Primary Presidency Orientation Package

Hello! Welcome to my blog! This summer I was released as my ward's Relief Society president. I had been serving in that capacity for five years. I am on to a new calling and a new adventure - Stake Primary President! One of the things we wanted to have as a Stake Primary Presidency was an orientation package for new Primary Presidencies. Our Stake covers a very large area. My first visit to one of the wards in my stake was a 3 1/2 hour drive. We wanted something we could send through the internet just in case we are not able to get to visit in person right away. We will also have hard copies on hand - however, the online pdf has hyperlinks to important resources. The General Primary Presidency has a fantastic orientation package of their own, online and through the Gospel Library app, so I linked up to that (why re-invent the wheel right?), and added some basic training on how to access resources.  I am thinking of making a teacher orientation package too. I will find out if Primary Presidents feel it would be helpful. 
I am sharing this hoping it will help someone or inspire your own orientation package.
Find the pdf file HERE.

The first page has a blank bottom for you to put your presidency information. 
The picture of President Nelson in the package is from Susan Fitch. Check out her awesome website HERE!

Thanks for stopping by!

Visiting Teaching November 2017 Handout

Hello! Welcome to my blog! I loved all the talks at General Conference. For a message that would best fit the needs of the sisters I serve and watch over I picked Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk titled "Three Sisters". This talk is a good reminder for all of us that life has its challenges - why make it more challenging by having a frame of mind that makes it more difficult? We all have our moments in each of these frames of mind - but the one we want to most of our time in is GLAD, including in times of hardship.

I made an accordion fold card with quotes I felt summed up each frame of mind - SAD, MAD, and GLAD.

I included my favourite quote from this talk - the ACTION quote. It reminded my of the Visiting Teaching message from March where I referred to us as ACTION HEROES when we ACTIVATE THE ENABLING POWER OF JESUS CHRIST AND HIS ATONEMENT.

"There may be many things about life that are beyond your control. But in the end, YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHOOSE both your destination and many of your experiences along the way. IT IS NOT SO MUCH YOUR ABILITIES BUT YOUR CHOICES THAT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN LIFE."

I love that! At my work recently there was a change in my schedule and I wanted it changed back to what it was before - and that particular day of the week at work seemed challenging. Then I thought to myself - the only thing that needs to change is my attitude. As soon as I made that decision that day of the week was great! That is easy for the small stuff. I know there are way bigger challenges than that.  It is so important that we develop this frame of mind for the small stuff so when the BIG challenges come we are trained in having the power to meet our challenges with the attitude or frame of mind that will be most helpful.

For the handout - I made a colour one, and a slightly coloured one - depending on how much colour ink you want to use.

Download the files HERE 

and follow the directions below for folding.

                                Thanks for stopping by!

How To Make Posters or Invitations with iPad or iMac

Hello! Welcome to my blog! I don't own any expensive publishing programs for my computer or for my iPad, but I am able to make do with the Keynote app. It is the Mac version of Powerpoint. What I like about it is I can move any clip art or words to any spot I want on the page. I can even convert the files to pdf, jpeg or other options. I can also iCloud the files to be on my iPad and my Mac computer. 

I make a lot of posters and invitations and newsletters for church.  I make a lot of visuals and worksheets for my work as well. I can make them at my desk in my classroom and send them to the office through email to print. It is super easy. For a lot of the clip art or backgrounds, I just search the internet. If you are putting clip art on to a background you need them to be transparent - meaning it won't have a white frame around it. There is a way to get rid of that edge, but that is another post. I am self taught - so I am no professional - however I have been doing this for years and I do get better the more I practice. I learn new things all the time too!

This particular poster has three parts to it, plus the typing:

1. BACKGROUND

 2. CENTRE FRAME

3. FLORAL CLIP ART TO DRESS IT UP

With the iPad, one is limited to the fonts that come with Keynote - although there are apps that make the iPad capable of adding more stylish fonts if you are willing to pay for it. 

