CTR - Choose to RESOLVE

The Primary theme for 2012 is "Choose the Right". In 2012, D4 Relief Society will also have a CTR theme - but - ours will be Choose to Resolve (or Resolve to Choose)...Come What May!
It is so amazing that the Lord has given us time frames in this Second Estate. It helps us understand and make goals and measure them.
Let's RESOLVE to make measurable goals that will help us see the Face of the Lord one day!
Come to Relief Society this Sunday and be thinking of what types of goals to set and ways to make them happen this year.

RS Christmas Party Remembered

Remembering Rachael's Oranges

I will soon have all of my children here for Christmas and the "busy-ness" has begun. I have all ready gone back to a store to "add" to a gift or buy more groceries or drive aimlessly around trying to find an address or person!
Last Sunday, Rachael Roark brought us a bag of oranges and handed them out to the women in our Relief Society. She said it reminded her of how happy she was to get oranges in her Christmas stocking and to remember simpler times and put our "WANTS" versus "NEEDS" in perspective. (I edited her words - kinda!)
I loved her reminder of gratitude at this time of year. We really do have so much good at this time, in this country - in our lives.
I hope I will remember Rachael's oranges, take a deep breath, savor the people in my life, read Luke in the New Testament and think of that serene night - long ago - with a simple manger, a little baby, a new mother, clean hay, and beautiful stars that gave light to it all.
We love you!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas Party Recipes

Here are the recipes from the Relief Society Christmas party held December 6th at Annie Ried's home.

Chicken Scaloppini

Lemon butter Sauce

• 4 ounces lemon juice (1/2 C)
• 2 ounces white wine or chicken broth (1/4)
• 4 ounces heavy cream (1/2 C)
• 1 lb butter (4 sticks) Yes, a full pound!

Chicken and Pasta

• 12-15 chicken tenders or 6 chicken breasts
• Olive oil, for sautéing chicken and mushrooms.
• 1 cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper, for dredging
• 6 ounces bacon, cooked
• 12 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 12 ounces artichoke hearts, chopped
• 1 heaping tablespoon capers
• 1 lb angel hair  pasta, cooked
• chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions:

1. To make the sauce.
2.  Heat the lemon juice and white wine in a saucepan over medium heat.
3.  Bring to a boil and reduce by one-third.
4.  Add cream and simmer until mixture thickens (3 to 4 minutes).
5.  Slowly add butter until completely incorporated.
6.  Season with salt and pepper.
7.  Remove from heat and keep warm. The sauce does not have to be hot, just warm.
8.  To make chicken and pasta:
9.  Cook pasta and drain
10.  Pound the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap so that the chicken is about 3/8” thick.
11.  Heat a small amount of oil large skillet.
12.  Dredge chicken in flour and sauté in pan, turning once, until brown and cooked through. This only takes a few minutes because the chicken has been pounded thin.
13.  Remove chicken from pan.
14.  Add some of the mushrooms to the pan with a little oil.  The mushrooms should only cover the bottom of the pan.
15.  Heat until mushrooms soften and a slightly brown on each side.
16. Remove from pan and cook the next batch until you have cooked all of the mushrooms. 
17.  Put all of the mushrooms back in the pan. 
18. Add the bacon, capers and the chopped artichoke hearts to the pan. 
19. Add the chicken back to the pan.
20.  Add half of butter sauce to chicken mixture and toss.
21.  Taste and adjust. Add more sauce if needed.
22. To serve:
23.  Place chicken mixture over pasta on each plate.
24.  Add a little more sauce to each.
25.  Garnish with parsley.

If you want to make this ahead of time keep the sauce, chicken, artichoke-mushroom-bacon-caper mixture, and pasta separate until you are ready to serve. Put the pasta in boiling water for a minute.If you keep the sauce over night it may separate.  Just heat it up just until it meltsin a pot on the stove and whisk it back together.  It doesn’t do great in the microwave.

Panna Cotta

Ingredients:

1 cup low fat buttermilk, room temperature

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

2 t pure vanilla

1/2 cup granulated sugar

4 cups heavy cream

Directions:

1. Have 8 dessert cups or ramekins ready

2. Pour buttermilk into a small bowl, sprinkle on the gelatin and stir to dissolve. Set aside for about 15 minutes or more.

3. In a medium sauce pan combine cream and sugar. Stir in buttermilk mixture.

4. Place pan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture is just under a boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

 5. Pour mixture into ramekins or dessert cups. Place them on a tray, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, about 5 hours or overnight.

6.  To serve pour a little strawberry sauce on top, with a dallop of whipped cream, a fresh strawberry slice, and a little mint.

 Strawberry Coulis Recipe (Strawberry Sauce)

Recipe can be multiplied as needed.

• 5 and 1/2 cups of sliced strawberries , this is about 18 ounces
• 1 of a cup of plain white sugar (granulated)
• ¼ cup of water

1. Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring the mix to a boil. Once it is boiling and the sugar has been dissolved into the liquid, turn off the heat and transfer the mixture to a blender.
2. Blend until it is very smooth, and then pass the sauce through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds. (The straining step is not strictly necessary and it won’t make things taste any better, but the sauce is more enjoyable when it doesn’t leave you with strawberry seeds to pick out of your teeth!)

Serve on top of some good vanilla ice cream or as a topping for cheesecake or Panna Cotta and pop the rest into the freezer to be used as needed.

