Stake Conference

Tonight begins our Stake Conference Sessions.  There will be a Priesthood Session at 4:00PM, then an Adult Session at 7:00PM, and our Stake Conference Sunday from 10:00-12:00.  Plan to come early as seating fills fast!

General Conference Weekend

Today starts the General Conference Weekend.  Please try to sit down and watch, listen, or go to the Stake Center and watch.  This is a wonderful time to hear revelation given to our Prophet and those that work and serve in the Church.  Sessions on both Saturday and Sunday are from 10:00-12:00 and 2:00-4:00. 

We Thank Thee Oh God For A Prophet!!!

RS General Broadcast

Tonight, beginning at 4:00PM, will be the Relief Society General Broadcast.  Dinner will be served!!!  Please wear Church Appropriate Attire since we will meet in the Chapel to watch the broadcast. 
~~Contact one of the Presidency if you'd like a ride, we'd be happy to help.

August Visiting Teaching Lesson~Late

Taking Action in Time of Need

As visiting teachers, one of our purposes is to help strengthen families and homes. The sisters we visit should be able to say, “If I have problems, I know my visiting teachers will help without waiting to be asked.” In order to serve, we have a responsibility to be conscious of the needs of the sisters we visit. When we seek inspiration, we will know how to respond to the spiritual and temporal needs of each sister we are assigned to visit. Then, using our time, skills, talents, prayers of faith, and spiritual and emotional support, we can help give compassionate service during times of illness, death, and other special circumstances.¹

Through the help of reports from visiting teachers, the Relief Society presidency identifies those who have special needs because of physical or emotional illness, emergencies, births, deaths, disability, loneliness, or other challenges. The Relief Society president then reports her findings to the bishop. Under his direction, she coordinates assistance.²

As visiting teachers we can have “great reason … to rejoice” because of “the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work” (Alma 26:1, 3).

From the Scriptures

Matthew 22:37–40; Luke 10:29–37; Alma 26:1–4; Doctrine and Covenants 82:18–19

From Our History

In the early years of the Church, membership was small and centralized. Members could respond quickly when someone was in need. Today our membership is over 14 million and is spread throughout the world. Visiting teaching is part of the Lord’s plan to provide help for all His children.

“The only system which could provide succor and comfort across a church so large in a world so varied would be through individual servants near the people in need,” said President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency.

“… Every bishop and every branch president has a Relief Society president to depend upon,” he continued. “She has visiting teachers, who know the trials and the needs of every sister. She can, through them, know the hearts of individuals and families. She can meet needs and help the bishop in his call to nurture individuals and families.”³

FINAL COUNT PLEASE!!!

We're trying to get a final count for our Ward Temple Trip on Saturday, September 1, 2012.  Please leave a comment if you are able to attend.  Include number of family members, and ages of the children.  We are so excited for this trip.  We were able to get the Cultural Hall  at 3595 Monad, Billings Montana, where you'll be able to drop your children off for fun, activites, and snacks while you attend the temple.  The bishop has said that the youth will start Baptisms at 9:00 and the adult session will begin at 10:00.  Please feel free to drop your children off between 9:15 and 9:30.  We will then meet again at the meetinghouse for lunch as a ward.  Please look at your schedules, talk with your families, and decide soon if you're able to go.  We will have a sign up on Sunday as well if you'd prefer to have the extra time to consider.  Please contact one of the presidency or bishopric if you'd like to go and need a ride.  We'd love to have you come!  This will be such a great day. 

Hope To See You ALL There!!!

Happy Birthday!!!

Today is our Prophet, President Thomas Spencer Monson's Birthday!  Do something nice for someone today! August 21, 1927.  85, WOW!

Mark Your Calendars!!

 Young (Again) Women's Camp!

August's Extra Meeting!!

When: Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Where: Dykes' Backyard

Time: 7:00-8:30 PM

Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and join us for a night of S'mores, Games, Testimonies, and FUN!  

Hope To See You There!!!

July Visiting Teaching Message

Demonstrating Our Discipleship through Love and Service

Throughout His mortal life, Jesus Christ showed His love for others by ministering to them. He said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). He set the example and wants us to “succor those that stand in need of [our] succor” (Mosiah 4:16). He calls His disciples to work with Him in His ministry, giving them the opportunity to serve others and become more like Him.¹

Our service as visiting teachers will closely resemble the ministry of our Savior when we show our love for those we visit teach by doing the following:²

• • 
  Remember their names and the names of their family members and become acquainted with them.
• • 
  Love them without judging them.
• • 
  Watch over them and strengthen their faith “one by one,” as the Savior did (3 Nephi 11:15).
• • 
  Establish sincere friendships with them and visit them in their homes and elsewhere.
• • 
  Care about each sister. Remember birthdays, graduations, weddings, baptisms, or other times that are meaningful to her.
• • 
  Reach out to new and less-active members.
• • 
  Reach out to the lonely or those in need of comfort.

