Linked in Love

Thank you to Sister Janice Hiser for the beautiful lesson given on Sunday. We had the opportunity to be reminded how important family is. Elder Nelson shares the importance of the Proclamation to the World. And our reason here on earth is to have families who are raised in the church, attend the temple and prepare for eternal families.

"When our hearts turn to our ancestors, something changes inside us,"

R.S. Dutch Oven Dinner

On September 17th, we had a very COLD but wonderful night of fun and Dutch Oven Dinners.
Brother Cheetam, Brother Frank Mickelson, Brother Zellar, Sister Kraft and Sister Cutler filled us with some amazing food.
We met at Constitution Park where the wind was blowing and the cold was a sure deal, Sister Bischoff who organized the activity even went home and got tarps to try and block the wind.
We wrapped in blankets, snuggled in close, had mini dutch oven cooking lessons and ate until our hearts were content.
What I believe I learned about dutch oven cooking is you start with a stick of butter or some really greasy bacon. No wonder we all love to eat it.
A special thank you to Cheri and all the volunteers who braved the cold and made a memorable night for us.

Welcome Kamree

Sarah and Shawn were blessed with the arrival of their 2nd daughter at 2:54 am on Thursday September 23.
Although she insisted on making an early arrival she is home and doing well. Kamree weighed 5lbs and is 18" long. Congratulations to the new family of 4.

She is here!

Congratulations to the Carpenter family.
Daisy Mae joined her family in the wee hours of September17th.
She weighed in at 8lbs1oz and is 20".
Mom and Dad though a bit tired are doing well too.

Welcome

We would like to welcome Gretchen Walker to the Relief Society Presidency. Gretchen was sustained yesterday as our new secretary. We are thrilled to be working with her and getting to know her better.

It's a BOY

Congratulations to the Parks Family.
Davis Parks has arrived. Sharla gave birth on
Sunday September 5th in the morning just after 6.
He weighed in at 6lbs 12 oz and 18".
Mom and baby are home and doing well.

Gratitude on Tender Mercies

We had a wonderful lesson given by Jill on Gratitude and Tender Mercies. How great it is to be reminded to be grateful for all that we have.
Jill had a great quote, about a person being grateful for soap. As they grew up in the depression and had to make their own soap. And though it got you clean, it was rough and had an awful smell. This is a wonderful example of things we might take advantage of  and how we should stop and appreciate the joy and beauty if what we have.
Heavenly Father blesses us daily with all the joy in our world. We need to take the time to appreciate what is out here. Notice the sun set/rise as Sister Ewart mentioned Brother Ewart is so great about. Take time to love and enjoy life.

Presidency Message

Elder Perry’s talk in General Conference of April 2008 painted a visual for me that I could really relate too as a homemaker. He talked about how cookbooks display picture perfect creations. Once we have the vision of the out come we have to “strictly follow” the recipe if we want a picture perfect meal. He stated, “It is important to begin with the end in mind, but the end represented by pictures in cookbooks is an end that is only possible if everything is done right.”
In his concluding remarks he focuses on the recipe step “Enduring to the End”. When baking cookies you actually don’t get a cookie if you stop with just mixing your ingredients--which is the quick part of the creation--you have to endure many sessions of opening the oven (refiners fire if you will) to get the completed recipe. This takes diligence, patience, and faith (that the treats will turn out because you followed with exactness the recipe given to you) to enjoy the morsels of your labors. Sometimes the most difficult part of baking and cooking is dealing with all the other distractions and duties of life that we face.
Elder Perry stated, “Enduring to the end is definitely not a do-it-yourself- project...each of us has a role to play, each of us is important, but in order to succeed we must be unified in our Savior.” Like a recipe, each ingredient is unique and strikingly its own entity, but when we mix the individual traits of sugars, flour, soda, butter, and chocolate--we get ingredients unified in one purpose; to make a delicious treat. As we love others accept their gifts and talents while not comparing ourselves to others so that our gifts and talents can shine through we become one in the Savior and the end product is incredible!!
In closing I quote Elder Perry, “May we be diligent in following the recipe for eternal life that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” so that we can taste the sweetness that Lehi explained as the most sweet above any he had ever tasted. This fruit is desirable and brings us happiness and joy. Each sister in our ward is needed to make our experience and growth in the gospel complete--"picture perfect!" We are so grateful for your individual talents, perspectives, friendship and endless service to others that bless and lifts each of us continually. ~Jill