Store in the fridge for up to a week and in the freezer for months

Olive Garden Salad Dressing Serves: 12 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar 1 tsp. lemon juice 2 Tbls. beaten egg (see Notes, below) 1/3 cup water 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup corn syrup 3 Tbls. grated Romano cheese 2 Tbls. dry, unflavored pectin (see Notes, below) 1 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. fresh minced garlic 1/4 tsp. dried parsley 1 pinch dried oregano 1 pinch red pepper flakes

-Pour the vinegar, lemon juice, and egg into a blender; blend for 10 seconds, then allow to rest for 10 minutes. -Add remaining ingredients to blender and blend on low speed for 30 seconds. -Chill at least 1 hour before serving, the longer the better. If this is too thick after it is chilled you can add a little water. Notes: Mixing the raw egg with vinegar and lemon juice will kill any Salmonella present. You can also buy pasteurized eggs at many supermarkets. Pectin can be found in most supermarkets near the Jell-O® or with the Mason® jars; it is used as an emulsifier, to keep the mixture from separating.

December Thoughts

Well Christmas is fast approaching, and as I addressed Christmas Letters to family and friends who don't live in Dallas, I thought what a blessing I have enjoyed living iin the Dallas 4th Ward for oh so many years. The Relief Society Christmas Party was an amazing start to the Christmas Season. I loved Bonnie's marvelous food, Annie's beautiful home, and all of you sisters with your special gifts which you shared that night.

I had the Laurels and Priests come and sing Christmas Carols in my home. I had the Bishop stop by with a beautiful Widow's basket, and my neighbors came caroling last night, and brought a big box of Texas grapefruit. It is a great place to live.

I am excited about studying the teachings of George Albert Smith this next year in Relief Society. He was so loving and kind, and he always took time to get to know people, and make them feel like the most important person he had met. When he died, he got lots of accolades, even from the President of the United States. However when his little 5 year old neighbor knocked on the door to come and visit him, and was told he had died, he said,. "Oh, no, he was my best friend." The family asked him to be an honorary pallbearer.

President Smith once said, "Our Happiness is in direct proportion to our Charity".

That is so true, when we forget self and serve others, when we stop looking in the mirror and look out the window to see who needs help we find our greatest happiness. December is a great month to look around, see who might need our "special touch" to ease their burden or loneliness. or just increase their joy!

Our R.S. Presidency has decided on a new theme for the coming year: Resolve to do it - Come what may! Be more loving, more charitable, a better wife or mother or grandmother, a better student of the scriptures, a better temple attender, a better disciple of Christ, whatever we resolve to do - Come what may! Whatever our details, whatever our trials, we as Daughters of God in the Dallas 4th Ward, will resolve to do it!

Holiday Church Schedule

Christmas, December 25: We will have Sacrament meeting only, starting at 9:00AM

New Year's Day, January 1: We will have all three hours of church, starting at 11:00AM

January 8: Fast Sunday

Final Judgment

This Sunday we will be studying chapter 46 from the Gospel Principles manual. This chapter is on the Final Judgment. From the manual we read, "In reality, every day is a day of judgment. We speak, think, and act according to celestial, terrestrial, or telestial law. Our faith in Jesus Christ, as shown by our daily actions, determines which kingdom we will inherit." What must we do to be ready for the Final Judgment?

Is It Still Christmas???

I came home from an enlightening and enjoyable "book club/interest group" Christmas event at Barbara Doerk's home last night and looked back over all the other Christmas fun I have all ready enjoyed and wondered...is it still December?
I feel so grateful for all the work that went into our Relief Society Christmas "Make It A Great" etc. AND, so many sisters made the effort to come out on the coldest night of the year and share their warmth with the rest of us. Annie Reid was generous with her lovely home; Bonnie Muir gave us a "4Star" meal; I learned how to make panna cotta; we listened to beautiful music by Wes Dean, Jamie Taylor, and Katie Peterson; and we heard from many women about their special gifts and memories - it set the holiday spirit for me.
As a Presidency, we have also had the opportunity to make Christmas ornaments and take treats around and visit and see the good and the needs of others in our ward. For me, that is a huge part of what Christmas should "become".
I still have a grandson to be born this Monday and family coming in for the holidays, but, I feel so fed by all of you and your Christmas Cheer I have been wondering...is it still December...hasn't Christmas all ready come?

"CELEBRATE THE GIFT THAT IS CHRIST"

The Relief Society Lesson for tomorrow Sunday, December 6th will be about what a wonderful gift our Heavenly Father gave His children by providing His Son Jesus Christ as our Redeemer, Savior, Exemplar, Advocate and friend.

Neal Maxwell said, "There are some of us who prefer to" chew on old bones in the outer courtyard", than come into the resplendent, revelatory banquet, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

We have to be converted to Christ, repent and accept his atonement to work in our lives, so that we may truly enjoy the banquet of blessings that the Lord spreads before us. Come prepared to discuss the blessings that we have received from the Premortal Christ, the example we saw in the Mortal Christ, the majesty of the Resurrected Christ, and the anticipation of the 2nd coming of Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We cannot make it back to our Heavenly Father's presence without this conversion, and thereby deep gratitude to our Savior Jesus Christ.