I used to be at the mercy of  pre-made invitations. Not any more. I like the 4-H motto, which definitely helped me out when it came to making things on my computer - LEARN TO DO BY DOING!

Why don't you give it a try?

Relief Society Bulletin Board Idea

Welcome to my blog! With a new year upon us I thought it was time to freshen up our bulletin boards in Relief Society. I started with a blue cloth that was left at a Give and Take table we had. I painted on some darker blue acrylic paint to give it some spunk. The pictures of the bulletin board do not do it justice. The fabric looks rich and velvety.

We have a pouch for the newsletter and lesson outline schedule for the year. The border around the bulletin board is burlap ribbon I purchased at Michael's in the clearance section and I stapled lace over it. I was fortunate to have someone think of me when they were thinning out their sewing supplies and this lace was in that fantastic package. 

 The top portion of the bulletin board is a miniature gallery wall. The right corner has a round tin and I printed a Relief Society emblem to put in it. I inked the edges with brown ink to give it definition.

I had purchased a bunch of little clipboards years ago and thought they would be perfect for posters.

I added lace to each of the bottoms and tied lace and ribbon to the clips. I bought the middle "frame" from Michael's in the paper section. I inked the edges for dimension. Inside the frame is our Ward Relief Society focus for the year - united in the cause of Christ.

I made two embroidery hoop pictures to fill in the empty space. I found these at a second hand store for 25 cents. I printed off a banner, a triangle for the top of the house (with the same background paper I used for the banner) and a couple shapes with book page background for the house.

I sewed the edges and hot glued everything on the linen which is from a jacket I purchased dirt cheap at a second hand store. The heart I cut out of red felt. I tied two bows with jute and hot glued those on to give the impression the banner is tied with string.

We have two bulletin boards and the boards are pretty identical except that I made the embroidery hoop art a little different. 

One of my pet peeves about bulletin boards is how messy push pins are. I saw an idea HERE for a tin tart pin cushion and so I followed those directions to make my push pin holder. I had tart tins on hand that I found at a second hand store, again for next to nothing. I hot glued tacks to the bottom so I could pin them to the board. I had to fix one of the push pin holders after a week. My guess is someone took it off the board to see how it was made and accidentally ripped off three of the tacks. They have been up for almost a month now and I haven't had any other issues. 

Thanks for stopping by!

We Missed You - Relief Society Email

A while back we were asked by our Stake Presidency to make sure those who are not at church know that they are missed. Our Relief Society Presidency decided as part of that directive, we would send out an email every Sunday to those who were not in Relief Society. This includes those who are absent and those serving in Primary, Nursery and Young Women. Sometimes when I do something I have no idea if it makes a difference. I have received a lot of positive feedback about this email program, especially from those sisters who are serving in other organizations and those who cannot make it to church for health or other reasons. There was even a less active that had been receiving them. I had no idea whose email this was but sent it because it was on the email list. They came to church. I introduced myself, and the individual said, "Oh, I get your emails". 

We just take a few quotes and scriptures that are shared during Relief Society, compile them on a postcard type file and email them as a jpeg. Searching images on the internet offers a wealth of pictures that relate to the different lessons that give this email a nice touch with little effort other than to copy, paste and resize. 

This does take a little bit of time to put together, but utilizing technology in this manner has unified us more, and really by small and simple means. 

I would love to hear some ways you have reached out to the Sisters in your ward...

Thanks for stopping by!

Infuse Joy Into Your Soul

Hello! Welcome to my blog! This quote art is inspired by a verse in the Book of Mormon, Alma 19:6. This scripture is one that touches my heart as I desire to infuse joy into my soul. 

There are many differing opinions out there on how to find joy. I believe as Ezra Taft Benson had noted, "Men may deceive each other, but God does not deceive man." I think this scripture has the real definition of joy in it.

