for her - THIS Saturday, June 26, 2-4PM.
I am so thankful for the many ways the women in this Relief Society remember each other. You have helped women pack to move, or watched their children etc.
Each person is important - they have an affect on our group - we notice and care when they come and when they go!
We remember!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To Remember My Father

I was 13 when my father died. He was a huge influence in my life. I remember when I was in the 7th grade and ready to run for a Jr. High student body office. I had decided to run for secretary or treasurer as these were "female" offices back in my day. NO girl would run for president or even vice-president. My father was very sick by this time and home in bed. I told him of my idea to run for a student body office and he encouraged me to run for president. I told him of the impossibility for a girl to win and he retorted that I could be the first OR at the very least I should "try". His words the best I remember are "you cannot ever lose if you try". I did lose, by a very large margin. And I was mad at myself - at the time - for listening to my father. I have since come to appreciate the ennobling affect of "trying".
I have always missed my father. This has not diminished with time. But, to repeat his wise offerings to my children and grandchildren, to live a life of worth and effort - to keep TRYING - this is a way to always remember him!

Veteran's Service Project

Remember to bring your old DVDs, CDs, magazines, and books to church tomorrow. We're donating them to the Veteran's Hospital. See HERE for more details.

72-Hour Kit Class Report

By Karen Bateman



This past Tuesday, June 15th we had a fabulous meeting at Kim Adair's home on 72 hour Kits. When we came, Kim served Mango Smoothies and popcorn - then the "role play" began. Joel Adair, came running in and said there had been some kind of disaster in Dallas, and they had to evacuate their home. The whole family went into action; with Kim directing, everyone grabbed their 72-HR kits and extra bags and loaded their car. They did it in approximately 10 minutes. Kim said that was the first time they had ever done a drill, and that she learned several things from the experience.



Kim then sat in the middle of the floor, and unloaded their backpack kits. It was fascinating how many different things they had assembled. One thing that really struck me, was that she had laminated pictures of each child, and the family picture to which they belonged. On the back was critical information in an emergency: name, birthday, parents, food allergies, blood type, etc. She also had their birth certificates, credit cards, and social security cards all laminated on one sheet. She also showed us a number of water filtering systems large and small for filtering all types of water to make it drinkable. It was reinforced that WATER is your most important asset in most emergencies. She had a bag of small bills - dollars - five dollars - and some coins. If computers are not working - neither will credit cards.


Several sisters told of times when they were forced into an emergency; certainly most poignant was Sister Angelina Athian. When rebels invaded her village in Sudan, when she was just 15, she had to flee with five siblings from 13 to 2 years old without her parents at home. They just grabbed quickly what they thought they could take and fled on foot. They really had no water supply. Sister Athian quietly told us,"I lost my 9 year old brother on that trip". Sister Yvonne Gausman spoke of a time when her husband was in the Navy, based in San Francisco. There was a rather credible rumor which circulated that the Cubans were about to attack the West Coast. The Navy men were instructed to flee to some mountains for three days of a survival camp. The Marines acted as the enemy. She said that after only three days of the survival camp many of the men were breaking down mentally and it was effecting them physically. These were men in their prime and well trained.

Sister Adair talked about her in-laws in Salt Lake City. Several neighborhoods in Salt Lake last week--because of leakage from some old oil drums into one of the Creeks--had their water contaminated for several days.

It was a night of great information, some dramatic role playing and much reflection on how prepared we each were. We have been warned and warned by many prophets to be prepared. Prepared, so that we will suffer less, when these emergencies come into our lives. We each received a little flashlight for our own 72-HR kits. Sister Adair puts so much work and great information into her presentations. Start working on a backpack or a rolling bag for everyone for whom you are responsible. Don't waste your time worrying - just start to do something. WHEN WE ARE PREPARED, WE SHALL NOT FEAR!

Thank you Sister Adair. And thanks to all the women who attended this activity. We hope more sisters can join us next time.

Christmas and Easter in June!

This Sunday, June 20th, is Father's Day. It is also Lesson #11 in our Gospel Principles manual. (Shirlee Chaillet teaches this Sunday.) The material centers on "The Life of Christ"! Imagine being able to read, ponder, and celebrate -again - the life of our Savior. What a wonderful surprise to have in the middle of June! I cannot wait for this lesson and to hear your thoughts, feelings, and testimonies of Jesus Christ.

Everyone's Invited

Fun week ahead!

Sunday--RS lesson is on the scriptures--be sure to read it beforehand and come prepared to participate in the discussion

Tuesday--72-Hr Kit Class--Kim Adair's Home--7pm

Thursday--Cooking 101--Joanne Poulson's Home--7pm--theme: Easy Appetizers
Everyone is welcome to bring an appetizer (w/recipe) to share if you'd like--but it's not required.