Made for Me

A few Christmases ago my dad made me a magnet board. He picked out the wood, made the frame, painted it, and attached the magnetic sheet to it. On one of the edges, the wood has a hole. He told me he chose that piece especially for me because it made the board unique. I cherish this gift for several reasons. First, my dad put time and effort into making it just for me. It hangs in my bedroom and holds pictures of my neices and nephews, who all live far away. But more than that, my magnet board serves as a reminder of my dad. He currently is suffering from Aphasia. Some days are harder than others for him. Some days he can still do woodwork, but it takes him much longer than it used to. I am grateful to have something tangible that he made with his hands. Throughout the years I have received numerous Christmas, birthday, and special occasion gifts from my dad. But the one I remember most is this magnet board.

This coming Tuesday each of us will have an opportunity to BRING a gift that was MADE for us. It might be small, it might be big. But each gift has a special meaning. Each sister will have two minutes to SHOW the gift and TELL who it is from and why it is important to us. Please join us for our Relief Society Christmas Dinner at Annie Reid's house. Directions to her house will be handed out this Sunday in church and sent to your email Sunday night.

Spontaneity needs a PLAN!

I went with my family to Nauvoo for Thanksgiving. I was impressed with the level of planning the simplest tasks required for the people of 1840 Nauvoo. I am reminded that to have fun, joy, whatever - one needs to be very organized.
I know that the strains and expectations of the Christmas season often are at odds with the desire to relax, enjoy, and experience the holidays with people we love (or are trying to love:).
Here are some PLANS that can be considered so that we can have some spontaneous moments!
1. Get tithing settlement handled now! This is a way to account to the Lord and clear the board on a temporal level. Whether we have paid a full tithe or not - go meet with the Bishop and give an accounting. It will make us feel better for sure and it is a requirement of our membership in the church.
2. Get Visiting Teaching handled now! Bring the women you visit teach or call and remind them of our "MAKE IT A GREAT CHRISTMAS" Relief Society Party at the home of Annie Reid - 7PM - Tuesday, December 6th. Everyone who comes and has handled their visiting teaching in this manner can count the visit for the month of December!
3. Find one new recipe and go buy the ingredients NOW - to make for the holidays. (Mine will be "Corn Pudding" - as my family loves anything with corn!) Diversity is the birth of "spontaneity"!
4. Find one HOLIDAY activity around Dallas that you and your family can enjoy. The Arboretum is wonderful this time of year and it is always fun to watch Santa Claus skate on ice around the "ginormous" Christmas Tree at the Galleria (Saturdays at 5PM). Invite someone to go with you and your family.
5. Go find a fun "ELF" gift at the dollar or 99cent stores. The "Secret Santa" idea has no age limit and it always makes us feel "seen" by the Lord when we are remembered by others.
I have found that no matter who you are or what your details might be - any kind of JOY requires a little planning.

Revelation

Dear Sisters,
On Sunday the 27th we will learn more about personal revelation. Please read Elder Bednar's talk "The Spirit of Revelation" (4-11 Conference talk). We will find that we receive much more revelation than we know.

Click HERE to go to the talk.

Love,
Shirlee

Pumpkin French Toast Bake

This is a great recipe I found and wanted to share with you during this pumpkin season!
Pumpkin French Toast Bake
8 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 Tbsp white sugar
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
1 loaf Texas toast thick-sliced bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (make sure the bread is not fresh, you can also substitute day-old cake donuts)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp butter, softened

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
2. Whisk the eggs, vanilla extract, 2 tsp cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and white sugar together in a bowl; beat in the pumpkin until fully incorporated.
3. Put bread cubes in a large bowl; pour pumpkin mixture over the bread cubes and toss gently to coat. Then transfer everything to the baking dish.
4. Stir 1/3 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 tsp of cinnamon, flour, and butter together with a fork in a small bowl until the mixture is crumbly; sprinkle over the bread cubes.
5. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown on top, 30-40 minutes.

Source: allrecipes.com

Millennium

Sisters,
In the past few weeks we have covered the Signs of the Second Coming and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ in our RS lessons. Tomorrow we will be learning about the Millennium. "A thousand years of peace, love, and joy will begin on the earth at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. This thousand-year period is called the Millennium. The scriptures and the prophets help us understand what it will be like to live on the earth during the Millennium."

We are so fortunate to have modern day scriptures and prophets to help us understand the Millennium. I invite you to read the scriptures that so clearly paint a picture of what the Millennium will be like. Here are a few to look over before tomorrow's lesson:
D&C 88:87-110 (the conditions during the Millennium)

I'll need your prayers for tomorrow! Thanks sisters!

--Stephanie Manwearing

Single Adult Regional Conference

Thursday, November 17- Sunday, November 20
Register at www.dfwsa.net

Thursday: 6:30-10pm, Temple Night and Ice Cream Social
Friday: 6:45pm-Midnight, Activities, Appetizers, and Dance
Saturday: 9:00am-11:45pm, Speakers, Workshops, Service Projects, Dinner, and Dance
Sunday: 7:00pm, Fireside with Elder and Sister Fluckinger and Refreshments

"Make It" a Wonderful Christmas

We had 18 Sisters come to see, taste and learn how to "make it" a wonderful Christmas. Joanne Poulsen and Esther Davis, again wowed us with their fun, inexpensive gift ideas from the kitchen. We all have visiting and home teachers, friends, neighbors, school teachers, or co-workers, that we would like to remember with a little gift or treat at Christmas time.

We got to taste the wonderful Soup in a Bottle recipe, Joanne put together. The pumpkin, chocolate chip muffins, the cookies in a jar recipe that Esther made, and even dip and decorate our own Cake Pops. Cake Pop pans are now available to purchase in stores, which would be a fun new tradition to start with your family this Christmas. If you look online for Cake Pops, you will find out how to make them look like reindeer, santas, christmas trees and all sorts of holiday treats.

