Letters to Elder Maki

Sister Maki received an email from a family where Elder Troy Maki is serving asking for friends and family to email her letters to Troy from home. She is hoping it will be a nice surprise for him for Christmas. If you would like to email her your letter she will print them off and give them to him. Her email is redrockmomma@yahoo.com put in subject line Elder Maki. Help make his last Christmas in the mission field a special one and write him a letter! Thanks!

Christmas Family Home Evening

Here is a quick FHE idea. This is fun for all ages! We have played this activity before several holidays such as Christmas and birthdays. The kids LOVE it and it's a good reminder of why we give and receive gifts. It also helps remind the children to say "thank you" when they do receive gifts.

It might be a good lesson to have after you have reviewed the story of Christ's birth found in Luke 2.

Discuss why we give and receive gifts for Christmas.
Review the story of the three Wise men in Matthew 2.
We give gifts to represent the gifts the wise men brought to the Christ child after his birth.

Matthew 2
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense , and myrrh.

Discuss the gift of the Savior that Heavenly Father gave to the world.

John 3
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Discuss some gifts we could offer the Savior this Christmas season such as service to others, sharing our testimonies, gratitude, etc.

Heavenly Father gave us the greatest gift we could ever receive. We should be grateful to him and grateful for all the gifts we receive for Christmas and all year long. It is important to express gratitude to each person who gives us a gift and tell them thank you.

Activity-
Give each person in the family a brown lunch bag. Take turns having one person be the receiver of gifts. Everyone else is a giver. Have each giver put some random item in the brown bag to be their gift. The receiver opens each gift one by one and must say thank you to the giver of the gift along with something they like about the gift. It is important to discuss with the family that we may not always like the gift we are given but we should always say thank you and remember why the person gave us the gift. If we are grateful, then there is always something we can find that we like about the gift. For example-it may be their favorite color or it may be something they need etc.

For example, the receiver may open up the gift to find a used toothbrush. They may say something like, "Thank you, blue is my favorite color." Or, they may open a baby rattle. They may say, "Thank you, I can use this to play with my baby sister."

The kids will get very creative in the gifts they give which makes the receiver get really creative in finding something they like about the gift!

After the activity remind the children how important it is to say thank you for each gift they receive this Christmas.

Free LDS Music Downloads

Mormon Times (Deseret News) is offering a free music download every Thursday. They keep the download up for one week and then each Thursday offer a new one. They are LDS artists and it's a great way to add to your music collection.

Go to http://www.mormontimes.com/ and you will see the featured song at the top of the page. You have to create an account and log in to download.

Relief Society Meeting
Tuesday, Nov. 16th, 6:30 pm
@ the church
(childcare provided w/ snacks only, not dinner)

Dinner of delicious soups and fresh bread provided.
Sign up to bring your favorite fall dessert.










Bring your favorite pot, can, vase, bowl, etc. to
create your own gratitude tree. We'll provide
the branches, leaves and pens to get started.











"Meet & Marvel" at our sisters!
Come and experience the M&M activity you'll love!

General Conference for Kids

Here is what we do to get the kids more involved in listening to conference (and being quiet so we can hear it too)! This is a past post from my blog. You can go there to download a conference packet and conference bingo (our favorite). We have done these things for the last few years and they are still very excited for this weekend so they can do them again. Let me know if you have any ideas for getting kids involved in conference.

http://www.solutions.memoriesbymindy.com/lds.htm

9/09
I love watching General Conference each April and October. I love being home all weekend with my family watching conference on the tv. I love having big breakfasts and soups to eat for lunch and dinner. I love hearing our church leaders give us inspired words and guidance. The one thing I didn't love was having my children cause such a ruckus that we couldn't hear much of what was going on.