From the Scriptures

3 Nephi 11; Moroni 6:4; Doctrine and Covenants 20:47

From Our History

“The New Testament includes accounts of women, named and unnamed, who exercised faith in Jesus Christ. … These women became exemplary disciples. … [They] journeyed with Jesus and His Twelve Apostles. They gave of their substance to assist in His ministry. After His death andResurrection, [they] continued to be faithful disciples.”³

Paul wrote of a woman named Phebe, who was “a servant of the church” (Romans 16:1). He asked the people to “assist her in whatsoever businessshe hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many” (Romans 16:2). “The kind of service rendered by Phebe and other great women of the New Testament continues today with members of the Relief Society—leaders, visiting teachers, mothers, and others—who act as succorers, or helpers, of many.”⁴

Vertical Gardening

Vertical Gardening:

Sister Blevins was so wonderful to demonstrate for us how to make a vertical planter.  It was an amazing class and so fun to learn.  I just hope I (Raquel) remember everything that was taught! 

She made the wooden boards previous to the class. She got them at Home Depot and screwed them together. She did her own design with different lengths, but you can do what you choose. You can even add in more dividers if you prefer as well (to hold the dirt more secure). Just one in between worked fine.

Alicia added the pipe on her own. You can do it with or without.  They are for watering purposes.  With the pipe, you would cut holes in them (more on the top then the bottom) in order to water the plants. When upright, pour water down the pipe and it will come out the holes to water inside.  If you chose to do without the pipes, you would just water the plants through the black fabric.

 

Better detail of the boards...

This is bottom of the planter. There are two layers of the black gardening fabric stapled to the wood. 

 

 The two separate pieces side by side. (Here you can see the choice in different lengths, again you can do whatever style you would like.)

 The potting mix she used.  "Moisture Control" is preferred.

 Fill the boards level with the potting mix.  (Note: you will still want enough room to be able to insert the flowers later, but enough soil inside to keep the flowers firm in place once lifted vertical.)

Adding just a bit more soil after the bags. (2 big bags were used for this project.)

Once the planters are filled with soil, cover the front with one layer of the black gardening fabric.

Trim and staple.

 

Fold the edges in before stapling to secure soil better. 

Just a suggestion: once you get to this point and the planters are covered securely with the fabric (except maybe the top), place the planter upright and allow the soil to settle.  Add additional soil at the top if needed. You want enough soil to keep flowers secure, but not too packed so flowers can be inserted. 

 Once everything is stapled and secure,  you can start planting.  

Cut an "X" in the fabric (a hole just enough to insert flower) and plant the flower into the soil inside.

If the pipe is right underneath the flower, cut the bottom of the flower at the roots to split it in halve, then place the divided flower roots over the pipe, then cover with soil. (Only cut the roots of the flower half way up so not to ruin the flower.)

Flower inserted in the hole and covered with soil.

  From here you can choose the flowers you want and place them wherever you would like.

BEAUTIFUL!!

I know there are SO many pictures on here, but the pictures explain much better than I can.  I hope this post helped and informed well on how to make vertical gardens.  If it didn't, call Alicia Blevins at 307-277-6089; she can probably answer better than I can!

I absolutely loved this project and hope to make mine soon!

Brigham City Temple Open House

Just to let you all know, the Brigham City, UT Temple will be having an Open House in August.  Tickets for this Open House will be available for reservation on July 30th.  What a wonderful experience for ALL!  I can't wait to be able to announce the Open House for the Fort Collins, CO temple.  And the Star Valley, WY temple.  And one day... The Casper, WY temple!!!  Make plans now to attend in Brigham City if you can!  You can always find out new information about Temples by visiting www.mormontemples.org!

Apology

I want to make a public apology for missing all of May on this blog.  Happy Belated Birthday to all of our Sister's in May!  Congratulations to all that had babes in May!  Welcome to anyone that moved into our ward and are viewing this for the first time!  I hope you all had a great month.  I'm back and ready to serve.  We love you all.  Welcome to June!  And SUMMER!!!

June Visiting Teaching Message

Visiting Teaching- A Sacred Assignment

As visiting teachers, we have an important spiritual mission to fulfill. “The bishop, who is the ordained shepherd of the ward, cannot possibly watch over all of the Lord’s sheep at one time. He is dependent on inspired visiting teachers to help him.”¹ Seeking and receiving revelation as to who should be assigned to watch over each sister is essential.