One really quick and delicious treat was to take several small square pretzels then put a chocolate kiss, or a rolo on top and place on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven, and leave for 1-2 minutes to melt - watch closely - then take out and add one or two M&M's on top. Let cool, and you can put them in jars or tins for gifts. More recipes will follow from Esther. What a great idea these new interest groups are - I love the Relief Society, we are always evolving in wonderful ways.

A "HOME" for Thanksgiving

I still get disconcerted when Hobby Lobby is putting out Christmas decorations at the end of Summer. However, it can no loner be denied, the holiday season is upon us. For me personally, it is easy to get caught up in my own family details.
As I sat down to study my scriptures this morning, the thought came to me that our Dallas 4th Ward roster should be part of my "family" details!
Does every sister in this ward have a "HOME" for Thanksgiving?
Please look at the women you visit teach. Please ask a member of the Ward Council (Relief Society for sure) or the Bishopbric if there is a woman/person/family in this ward that could use a place to be and feel loved during this holiday season.
I am uncomfortable making this a D4 Relief Society "assigned" effort. I hope this will be an individual or family effort to see who needs our love and comfort and friendship at the very time that we gather to celebrate all the good in our lives.
Let us SHARE our HOMES this Thanksgiving!

"MAKE IT" A GREAT CHRISTMAS!

The Holidays are coming quickly, and we (the Relief Society) have some fun plans going forward in November and December. We will start off with a fun interest group activity for COOKING 101. It will be this Tuesday, November 15th starting at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Joanne Poulsen. Joanne and Esther Davis have a fun evening planned demonstrating quick, DELICIOUS, GIFTS FROM THE KITCHEN for your Holiday giving.

Then circle Tuesday, December 6th for our annual Christmas R.S. Dinner and party. It will be at the home of Annie Reid. It is entitled "MAKE IT" A GREAT CHRISTMAS ! Start looking around for a special gift you have received, that was "made" just for you. We will be doing a "show and tell" again with gifts that have been made for us. Bonnie Muir is working on the fabulous menu for this evening -mark down the date - don't miss this party!

Gospel Principles Chapter 44

This Sunday our Relief Society lesson will be on Chapter 44 from the Gospel Principles manual.
--What are your thoughts and feelings as you contemplate the events of the Second Coming?
--Why should we be concerned about our preparedness rather than the exact timing of the Second Coming?

"Signs of the Second Coming are all around us and seem to be increasing in frequency and intensity. . . . While we are powerless to alter the fact of the Second Coming and unable to know its exact time, we can accelerate our own preparation and try to influence the preparation of those around us. We need to make both temporal and spiritual preparation for the events prophesied at the time of the Second Coming."

Dallin H. Oaks, "Preparation for the Second Coming," Ensign, May 2004, 7-9

Provident Living--Group Orders

Here is some more information on the products we are ordering as a group:

1. Freeze -Dried Seasoned White Chicken. This comes from the Emergency Essentials catalog. Described as real cubed, cooked white chicken for your home storage. Regular price is $42.95. Our group price is $28 each. Here is a great opportunity to try even one can, to see if you like it. Shelf life is many years, but once opened, the product must be used up pretty quickly. There is no shipping cost on this one so if you need anything else from Emergency Essentials, now would be a prime time to get it. Also, if you are ordering water barrels, (info below) now would be a good time to order barrel supplies i.e. barrel opener, siphon hose (to empty barrels), siphon hose adapter (attaches from siphon to your garden hose), drinking water safe hose (for filling water barrels), etc. Look it over online, or if you have this month's catalog, water supplies are on pg. 42, and the chicken is on pg. 50.

2. 55-gallon water drums. The price will be affected by how many our group orders. We're looking at around $50 plus tax. We'll purchase them from a local company called Pennco Containers. We will likely need help from people with large vehicles on pick-up day. Details to follow.

3. The Aqua Rain gravity water filter. This is a wonderful product which can be for daily use and/or emergency use. It needs no water pressure, can produce up to 24 gallons a day, and can turn water from any source into safe drinking water. You fill the container from the top, and the water filters into the bottom section where you can then use the spigot to access the water. Ceramic filters contain carbon and silver, and can be cleaned multiple times for longer use. (Radioactive material is not filtered--sorry.) This product can be used to filter water from chlorine pools, ponds, hot water heaters, you name it. This is a more expensive item on the outset, but pays you back over time. I keep a container in my fridge that I fill with this filtered water, and I always have cold water. The filter does need counter space with no cupboard above (it's too tall to fit under an upper cabinet), or you can simply store it for emergency use. You can let me know if you have any other questions about this item. Price will be somewhere around $300, and I don't know yet if that will include shipping or not. You also have the option to buy replacement filters now, so you will always have them available in case of need. More information can be found on http://www.aquarain.com/. Ask for one for Christmas!

Some sisters have been telling their friends/family (members and non-members) about our items available for ordering. Feel free to let others know if you think they may be interested, and I will be happy to help them too. Just have them contact me via phone/email, or combine their order with yours.

PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH YOUR ORDERS BY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20th. THANKS!