Doesn't it make sense that living a lie, living under a deception, or darkness as described here would bring a darkness into one's life? When that deception or darkness is dispelled, truth is found, or in other words light, one's soul would be lit up with that new found understanding. In Doctrine and Covenants 84 it says whatsoever is truth is light, whatsoever is light is Spirit. In John chapter 8 Jesus talks about those who believe on Him and in His word, then are we His disciples. "And ye shall know the truth and the truth make you free." The Jews were confused and said they "were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?" Jesus answered them...Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin." (John 8:31-34) Truth sets us free because it exposes those things that bring misery to our lives. Those things that bring misery to our lives our glamorized these days. Isaiah speaks of those that "call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" Isaiah 5:20 

Misery will abound until light or truth abides in our lives, so why not seek for truth from the One who  is the Source of truth and infuse your soul with joy?

I was invited quite a few years ago to read The Book of Mormon. I did not want to read it as I had heard a lot against it.  Some people told me that it was a replacement for the Bible and I did not like that. Then I realized I had heard a lot of positive things about the book as well. I was told that it was another testament of Jesus Christ. I was told it was a record of a people who lived on this continent who were brought here by the hand of God and that it is a record that was prepared for the wise purpose of preparing the world for the second coming of Jesus Christ. I decided that I would read the book, not because I believed it, but because if there was any truth to what these people were saying, I had better find out. I did read it and I did pray to God to know if it was true as I didn't want my decision to be persuaded by any man. I am sharing this because I did receive an answer to my prayers and I invite you to find out for yourself too. 

You can download the Book of Mormon app by clicking HERE.

Thanks for stopping by!

The Influence of a Righteous Woman

Hi! Welcome to my blog! Today I am posting a talk I gave on Mother's Day a few years ago. It was based on a talk given by M. Russell Ballard titled, Mother's and Daughter's.  The quote art is inspired by a quote in this talk.

My talk today is based on M. Russell Ballard’s talk from the April Conference – Mother’s and Daughters.  It has been said that when a child is born so is a mother. I grew up on a cattle ranch and had the privilege of witnessing “birth” often – the birth of babies, and birth of mother’s. It was an awesome experience to witness cows nurture their young. Once in a while a calf would be orphaned due to the mother dying, or other circumstances. One orphan that comes to mind is Twinkie. I was so excited to be her surrogate mother. I think I was eight, and completely in mothering mode. I got to bottle feed her. I gave her baths and I did her hair. Needless to say, this poor calf did not grow up to be normal. It is not normal to go out in a field full of cattle and have a cow run up to greet you when you don’t have food. When it came time for Twinkie to be a mother – she did not know what to do. She did not have good mothering instincts. Could it be that the influence of a mother is critical for the daughters future role as a mother? Elder Ballard has said his “dear wife Barbara, has had an eternally significant influence on (their) daughters and granddaughters- and they in turn, on her. Mothers and daughters play a critical role in helping each other explore their infinite possibilities, despite the undermining influences of a world in which womanhood and motherhood are being corrupted and manipulated.” Elder Ballard goes on to say “Sisters, we, your brethren, cannot do what you were divinely designated to do from before the foundation of the world. We may try, but we cannot ever hope to replicate your unique gifts. There is nothing in this world as personal, as nurturing, or as life changing as the influence of a righteous woman.” Of course Elder Ballard points out that not all girls have mothers with whom they can discuss these issues, and many women may not presently have daughters, but, Elder Ballard continues, “all women have within their divine nature both the inherent talent and the stewardship to mother”…and so he addressed his talk to all women who have opportunities to influence the younger generation, be it grandmothers, leaders, aunts, friends and other mentors.  In his talk Elder Ballard reminded us, quote “... I’ve been speaking to parents and their children for three general conferences in a row. Last April I encouraged the youth to “learn the lessons of the past. Quoting from that talk he said, “When you are willing to listen and learn, some of life’s most meaningful teachings come from those who have gone before you…how much better your life will be if you will follow the noble example of the faithful followers of Christ.” Last October, Elder Ballard spoke to fathers and sons, and then his most recent talk, Mothers and daughters. “In each case” Elder Ballard said, “my message has been different but similar. I hope you are listening and see a pattern and hear a steady message that in these last days it is essential – even critical – that parents and children listen to and learn from one another. REPEAT . When I looked up “listening” in the topical guide, it said “see communication, learning and understanding” Listening is a form of communication. Listening is more than just hearing. It is a life skill that we are commanded to learn. The Lord admonished “Those who have ears to hear, let him hear”. Listening is a prerequisite to learning – and essential in gaining a testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Harold B. Lee has said that Heavenly Father wants each of us to cultivate ears to listen…Since it is critical that parents and children listen to and learn from each other, we need to teach how to do that. We are unlikely to teach what we have not learned ourselves. Research has indicated the average individual listens for only seventeen seconds before interrupting and interjecting his own ideas. Listening plays an important part in all relationships – Parent –child relationship, sibling relationship, husband and wife relationship, friendship, and so on.