In April I made a General Conference Basket for the family to enjoy. It worked very well for my three and six year old kids. I took different General Conference packets I have found on the web and customized them to what I wanted. I make one for each child. There is a photo of each Prophet and Apostle and a blank head next to it so they can color what they look like when they speak. I also have a tie on the page for them to color to match the speakers tie. I have a spot for them to write or draw pictures of what they are speaking about. At the bottom there are different things they can color if it applies to the speaker, such as if they are bald, wear glasses etc. I also have pages for other speakers who are not Prophets or Apostles including pages for the women who speak. At the end of the conference packet, I include several coloring pages, word searches and other fun things from the friend. If they finish or get tired of coloring about the speaker, they can flip to a page in the back of the packet and work on that. I bind all the pages together into a book to make it easy to flip through. The first year I printed a packet from the internet I didn't bind it and pages were flying all over the room!

I also made Conference Bingo Cards that we all really enjoyed. There are several topics on the card including prayer, faith, temples, etc. We play by covering our entire card with pieces of candy (m&m's, gummy bears, mini marshmallows etc) and as we hear someone discuss one of the topics, we get to eat the piece of candy on that square. The person who get's bingo first gets to eat the remainder of their candy!

I put the packets, bingo cards, and candy in a basket along with crayons and a few other little things for the kids to do. I have found with my kids that if you package something to look nice, for some reason they like it better. That is why I bind their books and have everything arranged nicely in the basket.

General Conference

I just wanted to remind everyone of General Conference this weekend. You can watch it at the church, on byu tv, or on your computer at www.lds.org. With so many ways to watch it there's no excuse not to!!!

Saturday: 12:00-2:00, 4:00-6:00
Priesthood session 8:00-10:00 at the church building. This is the only place your husbands and sons can watch this so please encourage them to go and watch. It will bless their lives and your family's lives.

Sunday: 12:00-2:00, 4:00-6:00

I have always enjoyed conference and hearing the prophets and apostles words. This past April I had a few things on my mind. I decided to pray before I watched conference and ask that I might receive answers as I listened to the speakers at conference. I was amazed as I watched all the sessions that I received the answers and guidance that I needed. It seemed like the entire conference was about my two concerns. As I got my Conference issue of Ensign the next month I went through it and highlighted all quotes and information that related to my two concerns. I picked one color marker for each concern and started highlighting. Each page was filled with wonderful thoughts on each issue. Here is an example of just one page.




Here is a story I found: Henry B. Eyring, “Rise to Your Call,” Ensign, Nov 2002, 75
Not long ago, a young man I did not know approached me in a crowded place. He said quietly but with great intensity: “Elder Eyring, I have just been called as the president of my elders quorum. What advice do you have for me?” I was sure that what he needed to know and to feel I couldn’t give him there, with the people rushing past us. And so I said, “I will give you my counsel in general conference.”

I am grateful I decided to do more than just watch conference. I also prayed and listened for ways the words of modern day leaders could help me in my life today. I encourage all of you to think about something you are struggling with and go to the Lord in prayer. Then, listen in conference to all the wonderful thoughts from the leaders and pay attention to the Spirit that you feel. You will be amazed as I was!

General Relief Society Broadcast

If you didn't get a chance to watch the General Relief Society broadcast, here it it. The talks were great. I especially loved President Monson's talk.

Notes from "Improving Your Scripture Study" Meeting

When setting goals for scripture study, one of the first things you should do is ask yourself the question, “Why do we/I do scripture study? What do we/I want from it?” Elder Christofferson gave a talk (April 2010 General Conference) entitled The Blessing of Scripture. In this talk we learn about William Tyndale and the sacrifices he made to make scripture available to all. In the end he was killed for publishing the scriptures and making them available. Some reasons for studying the scripture that are highlighted in Elder Christofferson’s talk include the fact that we were not physically present during events that happened in the scriptures, and scriptures can be used to find truth and knowledge, and answer questions. A quote from the talk states:
In the end, the central purpose of all scripture is to fill our souls with faith in God the Father and in His son, Jesus Christ- faith that They exsist: faith in the Father’s plan for our immortality and eternal life; faith in the Atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which animates this plan of happiness; faith to make the gospel of Jesus Christ our way of life; faith to come to know “the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom [He has] sent” (John 17:3)
Some scripture study ideas were discussed from Julie B. Beck’s April 2004 General Conference talk “My Soul Delighteth in Scripture.” They are as follows:
1) Chose a subject in the Topical Guide you need or want to know more about.