A Memorial for Kay Hollingsworth

We now have the information concerning Kay Hollingsworth's funeral. The memorial services will be held at RESTLAND (Greenville & Restland Rd - Dallas TX) on Saturday, November 12th at 12:30PM. It will be at the Memorial Chapel in the main building.
There will be a viewing and chance to pay tribute and attention to Chester and Kay's family on November 11th - from 6-8PM - also at RESTLAND.
It is in these moments that I am most aware of the counsel given to the Saints in Mosiah 18:9 "yea, and we are willing to mourn with those who mourn; yea, and comfort those who stand in need of comfort." And then comes the most important part to me - "and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God and be numbered with those of the first resurrection that ye may have eternal life."
Just like Kay Hollingsworth!

Live in Thanksgiving

Sisters, I wanted to share the link to the talk that my RS lesson came from today. It is by Elder Worthlin, titled "Live in Thanksgiving Daily." Click HERE to read it.

Also, I wanted to share some of the quotes from my handout:

Sister Bonnie D. Parkin

“When we communicate gratitude, we can be filled with the Spirit and connected to those around us and the Lord. Gratitude inspires happiness and carries divine influence.” (Gratitude: A Path to Happiness, Ensign, May 2007)

President Thomas S. Monson

“My brothers and sisters, to express gratitude is gracious and honorable, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven.” (The Divine Gift of Gratitude, Ensign, November 2010)

Gratitude = Service

1. Can you access running water at the turn of a nob?
2. Have you ever felt loved by someone?
3. Do you have knowledge of the Plan of Salvation?
4. Do you have a blanket or a heater to stay warm in the winter?

Come to Relief Society this Sunday to strengthen your testimony of how gratitude leads to service!

Kay Hollingsworth and Gertrude Glaspie

Kay Hollingsworth has been with the Dallas 4th Ward family since its beginning in the 1960's. She has served many of us in so many ways over the years. A Stalwart!
Gertrude Glaspie has been with us for just over a year. She has suffered from poor health and we have not seen much of her.
They are both sisters in our Relief Society. And, they will both be leaving us soon.
It is time to say good-bye to both of them.
Kay is at 6908 QuarterWay - but - time is very short for her.
Gertrude is leaving to stay with her sister in Illinois - she leaves on Friday. She might like to hear from us to wish her well. #214-429-5856

SpaghettiO Cupcakes, Halloween, and Newborns

I was at the church last night as we ended our D4 Family to Family Food Drive. Bonnie Muir had figured out a way to make chocolate cupcakes using a can of spaghettios. This ward project was spearheaded by her. Every week she had a treat that had to do with what was being collected. Bonnie brought the treats on her own initiative - just to make the collecting more fun.
I love this kind of service!
Sometimes, we wait to be assigned and then are willing to complete what is being asked. But I always take note of people who extend themselves on their own initiative. They see where a need is and go about helping without having a formal request or organized effort.
The D4 Family to Family Food Drive is our last "organized effort" for the season. We are going to leave the rest of the season's giving/service up to your observations and "spontaneous charitable personal revelations".
There are so many opportunities around us. We have the YM/YW overseeing the Halloween Trunk or Treat and could use our support. We have a newborn baby, a relative of a woman in our ward, who has been born into a world without food or clothing - and she could use ANYTHING!
As we go throughout the holiday season, we (D4 RS), will try to make you aware of things/needs we see. But we will leave the spontaneous charity up to YOU!
And I feel we are a group the Lord can count on.

Family to Family Food Drive Last Call

Monday night, October 24th from 7 to 8 PM will be the last call for our ward service project.  We will be collecting cans of Spaghettios and chili in the parking lot at the church.  I know what you are thinking.  How can Sister Muir possibly come up with a dessert-style family night treat using Spaghettios?  Great question, but let me assure you that I have come up with a wonderful confection that will delight your children. 

Last week we collected 1250 packets of ramen!  Good job ward members.  I was grateful I had enough room in my car to drive over to Carolyn Buchair.Keep up the good work! 

"Lift Up Thy Head and Rejoice" (Alma 8:15)

2011 Multistake Single Adult Conference
Richardson Texas Stake
Thursday, November 17--Sunday, November 20

Thursday: Temple night & ice cream social
Friday: Service project, activities, appetizers, dance
Saturday: Conference/speakers, workshops, blood drive, lunch, dinner, and dance
Sunday: Fireside

For more details and to register, visit www.dfwsa.net

Potential--Privilege

Dear Sisters,
Our lesson on Sunday, October 24th is "Your Potential, Your Privilege" by President Dieter F. Uchdorf. This is a Conference talk from May 2011 (click here to read). In my personal opinion, President Uchdorf is very positive and has a special love for women (I bet his mother was very loving towards him). So please read the talk and the new book we were given, Daughters in My Kingdom, they go hand in hand.
Much love,
Shirlee

EMERGENCY FUEL OPTIONS

What a great, informative PREPAREDNESS class we had this evening. Sister Adair showed at least 7 or 8 different options for emergency fuel sources. not only for year supply storage, but also our 72 hour kits. Fuel supplies us not only warmth, but many cooking options when we are without conventional electricity or gas.

We had the opportunity to make the little paint can/toliet paper stoves, and duct tape on the side, an opener, a lighter, and a v shaped opener to cut #10 cans around both top and bottom to provide a surface to cook on, when they are placed over the canned fuel.. We also had demonstrated a canned gel heat source, and two different size stoves which fit the cans. We tried single Coleman burners, and a neat Volcano cooker, which uses only 10-12 briquets. Some of the stoves could be used inside, and several had to be used outside.

We had an opportunity to place orders at wholesale prices on the canned fuel and stoves, neat flint and stone lighters - if anyone is interested, they may call Kim Adair for information, and also be included in the order.