In a book called “The Five Love Languages of Teenagers” it discusses how to have a quality conversation:

1. maintain eye contact. Refrain from rolling eyes in disgust, closing them etc., even if the conversation is intense.
2. do not listen and do something else at the same time. If you cannot give your undivided attention, say so in a polite manner, but express that you are interested in what they have to say, but that you want to give them your full attention. Then agree on a time to talk. 
3. Listen for feelings. What emotions is the other person experiencing? When you think you have the answer confirm it by saying something like – it sounds like your are feeling disappointed because I ……….
4. Observe body language: tears, clenched fists, etc. Again ask for verification to make sure you know what the other person is feeling.
5. Refuse to interrupt – your objective is not to defend yourself or set the other person straight; it is to understand thoughts, feelings, desires.
6. Ask reflective questions. When you think you know what the other person is feeling, check it out by reflecting a statement back as you understand it. Eg. What I hear you saying is …….. Then ask: Is that correct?
7. Express understanding. Others should know that they have been heard and understood. 
8. Ask permission to share your perspective. 

In his talk, Elder Ballard urges daughters to “look to your faithful mothers for a pattern to follow. Model yourselves after them not after celebrities whose standards are not the Lords and whose values may not reflect an eternal perspective. Look to your mother. Learn from her strengths, her courage. Her faithfulness. Listen to her.”

To mother’s, Elder Ballard admonished mother’s to 

1. teach by example
2. teach your daughters to find joy in nurturing children. A mother-daughter relationship is where a daughter learns how to nurture by being nurtured.
3. Teach your daughters to avoid the temptation to gossip or judge one another. 
4. Teach your daughters the importance of making covenants, and then show them how to keep those covenants is such a way they will desire to live worthy to go to the temple.
5. Teach your daughters about things of the Spirit. Point them to the scriptures. Give them experiences that will help them cherish the blessing of priesthood power in their lives. 

In order to teach these principles, the skill of listening is extremely important to recognize teaching moments and even in creating them. In the book :Preach my Gospel: under the heading  - improving my teaching skills, a quote from Jeffrey R. Holland to missionaries and member missionaries alike can be applied to when parents teach their children : “More important than speaking is listening. These people are not lifeless objects disguised as a baptismal statistic. They are children of God, our brothers and sisters, and they need what we have. Be genuine. Reach out sincerely. Ask these friends what matters most to them. What do they cherish? And what do they hold dear? And then listen. If the setting is right you might ask them what their fears are, what they yearn for, or what they feel is missing in their lives. I promise you that something in what they say will always highlight a truth of the gospel about which you can bear testimony and about which you can then offer more…if we listen with love, we won’t need to wonder what to say. It will be given to us – by the Spirit and by our friends.”