2) Keep notes in your scriptures (Post-its work well as they can be placed on the page or stuck along the binding and easily removed), or keep a separate notebook.

3) Use your scriptures in your calling. Buy a cheap set of scripture as you start a new calling. When you are released from your calling give the set to a child as a gift. Each set will be marked different as you use them for your calling.

4) Scripture chains. First look up the first scripture in the chain. Highlight it if you wish, and beside it, in the margins, write the next scripture in the chain. For example to use the chain below, write the title of the chain in the front flap of your scriptures, then D&C 1:14 beside it. Next find D&C 1:14, beside it in the margin write D&C 1:38, continue through the chain. When you get to the last scripture Amos 3:7, beside it write D&C 1:14. Where ever you are in the chain you can always follow the scriptures along.


Prophet Scripture Chain
D&C 1:14
D&C 1:36
D&C 50:36
D&C 52:9
D&C 84:36
D&C 90:5
D&C 124:45-46
D&C 133:71
2 Nephi 26:3
Mosiah 18:18-19
3 Nephi 28:34-35
Amos: 3:7

(Additional chains are available on-line, or can be provided. It can even be fun to use the Topical Guide and make your own)


5) As you read the scriptures look for questions the prophets and the Lord ask us. Write them in a note book and answer them.

6) Pray while studying.

7) Reflect on scripture again and again, as Joseph Smith reflected on James 1:5.

8) When setting goals, find something that works for you. If you can read a chapter a day or you have 30 min to devote to scripture study no matter how much or little you read, just do what works for you.

Some ideas for marking scriptures were shared from Whitney Butters Article Tips for living: Scripture-marking methods, published in June 2010 Deseret News. They include:

· Keep it simple
· Get tools (markers and pens that don’t bleed through the pages, colored pencils or crayons)
· Develop a classification process. Underline key words, bracket or box ideas, circle or shade verses, use different colors for different ideas.
· Cross reference/scripture chain
· Practice your system
· And most importantly BEGIN.

Finally some Sisters shared their ideas and techniques of scripture study with us.
> Use Sunday School Lesson Pamphlets and read the additional reading at the end of the lesson
> Color code by topic (for example Black-Apostasy, Sin and Satan, Blue-Holy Ghost, Etc)
> Tape in visuals, pictures, time-lines
> Use manuals such as Seminary, Institute or Sunday school. These can be ordered or some downloaded and printed at ldsces.org. They can also be loaded and read to you. Don’t stress if you can’t pronounce the words.
> Use talks from General Conference, or Articles and reference the scripture in and at eh end of the talks
> If you have started to read, for example the Book of Mormon, and read 1 Nephi twenty times and read it each time you start back up, skip it and start where you left off.
> Write notes in margins so you can understand them and don’t have to look up the meaning. Keep a dictionary beside you as you read so you can look up the meaning of words and write them in the margins or on a sticky note
> Don’t get overwhelmed. Pick something such as the Ensign, or the book Jesus the Christ and read that. There are many scriptures to reference.
> Look up a weakness or topic in the Topical Guide
> Get talks on MP3
> Go to scriptures.byu.edu You can pick a scripture and look up all talks that reference that scripture
> Buy cheap scriptures to do family study during a meal
> Color code and make a card with the colors and what they are for and keep it in your scriptures
> Keep pens, markers, sticky notes, highlighters, or colored pencils handy for easy access
> Read every day even if just a chapter, article, or a few verses. Don’t set long goals because they can be daunting. Know your purpose before you set a goal
> Star or write impressions in the margins as you read
> Ask how you can apply the scripture to your life, or what question the scripture answers

The scriptures are readily available today and so many people have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we could have and learn from them. Please take advantage of this wonderful blessing to study and learn the lessons the scriptures can provide for you and your families.