As always Kim had made a great treat from storage, this time a banana bread, made with freshly ground "soft " white wheat. We got so busy making little stoves, we never got around to making
the s'mores that Kim had available to toast over our fuel sources.

As always, there were fun door prizes, insect repellent, candles, ground white wheat that Kim offered freely. There were about 9 of us, and it was so rewarding to see one of our fairly recent converts Angelina Anthian , enthusiastically working on her little stoves to get her "food storage" started. Blessed is the man( or woman), who when he heareth the word - doeth it!

Upcoming Preparedness Class!

We have heard a great deal about preparedness this past weekend at stake conference. Truly, our leaders care for our welfare enough to encourage us to prepare for difficult times.

This Tuesday, October 18th @ 7:00 p.m. (Kim Adair's Home) we will have our emergency preparedness class on fuel sources for cooking and heating.

1. You will be able to make quart size cans of fuel. Instructions/supplies will be available. (Cost is about $6.00, depending on what you want.) If you have not signed up yet, you can contact me to give me an idea of how many you'd like. You're not committed to buy until you see that night what is offered. Then you can decide for sure.

2. We will show and tell about Alco-Brite--another heating/cooking source in a pint-size can. I will take orders for this item Tuesday night. (Discount/wholesale price about $3.50 per can.)

3. Cooking stoves and fire starters to accompany both options above will also be discussed, with the option to order. Cost TBA.

4. We'll briefly talk about other larger cooking/heating sources that are available out there for emergency use.

5. Also...if you'd like to bring your important documents (birth certificates, driver's license, other i.d., etc.), Laurie Johnson will have her document scanner for you to scan them and they can be saved onto a small portable memory device that YOU bring. You can then keep that in a safe/72-hour kit. (No cost...bring your own stuff--up to 8 1/2 x 11 size.)

Tons of great information will be discussed, so come and learn and enjoy!
Money will be due that night (Tuesday).

If you can't make it, but want to order any of the above, please contact Kim Adair.

More Monday Night Fun!

I have been hearing from all over that the hottest ticket in town for Monday night Family Home Evening fun is happening at the parking lot at the church building.  Don't forget to join the fun this Monday.  Drop off your contributions for the Family to Family Food Drive and join the fun!  October 17th we will be collecting ramen.  I have been carefully studying weird ramen recipes and will have a couple of surprises for those who show up.  Who knew that there are so many websites dedicated to creative ramen recipes for starving college students?

We are CHRISTIANS!

Once again, people inadvertently give us amazing exposure!
Last week, a key Dallas minister called us a "cult" and said Mormons are NOT Christians. It reminds me of what the Apostle Paul was up against with people of New Testament times. He was accused of not believing that there would be a "Messiah" as his fellow Jews did. The Jews who believed that Jesus Christ was the Messiah and that He had come and was now gone (without having saved THEM from Roman or any other kind of rule - hence not their kind of Messiah) were called "Christians" - a very negative word at that time.
Today, in the Dallas Morning News, there are at least two articles (one an editorial) explaining why Mormons are Christians.
We could not pay for this kind of advertising. BUT, it is a time for all of us to stand up and be informed and be counted as one who worships all that is Jesus Christ. Others might say we are not Christian as we do not believe we have "exclusive" salvation through Jesus Christ - but - they misunderstand. We do KNOW that it is only through the atonement of Jesus Christ we can ever hope to be in the presence of our Heavenly Father again..."after all we can do". (2 Nephi 25:23)
We KNOW that Jesus Christ is our Savior and our Redeemer and He is the ONLY reason we have hope and His life and example are the ONLY way back to the presence of our Father...as we "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling"! (Philippians 2:1-21)
We are part of the Army of Christ and we have been "CALLED TO ARMS

Sings of the Times

Today's lesson was on the signs of the Second Coming. This afternoon I was looking through my seminary folder from high school and found a handout with a list of 51 signs of the times that Elder R. McConkie had written in the book Mormon Doctrine. Numbers 1-43 have already happened or are currently happening. This is yet another example to me of how close we are to the Second Coming, and how important it is for us to prepare ourselves by actively participating in spreading the gospel to those around us.
"If you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there."
--Unknown

Working Together--Providently

Here's an experience we had lately, illustrating how we can work together for the good of all. We recently did some major construction at our house and in the process, emptied our 55-gallon water storage barrels in order to move them out of the way. Now that the construction is basically done, we had the project of getting those barrels filled back up and put in place, looming over our heads for a long time -- too long for my comfort.

Meanwhile, Neil and Mary Reid also moved from one home to another and had to empty and fill their barrels, too. (Yes, this project can be a pain...and that's the cold, hard, truth...) Brother Reid was inspired to fill his barrels (before we got around to doing ours), and then offered to bring his family over and help us get ours filled. They came over for family home evening a few weeks ago, and together, our two families made great progress cleaning, filling, and organizing the barrels at our home. Now, it is finished, and their family was just what we needed to get ourselves going on this project!!

We can find so many opportunities to help each other in valuable ways. When it comes to provident living, we can give valuable service and encouragement to others. We can often see what people need, and we can simply offer to help. Our family was blessed with what we needed, and they experienced/taught their children service. How much better than that can it get?

On another note, on October 18th, we will be having a class on emergency fuel sources. You will have the opportunity to learn about, make, and/or order these fuel sources. I will provide more information for you in the very near future! Be on the lookout this Sunday for sign-up sheets and samples of what we're doing!