This talk was close to my heart. I am a mother. My daughter is very dear to me. When I gave this talk she was a teenager and our communication seemed to be lacking and so it seemed was our relationship. She is twenty now and things are all good. I still strive to be a good influence in her life. We often discuss the importance of being a caring and nurturing person and an influence for good in the lives of others. I thank all women who strive to make the world a better place by nurturing and loving others. The world needs that tender loving care that we can abundantly offer.

Can We Be Alive and Yet, Not Really Live?

Hello! Welcome to my blog!

 Todays quote art is inspired by Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk, "On Being Genuine". I love a quote that says something like "Don't fill your life with days, fill your days with life." 

Can we be alive and yet not really live? 

We can certainly waste days with useless activities. There is so little time. I consider time a precious resource. What are we doing with this precious resource? A lot of time is squandered in useless pursuits. I guess it depends on individual preference, but for me a lot of what we call "entertainment" is what drains us of life. Gaming, social media, television, internet and movies are things I have seen (and somewhat experienced personally) of life depriving. If it does not lift or breathe life into you, then what good is it?

In John 17:3 the Savior said, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." This day, this moment, right now is part of eternity. Do you know God and His Son, Jesus Christ? If we don't know Them, does that mean we really are not living life? Back to the quote from Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "The God of creation who breathed life into the universe, surely has the power to breathe life into you." God did create us, this earth and the universe.   Everything created is intricate and amazing. Our bodies are just one example of many of the miracles of physical life. From our eyes with "autofocusing lenses, nerves and muscles of two eyes to make a single three-dimensional images, all connected to the brain which records the sights seen" to our bodies defence system that "perceives pain to protect it from harm, and generates antibodies in response to infection, and renews its own outdated cells and regulates the levels of its own vital ingredients". (See Russell M. Nelson, Thanks Be to God) Our physical life is intricate, but so is our spiritual life. Life is meant to be so much more than just to be entertained.

So why did the Savior say that life eternal is to know God and Himself? Maybe this is the answer: "If men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves." Joseph Smith

If we do not know who we are, how can we truly live? Lorenzo Snow said, "There is the nature of deity in the composition of our spiritual organization; in our spiritual birth our Father transmitted to us the capabilities, powers and faculties which He Himself possessed, as much so as the child on its mother's bosom possesses, although in an undeveloped state, the faculties, powers and susceptibilities of its parent.

Are we filling our life with days, or filling our days with life? 

I know my life changed when I went to the One Source of truth. I prayed to God. I prayed to know Him and to know what He wanted of me. I had always believed in God, but I didn't really know Him until I started praying, studying scriptures and thinking of the important things in life. Knowing who we are, we can truly live. God, who is our Creator and our Father can breathe life into us by opening our eyes to who we are, opening our understanding as to why we exist, and by doing so our days will be filled with life as we live by that knowledge.

Thanks for stopping by!

Doctrinal Diamonds

Hello, and welcome to my blog. It seems like ages since I have been on here. At the end of summer I was called as the Relief Society President for my ward. For those who do not know what this is, I am called to serve as the female leader of my congregation. This is a call that is very demanding. With going back to work full time, and a few other things that have been added to my plate, my daily scripture reading has not been as enlightening as it has been in the past. I get more out of the scriptures when I write something about the thoughts and feelings that came to me as I read. I am organizing my time a little better now and getting back into the groove. 

I love this quote from Neal A Maxwell expressing so beautifully that scriptures are doctrinal diamonds, that when read with the Spirit, will sparkle and illuminate the path we are to follow. I know that so often when I pray for direction, the answer comes through a scripture that plays back in my mind, even though I had not memorized it. 

Neal A Maxwell says some other things about scriptures...

The holy scriptures represent mankind's spiritual memory. And when man's connection with scripture is severed, mortals are tragically deprived of an awareness of spiritual history, blinding the eyes of faith.