Inspiration begins as members of the Relief Society presidency prayerfully discuss the needs of individuals and families. Then, with the bishop’s approval, the Relief Society presidency gives the assignment in a way that helps sisters understand that visiting teaching is an important spiritual responsibility.²

Visiting teachers sincerely come to know and love each sister, help her strengthen her faith, and give service when needed. They seek personal inspiration to know how to respond to the spiritual and temporal needs of each sister they visit.³

“Visiting teaching becomes the Lord’s work when our focus is on people rather than percentages. In reality, visiting teaching is never finished. It is more a way of life than a task.”⁴

From the Scriptures

Matthew 22:36–40; John 13:34–35; Alma 37:6–7

From Our History

Eliza R. Snow, the second Relief Society general president taught, “I consider the office of a teacher a high and holy office.” She counseled visiting teachers “to be filled with the Spirit of God, of wisdom, of humility, of love” before they visited homes so they would be able to ascertain and meet spiritual needs as well as temporal ones. She said, “You may feel to talk words of peace and comfort, and if you find a sister feeling cold, take her to your heart as you would a child to your bosom and warm [her] up.”⁵

As we go forth in faith as the early Relief Society sisters did, we will have the Holy Ghost with us and be inspired to know how to help each sister we visit. “Let [us] seek for wisdom instead of power,” said Sister Snow, “and [we] will have all the power [we] have wisdom to exercise.”⁶

For more information, go to reliefsociety.lds.org.

What Can I Do?

1. 1. 
   How can I improve in my ability to fulfill my important responsibility as a visiting teacher?
2. 2. 
   As a visiting teacher, how can I help other sisters fulfill their responsibility as visiting teachers?

Temple Reminder

Sister's,

Just a friendly reminder... The Billings Temple will be closed from May 6 through June 4.  Make sure to plan accordingly if you'd planned to attend the Temple in the month of May.  That's a long way to drive without the blessing of actually attending!  Although, you'd probably be blessed for the effort:)

Hello from Carol, London, & Chase

Just to let you know that we have not dropped off the face of the earth or gone inactive!  The 3 of us are in  Nebraska overseeing the repairs to our home west of Chadron that was inundated with water when a pipe fitting let loose back on March 20th, flooding our crawl space with 5 feet of water, flooding out into our yard, and of course flooding the house itself.  What a mess!.  Now that it is all dried out after 2 1/2 weeks of work by Servicemaster, we have hired a contractor  and repair work begins officially tomorrow, April 16.  It will take about 3 weeks to do the work...foundation repair, wall and ceiling repair/painting, all new floor coverings and much more.   We are doing our schoolwork here, and keeping track of what is going on with our home at the same time, living at Motel 6 in Chadron (actually this one is a really nice hotel with an indoor pool...great for the kids).  London is attending early morning seminary (we are two blocks from the church), and we are attending the Chadron Branch.  Chase and London are active at YMYW and Scouts as well.  We miss our 5th ward, and when the work is done we will be back.  John is holding down the fort in Casper, taking care of all our indoor kitties and working at TSA, attending some meetings in Chase's place (like for Northern Tier).  We may be back for an interim visit (we have already been here since Sat. Apr. 7th, and were here for a week the end of March, too) for a day or two, and John may come here for a weekend as well.


The happy news?  (maybe for RS happy news time) We will end up with a largely new home (on the inside, anyway!) for just our deductible, plus a lot of time, hassle, and some stress (which comes with remodeling anyway!). That's the silver lining of the cloud!

Thanks!
Carol Broome

April Visiting Teaching Message

Love, Watch Over, and Strengthen

Like the Savior, visiting teachers minister one by one (see 3 Nephi 11:15). We know we are successful in our ministering as visiting teachers when our sisters can say: (1) my visiting teacher helps me grow spiritually; (2) I know my visiting teacher cares deeply about me and my family; and (3) if I have problems, I know my visiting teacher will take action without waiting to be asked.¹

How can we as visiting teachers love, watch over, and strengthen a sister? Following are nine suggestions found in chapter 7 of Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society to help visiting teachers minister to their sisters:

• •Pray daily for her and her family.
• •Seek inspiration to know her and her family.
• •Visit her regularly to learn how she is doing and to comfort and strengthen her.
• •Stay in frequent contact through visits, phone calls, letters, e-mail, text messages, and simple acts of kindness.
• •Greet her at Church meetings.
• •Help her when she has an emergency, illness, or other urgent need.
• •Teach her the gospel from the scriptures and the Visiting Teaching Messages.
• •Inspire her by setting a good example.
• •Report to a Relief Society leader about their service and the sister’s spiritual and temporal well-being.