2nd Coming

This Sunday our lesson is taken from chapter 43 from the Gospel Principles manual. The lesson is called "Signs of the Second Coming" (to read it, click here). I enjoyed reading this lesson because so many times we focus on the destruction that comes with the second coming, but this lesson reminds us of all the wonderful blessings we will also receive before the second coming. Please come prepared this Sunday to make comments and bare testimony of the Savior's coming.

Flower Necklace Instructions

Many Sisters expressed an interest in seeing the flower necklace tutorial for the craft we had at the RS/YW Activity this past Wednesday. Please see the link below:

http://www.littlemissmomma.com/2010/12/pom-pom-bib-necklace-tutorial-lmm.html

Every Monday in October- Dallas 4th Ward Service Project

Family to Family Food Drive

Dallas 4^th Ward Community Service Project

October 2011 

Carolyn Bukhair Elementary School is an RISD elementary school slightly outside of the physical boundaries of our ward.  Virtually all (99%) of the students who attend the school qualify for free or reduced price lunch.  Among these students there are many who suffer from insecurity that there will be any food available at home for weekends.  In an effort to help out those students and their families the Dallas 4^th Ward will conduct a food drive to collect simple to prepare food items.  We will collect the food items every Monday night during the month of October.  We realize that this is family night.  We are hoping that the ward families will consider incorporating this opportunity to focus on the spirit of giving to the less fortunate as part of their family night activities.    

Oct 3^rd                  Peanut Butter and Jelly

Oct 10^th                Macaroni and Cheese

Oct 17^th                Ramen noodles

Oct 24^th                Spaghettios or chili

Oct 31^st                last chance-did you forget to bring something?

Bonnie Muir, Jeanne Grant, or another representative from the ward  will be at the church from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM on those evenings to accept donations.  We will not need to open the church, but will put the donations directly into our cars and take them to the school the next day.

The items will be delivered to the counselor at Carolyn Bukhair Elementary and she will distribute our contributions on a weekly basis so there will be no need to find storage space.  We have been asked to bring grocery bags so that the students can carry the donated food home.

Find Waldo...

My children (and grandchildren) love the books I have that are part of the FIND WALDO series. They know that Waldo is part of a very intricate picture and his appearance is often woven into a very normal landscape - their job is to find him in each illustration.
General Conference (this weekend, Oct 1 &2, 11-1pm & 3-5pm, at the church or on BYUTV or on your computer at lds.org) to me is just like a FIND WALDO book. I know, I mean I really KNOW that my Father in Heaven is talking to me during conference. Conference is like having my own Personal Priesthood Interview with Him.
BUT, it is up to me to find those "golden nuggets of thought" that apply to my cares and worry. So I sit with my notepad and write the thoughts that come - KNOWING - He is speaking to ME! The conversation would go like this "Put this in there for Jeanne, she will recognize those words and that I am speaking to her."
As the Relief Society President at this time, I am aware of many of the cares and worries of the sisters in this ward. I also know that there are a multitude of distractions on the first Saturday and Sunday of October. However, I have a deep and abiding faith that He makes these conferences possible so He can give us - individually - very specific comfort and direction. And these promptings can change the course of our thinking, our feelings, and hopefully our lives.
It is up to us, to FIND HIM!

"WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER", AND WE WERE " REALLY" ALL PACKED INTO THE CULTURAL HALL TOGETHER.

Our Relief Society Presidency wants to thank all of you wonderful Sisters and Young Women for the tremendous turnout we had at our activity last evening. We fed well over 80 people including our "valiant" priesthood volunteers in the nursery.

A big thank-you to Bonnie Muir who supervised the food, to Natalie Marstella and Liz Rich who were co-chairs of the activity and planned all those fun crafts. To Amber Bateman, Kara Hall, Stephanie Manwaring, Katie Petersen, Alissa John , and of course Liz and Natalie again who brought their expertise to helped with the crafts.

We loved hearing from all the tables, the experiences you found in common - We are each different, yet as Sisters and Young Women, and Daughters of God - we have many things in common, and we need each other, oh, how we need each other!

We are so grateful to the Priesthood Quorums, who signed up to set up, take down, clean up and tend children - you are the best!

And lastly, thanks to all of YOU who brought your big smiles, your welcoming hugs and your lovely Spirits. We will post pictures soon.

FORGET NOT....

I enjoyed the Relief Society General Broadcast held on September 24th. I especially enjoyed the talk given by President Uchtdorf on the "FORGET NOTS" of life.
Two points he made hit home with me -
1. "Forget Not" the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish sacrifice (do you notice they seldom use the word "bad").
2. "Forget Not" to be HAPPY NOW!
As I think about our upcoming Relief Society/Young Women Quarterly Meeting "We're All in This Together" on September 28th, both points apply.
Making time to associate with, help, and foster good feelings amongst women of all ages has to be a good sacrifice. No matter what is going on in our lives on this Wednesday - this just has to be considered something very worthy.
And the second "truth", to BE HAPPY NOW, must be considered as we celebrate and encourage these young women that it will be so fun to grow up and "fill" or fit into our shoes.
WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER as we try to become "Daughters in His Kingdom"!

Service

Yesterday Sister Fronda Wiseman gave the RS lesson on finding joy in service. She talked about how when we serve others, our own trials seem more manageable. Fronda encouraged us to accept Sister Allred's invitation (from the General RS Broadcast Saturday night) to participate in miracles by following the Spirit's promptings as we answer others' prayers through service. Fronda read from a children's picture book that I wanted to put on this blog for anyone interested in reading it.

