WATCHCARE - A BLESSING OF THE "TRUE" CHURCH

This Sunday our lesson will be based on the definition of "Pure Religion" that is found in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Pure Religion is ministering one-on-one in the homes of our sisters who are found within the boundaries of our Ward Family. Please read Chapter 7 in the beautiful book given to each sister this year "DAUGHTERS IN MY KINGDOM". Also take an opportunity to read the article by Julie Beck entitled "Understanding the Power of Ministering" in the brand new March Ensign which should have just arrived in your mail this past week..

A third source of preparation for this Sunday's lesson is a BYU address, given in January by Sister Julie Beck, General Relief Society President. entitled "Why we are organized in Quorums and Relief Societies". The link for this talk follows:

We are all involved in this "Pure Religion" by being either a Visiting Teacher or by being Visiting Taught or both! Sister Beck poses these three questions - how do you answer these questions?

1. Do I help those Sisters that I Visit Teach grow spiritually?

2. Do I care deeply for the Sisters and their families, that I Visit Teach?

3. Do I help the Sisters I Visit Teach when they need help?

If you have time, read the covenant you took at Baptism in Mosiah 18, and see how it correlates with this "Pure Religion". See you Sunday!

Readings for this lesson:

CLICK HERE to read Chapter 7 of Daughters of My Kingdom.

CLICK HERE to read the March 2012 Ensign article.

CLICK HERE to read the BYU talk given by Sister Julie Beck.

CLICK HERE to read Mosiah 18.

The Power of Communicating with my Father in Heaven (or prayer)

I have 7 children (4 in-laws) and 15 grandchildren and a husband and an elderly mother-in-law and all the wonderful women of the Dallas 4th Ward Relief Society and...need I go on?
After a long day (like today), where I have communicated with many of them/you and need to keep a scorecard on how their/your lives are going - the ups and downs - I marvel at my relationship with my Father in Heaven. On a day such as this, I do not even kneel but stare out the window and mumble all my worries and concerns and joys of the moment and know He is listening and pulling for me in every way a parent does - just as I do for all of the people I love.
The HUGE difference is, He is God.
I am certain He will know what to do. There is comfort in this.
I am certain He will lead me in the direction I should go. This gives me peace and calms my fears.
I am certain He wants the best for all the people I love more than I do as they/you were His children first! This reminds me of who I am and the eternal perspective!
I am also certain it will not be in the time frame I want :) BUT, this teaches me patience and allows me to exercise the faith I do have in HIM.
He is on my side. I am on His side. We are a team. To me, that is the power of my prayers!

Stand in Holy Places

Sisters,

I invite you all to study the October 2011 General Conference address given by President Monson titled "Stand in Holy Places" for this coming Sunday's Relief Society lesson. Click HERE to go to the talk.

A few things I would like us all to ponder are:
1. How has the moral compass of society evolved?
2. President Monson states that "communication with our Heavenly Father is necessary for us to weather the storms of life." What are some of those storms and how does our communication with our Father sustain us?
3. Would love to hear how the power of prayer has blessed your life.

Thank you,
Fronda Wiseman

Sugar Cookie Recipe

Here it is! By popular demand, here is Natalie Marstella's delicious sugar cookie recipe (This is the recipe that was used to make the heart cookies you received this past Sunday). Thank you to Natalie Marstella, Joyce Hall & Karen Bateman for making us this sweet treat for Valentine's Day!

SUGAR COOKIES

In a bowl, combine:
3 & 1/4 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt

In mixing bowl, cream:
1/2 c. soft butter
1 c. sugar

Add 1 egg and 1 & 1/2 t vanilla to butter and sugar. Mix well. Then add flour mixture and 1/2 c. sour cream. Mix until all ingredients are combined. Refrigerate dough until chilled. Roll out and cut cookies.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

To frost, melt one can of Pillsbury vanilla canned frosting in the microwave for 1 minute. Pour it into a shallow dish and add food coloring. Then dip each cookie face down in the frosting and place on a cooling rack. If you want to use sprinkles now is the time because they will stick while the frosting is wet. Let frosting dry overnight .

As part of our March Relief Society activity, we will enjoy some opportunities for service. We will be assembling hygiene kits that we will give to the Church for distribution to those in need. Here is the list of items we need sisters to donate for the kits. You can bring your donations to church (Relief Society) on any Sunday before our activity.