From the Scriptures

Luke 10:38–39; 3 Nephi 11:23–26; 27:21

From Our History

“Visiting teaching has become a vehicle for Latter-day Saint women worldwide to love, nurture, and serve—to ‘act according to those sympathies which God has planted in [our] bosoms,’ as Joseph Smith taught.”²

A sister who had recently been widowed said of her visiting teachers: “They listened. They comforted me. They wept with me. And they hugged me. … [They] helped me out of the deep despair and depression of those first few months of loneliness.”³

Help with temporal tasks is also a form of ministering. At the October 1856 general conference, President Brigham Young announced that handcart pioneers were stranded in deep snow 270–370 miles (435–595 km) away. He called for the Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City to rescue them and to “attend strictly to those things which we call temporal.”⁴

Lucy Meserve Smith recorded that the women took off their warm underskirts and stockings right there in the tabernacle and piled them into wagons to send to the freezing pioneers. Then they gathered bedding and clothing for those who would eventually come with few belongings. When the handcart companies arrived, a building in the town was “loaded with provisions for them.”⁵

Where Jesus Walked

If I could go to Galilee and walk where Jesus walked
And sit in tender grasses on the hillside where He taught.
If I could feel a gentle breeze that lifted from the sea
Where He chose the humble fishermen, how full my heart would be.

If I could sit and ponder on a rock that knew His hand,
Or walk along the seashore where His feet had touched the sand.
My spirit yearns within me, but it doesn't seem my fate,
I'll never walk where Jesus walked, I'll never see... but wait.

I've worshipped in His temple, where I know He's walked before.
Have his feet been down this hallway?  Have his fingers touched this door?
Has He stood here in this very room and looked at what I see?
In the beauty of His temple I feel His love for me.

I close my eyes and picture Him, my worries melt away.
I don't need to go to Galilee or travel far away.
For my tender heart is filled with what He wants me to be taught
And my testimony burns within... I've walked were Jesus walked.

~~Original Author Unknown

March Visiting Teaching Message

Daughters in My Kingdom10483_000_006

We are daughters of our Father in Heaven. He knows us, loves us, and has a plan for us. Part of that plan includes coming to earth to learn to choose good over evil. When we choose to keep God’s commandments, we honor Him and acknowledge our identity as daughters of God. Relief Society helps us remember this divine heritage.

Relief Society and its history strengthen and support us. Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president, said: “As daughters of God, you are preparing for eternal designations, and each of you has a female identity, nature, and responsibility. The success of families, communities, this Church, and the precious plan of salvation is dependent on your faithfulness. … [Our Heavenly Father] intended Relief Society to help build His people and prepare them for the blessings of the temple. He established [Relief Society] to align His daughters with His work and to enlist their help in building His kingdom and strengthening the homes of Zion.”¹

Our Father in Heaven has given us specific work to help build His Kingdom. He has also blessed us with the spiritual gifts we need to accomplish this specific work. Through Relief Society, we have opportunities to use our gifts to strengthen families, help those in need, and learn how to live as disciples of Jesus Christ.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, said of discipleship: “By patiently walking in the path of discipleship, we demonstrate to ourselves the measure of our faith and our willingness to accept God’s will rather than ours.”²

Let us remember we are daughters of God and strive to live as His disciples. As we do so, we will help build God’s kingdom here on earth and become worthy to return to His presence.

From the Scriptures

Zechariah 2:10; Doctrine and Covenants 25:1, 10, 16; 138:38–39, 56; “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” (Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2010, 129)

From Our History

On April 28, 1842, the Prophet Joseph Smith said to the sisters in Relief Society: “You are now placed in a situation in which you can act according to those sympathies which God has planted in [you]. … If you live up to your privileges, the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates.”³

Recognizing the power of Relief Society to serve others and to help individuals increase in faith, Zina D. H. Young, third Relief Society general president, promised the sisters in 1893, “If you will dig in the depths of your own hearts you will find, with the aid of the Spirit of the Lord, the pearl of great price, the testimony of this work.”⁴

Fun Fact

In the LDSliving January/February edition, there was an article about Leap Day.  Without leap year, this January 1, 2012 would have actually taken place on what we knew last year as September 14, 2011, and it would have been a balmy 70 degrees as leaves began to change color.  A year is supposed to be the amount of time it takes the earth to complete its orbit around the sun- or 365.25 days.  Thanks to Pope Gregory XIII in 1850, our current Gregorian calendar of 365 days is designed to keep us lined up with the seasons by adding in an additional day to every fourth year.  Interesting, huh!  And for those of you that heard my lesson on January 8, you'll be pleased to know that it's Gregory the 13th:)