Family

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to spend much of the day in the temple. The day marked a culmination of our efforts with the D4 Generations Project. I had some family names to do and that made the experience personal and tender to me. Yet the real magic was seeing the faces of women from our Relief Society as they came in to do temple work. I felt "pure joy" as I saw each sister come around a corner or into a room. It felt as if I was greeting my own family!
I am so grateful for all the effort and support each sister gives to our ward "family." Every sister that came was noted and rejoiced over by us and each sister we did not see, we thought about and prayed over.
Quite simply, we really do love you as our own family - always remember this!

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Yesterday, when I came home from Church, it was so hot, that I parked my car under a big tree to keep it cool. Overnight, I discovered that the birds in that tree had not been "kind" to my car. This afternoon when the summer sun was behind a cloud, I decided to go out and wash off the car. As I was working, a huge old plane from World War Two flew over my head coming from Addison Airport. It was so loud, it seems that the air was vibrating as it flew over. I thought how frightening it would have been to live in Europe during World War Two and experience the sky filled with those planes on a daily basis.

What a blessing to live in America - to enjoy her bounty, and to have men willing to give up their lives to fight for our freedom. We should be so grateful to the veterans who served, and to those who paid the ultimate price in defense of this land.

We have a chance to give a little thank you to the Veterans Hospital of Dallas. We are collecting used books, magazine, CD's and DVD's to donate to the hospital. Just bring it to church any Sunday through July 4th.

Presenting Your Skills in the Job Search

When presenting your skills to others, use concise statements that briefly describe the value you can bring to the organization. Highlight a strength you have, and show how you have used that strength to achieve results. This kind of statement is referred to as a Power Statement.

Presenting facts about your skills and experience is not boasting; it allows others to understand how you can add value to their organization. Power Statements strengthen interviews, resumes, and thank-you letters. "How forcible are right words!" Job 6:25

Here are a few examples of different types of achievements you could share:

Introduced the design of a new product line that became a best seller in the marketplace.

Developed a new employee training program that increased employee retention by more than 80 percent.

Organized a fundraising dinner and auction that increased donations by 20 percent.

Organized a two day conference for 500 young men and women ages 13-18 which included guest speakers and events.

Developed marketing materials for a two day conference for 500 young men and women ages 13-18 resulting in a 20% increase in attendance.

Sources:
"Presenting Your Skills", LDS Employment Resource Services

"THE MIGHTY SPIRIT OF ELIJAH"

Sisters, for the past three months we have been preparing for our Dallas 4th Ward Generations Project. If your hearts have been turned to think of your ancestors, you have been touched by the "Spirit of Elijah". Elijah was a magnificent prophet and perhaps much of his stewardship is reaching it's zenith in our day, as we go forth with family names to baptize, endow and seal in our own Dallas Temple.

WHAT DID ELIJAH DO AS A PROPHET?
1. When he first became prophet, he immediately confronted King Ahab, and he "sealed" the heavens and it did not rain for 3 1/2 years.

2. He fled for his life, and was fed by Ravens.

3. He encountered the widow and her son and asked to be fed with her last bit of meal, and promised she would always have enough and to spare.

4. When the Widow's son took ill and died, Elijah raised him from the dead.

5. In a dispute with the Priests of Baal, he called down fire from Heaven on at least 4 occasions to burn the offerings on the altar when the priests had failed.

6. He fasted for 40 days and nights.

7. He was cared for by angelic ministrants.

8. Finally, he was taken into Heaven without tasting death--translated.

Centuries later, Malachi prophesied that Elijah would return before "the great and dreadful day of the Lord" to turn the heart of the fathers to their children and the children to their fathers.

During September of 1823, Moroni told Joseph Smith that the Lord would soon reveal unto him the Priesthood by the hands of Elijah the Prophet.

On April 1836 in fulfillment of both Malachi and Moroni's revelations, Elijah appeared in the Kirtland Temple to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdrey and conferred upon them the priesthood, complete with the sealing powers.

Joseph Smith said of the mission of Elijah, "The spirit, power and calling of Elijah is, that ye have power to hold the keys of the revelations, ordinances, oracles, powers and endowments of the fullness of the Melchizedek Priesthood and of the Kingdom of God on the earth and to receive, obtain, and perform all the ordinances belonging to the Kingdom of God, even unto the turning of the hearts of the fathers unto the children and the hearts of the children unto the fathers, even those who are in Heaven. Then Joseph went on to say "I shall not have time to do justice to the spirit and power of Elijah."

People come from all over the world to work in our Genealogical Library in Salt Lake City, and smaller libraries around the world, members and nonmembers alike. The internet has vast genealogy sites, family organizations. and research domains. The Lord has given us more than 100 temples throughout the land, to do the work. The Spirit of Elijah is strong in this last dispensation of time - CATCH THE FEVER