How can we truly understand who we are unless we know who we were and what we have the power to become? How can there be real identity without real history? How can one understand his tiny, individual plot without knowing, even a little, about Father's grand, galactic plans?

We possess these truths! Now they must come to possess us! We are to search them, to ponder them, to feel them, and to live by them!

I know that by searching them I have found greater meaning and purpose in my life, and by applying the doctrines contained in them I find greater success. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Sunday Quotes

Hello and welcome to my blog! I wanted to share a couple of quotes. I love this quote by Donald L Hallstrom (Turn to the Lord, April 2010) , "Never let an earthly circumstance disable you spiritually".  It reminds me of another quote that I like "Just because it is a bad day doesn't mean it is a bad life". We all have challenges. Like it or not, those challenges have the ability to help us gain a vast amount of knowledge and wisdom. Positive attitudes through negative experiences will help us grow. Negative attitudes through negative experiences will allow those challenges to defeat us. Which brings me to the next quote by Richard G. Scott from his talk 

"Finding Joy in Life" April 1996...

"No matter how difficult something you or a loved one faces, it should not take over your life and be the center of all your interest. Challenges are growth experiences, temporary scenes to be played out on the background of a pleasant life. Don't become so absorbed in a single event that you can't think of anything else or care for yourself or for those who depend upon you. Remember, much like the mending of the body, the healing of some spiritual and emotional challenges takes time."

Keep your chin up this week, no matter what challenges come your way!!

Move Forward Quote

This quote is from a talk titled "You Can Do it Now!" by Dieter F. Uchtdorf . It is important to not think we have failed because some areas in our lives are not perfect. Life is full of challenges but through those challenges we grow, even though we may stumble. This quote relates to one of my favorite analogies of getting bucked off a horse. What do you do?  Get up, shake off the dust and then, get back up on that horse again. Your destiny is not determined by the hurdles, the bumps in the road or the wild ride you may be on - you determine your destiny through your determination to not let those challenges stop you in your tracks. RISE UP, DUST YOURSELF OFF AND MOVE FORWARD!

Woman of God Survival Kit

 Hello! Welcome to my blog! I made this gift last year and didn't have to time to post it on my blog in time for Christmas. I have given this gift to people that I work closely with at church over the years. Although I hope they find value in the gift, I know that I always benefit from it as I ponder the analogies and lessons with each item. Here is what I put in the gift....

 1. Love the Lord with all your heart - HEART ORNAMENT

2. Reflect on your divine nature - MIRROR.

3. Draw close to your Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ - PEN AND PAPER

4. Don't waster energy - FLORESCENT BULB

5. Feast on the delicious fruit - MINI FRUIT PIE

HERE ARE THE TAGS.....

HERE ARE THE SAYINGS I PUT ON THE BACK SIDE OF EACH TAG

*Quotes from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints leaders*

Wrap it up pretty and there you go!!

Thanks for stopping by!

The Power of a Christ-Centered Home

Hello! Welcome to my blog! 

I like to make my Sunday posts spiritual posts. The quote in the quote art above comes from a talk titled, "For Peace at Home" written by Richard G. Scott. If a home is Christ-centered, you will find a peaceful home. The reason why this would be the greatest blessing we could offer the world is because the gospel of Jesus Christ is the "one remedy for universal distress - a panacea for the sickness of the world". (Lorenzo Snow) What is the gospel of Jesus Christ - what does it teach? It teaches pure love.  Charity, the pure love of Christ, has these characteristics as described in 1Corinthians 13

As you read about these characteristics - think about how the world would be different and blessed if we were taught these principles and lived them:

Charity, or the pure love of Christ:

 - suffereth long (patient, self control, restraint and tolerant)

-is kind (friendly, generous, considerate nature)

-envieth not (not discontent, or resentful of others)

-vaunteth not herself (does not boast or brag)

-is not puffed up (is not full of themselves/prideful)

-doth not behave itself unseemly (is not indecent or unbecoming)