HYGIENE KITS:

Click here to see a picture of the items on the list below.

2 unbreakable combs without sharp handles
4 toothbrushes (sealed)
1 tube of toothpaste (6-8 ounces, no pumps)
2 bars of soap (3.5-5 ounces each)
2 hand towels* (approximately 15x25 inches) Dishtowels and washcloths are not acceptable.

Items can be easily purchased at Wal-Mart or dollar stores, or anywhere else you choose to shop!

Thank you in advance for sharing your blessings with others.

Today - it's all about your HEART!

Happy Valentine's Day! I love the women in this Dallas 4th Ward Relief Society. And this day has a deep spiritual significance for me - here is why.
Two years ago on this day, I was in a hospital going through a battery of tests to see why I had suffered a stroke. (A very public stroke!!!) All the "normal" testing and Cat Scans and MRI's were not showing anything. Finally a very invasive procedure on my heart concluded that I had an "Atrial Myxoma" on the left ventricle of my heart - hidden away so that typical testing would not discover it. It was the size of a golf ball and throwing off clots that would eventually cause a massive stroke from which I would probably die.
I went from normal living to open heart surgery in a matter of days.
It was also one of the greatest earthly moments of love that I have received from my Heavenly Father.
To me He was saying, "I see you Jeanne; I am watching over you; and I am giving you more time on Earth to serve Me."
I never once thought that something horrible happened and I was unseen or unloved - I thought exactly the opposite.
My life was spared. I could not wait to heal and begin living it with renewed vigor. I do not want to waste one moment in anger or despair.
I want everyone in my sphere of influence to know I see them and love them and want to be part of a solution for them.
I know that God lives. I know that Jesus Christ lived on this Earth and lives now with our Father in Heaven. I know He lived a perfect life for me and died for me and allowed me to come to earth at this most amazing time to testify of Him. I love the scriptures and especially the warm feelings I always get when I read the Book of Mormon. I love the temple and the eternal ties it proved for me to so many I love.
I love the chance to FEEL all of these truths by the Gift of the Holy Ghost - the member of the Godhead that is all about the HEART!!!

President G.A. Smith on the Prophet Joseph

Sisters,
Sunday, February 19th, we will be studying chapter 4 from the Teachings of George Albert Smith manual: "The Prophet Joseph Smith, God's Instrument in Restoring the Truth." The Prophet Joseph was a humble young boy with the perfect faith to pray for truth and receive a personal revelation from both our Heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him the world discovered that the heavens are not closed--a connection between the heavens and the earth is very real indeed. I hope you will feel inspired as you read of President Smith's personal testimony of the Prophet.

Until then,
Kimberly

Poem from RS today

This is the poem one of the new sisters was referring to in Relief Society today. Carol Lynn Pearson is a Mormon author. It was suggested that this poem be a good baby shower gift and a way to introduce the Plan of Salvation to our friends. Try pairing it with The Family: A Proclamation to the World.

Day Old Child

By Carol Lynn Pearson

My day old child lay in my arms,

With my lips against his ear.

I whispered strongly, “How I wish—

I wish that you could hear,

“I’ve a hundred wonderful things to say,

(a tiny cough and a nod),

Hurry, hurry, hurry and grow

So I can tell you about God.”

My day-old baby’s mouth was still

And my words only tickled his ear,

But a kind of light passed through his eyes,

And I saw this thought appear:

“How I wish I had a voice and words,

I’ve a hundred things to say.

Before I forget, I’d tell you of God—

I left Him yesterday.”

PLAN IT, BUY IT, AND COOK IN BULK - YOU WILL SAVE MONEY...AND EAT BETTER.

If you have seen the "Food Nanny" on BYU TV - she has a hard time competing with our own Food Nannies Joanne Poulsen and Esther Davis. Last night at Cooking 101, we were shown how to create a few great dishes our family enjoys, and then preparing, and freezing these meals for times in the month we are strapped for time. Esther cooked 6 large Chicken Pot Pies from a large chicken she has pre-cooked in the crock-pot. She had then stripped off about 3 1/2 cups of chicken for her pot pies. She uses pre-made pie shells and tops, and large bags of frozen vegetables to which she added sauted onions and celery. She then freezes these pies, and pulls them out early in the day to unthaw and cook for dinner that night. The great taste and look of her Chicken Pot Pies made you think she had "worked on it half the day" - and it didn't taste like those little chicken pot pies I remember as a child! One thought I had was that Esther would be ready to take a delicious home-cooked meal to any family in need on an hour or two of notice.