This Weekend

SATURDAY

5:30pm dinner, 7:00pm General Relief Society Broadcast
Richardson Stake Center
(on Bowser Road between Spring Valley Drive and Centennial Blvd, east of Hwy 75)
Church Attire
If you need a ride, please call your visiting teacher.
We hope to see you there!
Click here to learn more about this broadcast

SUNDAY

Our lesson for Relief Society is based on two General Conference talks this week.

President Eyring's talk Opportunities to do Good

and

Elder Ballard's talk Finding Joy through Loving Service

Please read these talks before our lesson so you will be prepared to share your thoughts and insights.

Daughters in My Kingdom

I love the new Relief Society book - DAUGHTERS IN MY KINGDOM. It is to be used as a home, personal, and teaching resource for us in the coming years. It clearly states the purpose of Relief Society.
With all our recent converts, I find this book especially timely.
I feel it is easy, at times, to think of Relief Society as an option of what we "might" be involved in - if we have the time or inclination.
This book reminds us that this organization is divine - organized by the Lord; through His prophet; and directed with the appropriate keys and priesthood authority.
If you have not received a copy of DAUGHTERS IN MY KINGDOM, please tell a member of the Relief Society Presidency. The Lord wants this book in every woman's hand.

Rotate Your Rolled Oats With This Granola Recipe!

I met Bonnie Muir at the grocery store just before our last "Fun With Food Storage" meeting. We were swapping stories and comparing notes on granola recipes. She has one she loves that I would like to try. The recipe from our meeting was more like a granola "bar", and hers is more like a crunchy cereal, made in a larger quantity that will keep longer. Very practical! What a great way to go through those rolled oats. It costs a little more to make in the beginning, but it lasts: therefore, it saves you money over time in not having to buy several boxes of cereal. Can we all say...ROTATE???!!!

Here's the Recipe.....

PERFECT GRANOLA

13 cups rolled oats

1 cup white flour or whole wheat flour

1 cup honey

1 cup vegetable or coconut oil

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons vanilla

2 cups wheat germ

2 cups brown sugar

16 oz. coconut

2 cups sunflower seeds

1 1/2 cups water

Mix together and place on two large cookie sheets. Bake at 200 degrees for 1-2 hours stirring every 20 minutes or until golden brown. Store in cans or plastic containers.

Makes 40 1/2 servings.

Crafts for Sept 28

We are so excited for our upcoming activity 

"We're All In This Together" on SEPTEMBER 28 at 7PM.

• Below, you will see the crafts we are doing that night. We ask that you sign up for which craft(s) you want to do, but we will not be collecting any money until that night. Please bring exact change or a check (as we will not be able to provide change for large bills).
• If you invite your neighbor, friend, and/or a visiting teaching sister, please sign up for a craft for them so we will have enough supplies that night!
• You can sign up for crafts via the Sign-Up sheets (passed around in RS) or via email to dallas.fourth@gmail.com. 
• Keep in mind that we will only have 1 hour for crafts that night. 
• If you don't want to do any of the crafts, no worries! We still want you to come to the activity and enjoy friends, food, and fun!

HANDMADE BODY SCRUBS

 Large jar (above): $5
Small jar (below): $3
Plan on about 20 minutes per jar.

FLOWER NECKLACE

$5 if the Relief Society provides the fabric for you
$4 if you bring your own fabric (you will need about 1/4 to 1/3 yard of fabric)
Plan on spending about 25 minutes per necklace. If you bring your own scissors and hot glue gun, it will be faster.

TEMPLE MOLDS

$0.50 for the mold only
$1 for the mold on tile (above)
$3 for the mold on a gold charger (below)
$3 for the mold on a wire stand (not pictured)
Each mold will take about 10 minutes total

Gathering of Israel

Sisters,
I am in love with our lesson for Sunday 9-18-11. Chapter 42 explains what the "House of Israel" is and how it will be gathered. The lesson explains it in a clear and simple way. If you read the lesson, you will never again wonder "now, exactly what is the House of Israel?" or where did it come from, who is in it or how it will be gathered. What a relief! See you Sunday.

Shirlee

"We are all in this together"

Relief Society and Young Women of the Dallas 4th Ward are getting together for a combined activity. The date is Wednesday, SEPTEMBER 28TH at 7:oo p.m. We will start with a dinner, and then three Crafts will be available to do at a minimal cost. We started signups today on the crafts, and signups will be available for two more weeks. It is important to sign-up, as we will be buying supplies, and want to be sure we cover everyone who wants to do a craft. You may want to sit and visit, and that's okay too.

We asked today, for you to hang on to the little flag that was stuck in the apple you received. If you bring that little flag with you to the party - you have a chance to win a "valuable prize".

We have a few fun suprises for you too. So circle your calendar, if your assigned visiting teaching sisters have not been to Church lately, be sure and contact them - maybe offer a ride, so they will feel more comfortable coming. Also, be a missionary - if you have a friend or neighbor who would enjoy the fellowship, invite them out.

We are all here in the "second estate". Each of us is trying to live the gospel, be missionaries to those around us, and fulfill our callings as Visiting Teachers. Here is a quality event, where you can feel confident to bring people, but it will require a little extra effort on your part. I hope we will all make the effort, because "We are all in this together!"

Sister Guerreiro will be posting the crafts with pictures on this blog to help you sign up - so be looking for that.