General Relief Society Broadcast

September 25th 8:00pm

There is a service project at the stake center at 6:30.

If you would like to carpool meet at the church at 5:30.

Here is some info from the stake:

We will meet at 6:30 for a service project and visiting.Then the broadcast will follow at 8:00. The activities will be held at theStake Center and at the Georgetown building. We anticipate messages fromthe General Relief Society Presidency as well as someone from the FirstPresidency. These messages are specially directed for the women of thechurch at this particular time.

The service project will be mainly focused on providing help to the homelessof our communities. We will be preparing hygiene kits and making fleece blankets. We welcome any donations of full-size shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, hand sanitizer, kleenex and deodorant. Also, water bottles, healthy portable snacks and appropriate magazines, such as Reader's Digest can be donated. We will have a drop off box for schools supplies that we will be giving to Crayons to Computers and the Crisis Center in Maysville. We'll have a table of goodies to snack on while we work, if you would like to share a treat, we suggest fruit, veggies, crackers & cheese or sweet treats. We will need scissors to cut the fleece blankets.

September Visiting Teaching Message

“Our Responsibility to Nurture the Rising Generation,” Ensign, Sep 2010, 7

Study this material and, as appropriate, discuss it with the sisters you visit. Use the questions to help you strengthen your sisters and to make Relief Society an active part of your own life.

From the Scriptures
Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4; Enos 1:1; Alma 53:20–21; 56:47; 57:27

Without nurturing, our rising generation could be in danger of becoming like the one described in Mosiah 26. Many youth didn’t believe the traditions of their fathers and became a separate people as to their faith, remaining so ever after. Our rising generation could likewise be led away if they don’t understand their part in Heavenly Father’s plan.

So what is it that will keep the rising generation safe? In the Church, we teach saving principles, and those principles are family principles, the principles that will help the rising generation to form a family, teach that family, and prepare that family for ordinances and covenants—and then the next generation will teach the next and so on.

As parents, leaders, and Church members, we are preparing this generation for the blessings of Abraham, for the temple. We have the responsibility to be very clear on key points of doctrine found in the proclamation on the family. Motherhood and fatherhood are eternal roles and responsibilities. Each of us carries the responsibility for either the male or the female half of the plan.

We can teach this doctrine in any setting. We must speak respectfully of marriage and family. And from our example, the rising generation can gain great hope and understanding—not just from the words we speak but from the way we feel and emanate the spirit of family.
Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president.

From Our History
Addressing the sisters at the general Relief Society meeting on September 23, 1995, President Gordon B. Hinckley said: “The world we are in is a world of turmoil, of shifting values. Shrill voices call out for one thing or another in betrayal of time-tested standards of behavior.”1 President Hinckley then went on to introduce to the sisters, the Church, and ultimately people everywhere “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.”

In subsequent years this prophetic document has been translated into many languages and distributed to world leaders. It asks citizens and government leaders “to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.”2

The proclamation has become the foundation for Latter-day Saint beliefs about the family, a statement to which we can hold fast and know that by living its precepts, we are strengthening our families and homes.

What Can I Do?

1. How can I help my sisters use “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” to nurture the rising generation? You might consider sharing a copy of the proclamation and helping your sisters identify and mark those passages that would best teach key doctrines.

2. How can I nurture the rising generation? You might consider reaching out to members of your ward, branch, family, or community who could benefit from your attention and love.
For more information, go to www.reliefsociety.lds.org.

Notes

1. Gordon B. Hinckley, “Stand Strong against the Wiles of the World,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 99.

2. See “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Liahona, Oct. 2004, 49; Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102.