Joanne makes huge quantities of very thick ground beef spaghetti sauce, then she seals the mixture in large-mouth Mason jars, and puts in the freezer. When she takes one out to thaw, she adds a couple of cans of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, and it has that wonderful freshly made taste. Sealing and freezing in the mason jars works great, and maintains the initial fresh taste. If you have a large family you use a couple of quarts of the sauce - But if you are cooking for only two or three people - pint size jars would works with the addition of tomato sauce and diced tomato.

In anticipation of this class, Esther had a whole month of meals, planned out on a calendar. She had a couple of days crossed out when they ended up buying pizza - because they were running late or she was tired, but she spoke enthusiastically of how much money she has saved, and how much time and energy she has saved by planning better, and buying and cooking in bulk. Both sisters said that they only mess up the kitchen the day they bulk cook and freeze, and then it is just a matter of thawing and cooking.

Two closing thoughts: Never eat before you go to Cooking 101 and I will make a few copies of the recipes for those interested this coming Sunday.

Chapter 3 this Week

Dear Sisters,
Please read lesson 3 "Our Testimony of Jesus Christ." President George Albert Smith has such a powerful ability to express his testimony of our Savior. His testimony is pure belief in, faith in, and love of our Savior. I desire for my testimony to be more like his. I think you will have this desire also as you study his words.

Much love,
Shirlee

The Book of Mormon and Proposition 8

I have taken the challenge (and privilege) to read The Book of Mormon this year. I am in Mosiah. I have been reading Abinadi's clarion call to righteousness before King Noah. He seals his testimony with his death by fire.
Then I pick up the newspaper and read of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that the voter approved ban on gay marriage in California has been ruled - by them - unconstitutional. (This will cause the matter to be heard before the Supreme Court.) Because I had just been reading the clear and urgent words of a prophet, there was no way I could feel neutral or "removed" from this decision and the happenings in another state.
I feel most deeply that this is a time for all Latter-day Saints to become involved with what is happening around us and make sure our voice is heard. The matters before us are not "subjective" as we have clear direction from our prophets down through the ages to the "FAMILY PROCLAMATION" scripture given to us September 23, 1995 by the Lord through Gordon B. Hinckley.
What I have found is that the more I study and read, on a daily basis, the Book of Mormon - the more I can see what is truth and what is error in life around me.
I am not one to argue politics and get caught up in rhetoric. BUT, I am a baptized, covenant making Daughter of God and what is going on around us is not about subjective beliefs on what powers State or Federal government have. The issues before us are at the very fabric of what we voted for in our Pre-Mortal Life!
Let's read the Book of Mormon, then, let's keep a very close watch on current events. (It is easy to get distracted by our personal challenges and hope the future will take care of itself.)
Let's marshal all of our prayers, fasting, and good works to sway the Powers of Heaven and our government to keep America in its sacred position as the Land of the Covenant!

CHECK OUT THE R.S. BULLETIN BOARD

You will find our Storage Water Goals for the next three months on the right hand side of our Relief Society Bulletin Board. It starts at the bottom with 72 hours of water, then 2 weeks of water, and finally 1 months supply of water for your family. The goal asks for 1 gallon of water, per person, per day. for each family member, living in the home. When you reach that goal, stick on a little round (family) sticker on the chart. The stickers are found in a small plastic bag, next to the charts.

Sisters, these are simple and measurable goals, and "by small and simple things, are GREAT things brought to pass. " We are hoping that by giving you the information through interest group classes, sources for various items needed, opportunities to place group orders, at better prices, and a measurable timeframe to accomplish the goal, that we may all be successful. START TODAY, AND WHEN YOU REACH THE FIRST GOAL, MARK YOUR FAMILY ON THE CHART.

The Church and Stake suggested goals for "starting" Food and Water storage is a 3 months supply. How many times have you ask yourselves "How am I doing in living the gospel, and applying the principles I have been taught?" "How is my family doing in being prepared both temporally and spiritually for the days ahead?" Now we can absolutely begin to answer some of these temporal goals, by starting small and measuring our progress.