-seeketh not her own (unselfish)

-is not easily provoked (patient, slow to anger)

-thinketh no evil (too many evils to list)

-rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth

(does not delight in injustice or unrighteousness, but delights in truth)

-beareth all things (conducts oneself with dignity)

-believeth all things (belief is the beginning of conviction)

-hopeth all things (an inner light that guides and reassures)

-endureth all things ( a willingness to press forward amidst challenges)

I will close by quoting more words from Richard G Scott - 

"I have learned a truth that has been repeated so frequently in my life that I have come to know it as an absolute law. It defines the way obedience and service relate to the power of God. When we obey the commandments of the Lord and serve His children unselfishly, the natural consequence is power from God - power to do more than we can do by ourselves. Our insights, our talents, our abilities are expanded because we receive strength and power from the Lord. His power is a fundamental component to establishing a home filled with peace."

Thanks for stopping by!

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Tatertots and Jello

The Influence of Mothers

Hello! Welcome to my blog! It is Sunday and time for an inspirational quote. 

Todays quote is from Sheri Dew and it is on influence. I often think that society is confused about the meaning of being influential, but this quote expresses what I think is the true meaning. With Mother’s Day quickly coming upon us, I would like to thank all the influential women out there that truly know that being influential does not entail elevating self, but rather, lifting others. Sheri Dew is the President and CEO of Deseret Books. She wrote an article on the Influence of Mothers. A shortened version of that article is below, but you can read the whole version 

HERE.

 “As a tribute to the highest, noblest calling a woman may receive, I share five truths about mothers.

Truth #1: Motherhood is a sacred trust from God.

The destiny of mankind is in the hands of mothers. This is not hyperbole. The proverb, "Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6) is more than a formula; it is reality. Mothers not only perpetuate the human race, they raise up the next generation...God has placed the well-being of His children in the hands of mothers.

Truth #2: We tend to define motherhood as maternity, but the word "mother" has layers of meaning.

Eve was called "the mother of all living" before she ever bore a child. Mother is the word that best describes the essence of who we are as women. It defines our identity, our divine nature and the gifts with which we have been endowed.

In reality, all women are mothers. We all need the nurturing touch of the mother who bore us and the "mothers" who bear with us. One of the greatest blessings of my life has been the privilege of learning from marvelous women — beginning with my mother and grandmother, but including others who have taught me things I would have never grasped on my own. They have made all the difference.

Truth #3: Mothers can do more than any others to cure the problems that exist in our society.

There is no better place to teach integrity or compassion or the virtue of virtue. Perhaps that is why President Gordon B. Hinckley called women the "one bright shining hope in a world that is marching toward self-destruction" (One Bright Shining Hope, Deseret Book, 1)

Truth #4: Satan is real, and he has declared war on women.

The adversary understands full well that those who rock the cradle are strategically positioned to rock his diabolical empire. Thus, today his destructive myths about women and mothers abound. Here are just three:

Myth #1: Men are more important and have all the power, so if women want to have influence they should be more like men.

Myth #2: A woman's value is based solely on size and shape.

Myth #3: The only worthwhile validation comes from outside the home, and thus, motherhood is a waste of any talented woman's time.

Too many women have bought these lies. Our culture is disintegrating at the speed of light, and regrettably, the female gender is doing its share of the damage. Sleazy women who flaunt their indiscretions jam the airwaves and monopolize magazine covers.

Other distortions are equally troubling. One prominent magazine annually publishes its "100 Most Powerful Women" cover story. Almost every woman mentioned is a politician, entertainer or CEO. I mean no disrespect to any of these women. What I dispute is the distortion that in order to have influence, a woman must have money, fame or a title. That is a lie!

External validation has short-term value at best. It's difficult to hug an award. No one from the office will call on Mothers Day to thank you for changing their life. There world's praise pales when compared to the joy of family.

Truth #5: Mothers have more influence than they realize.

Women are the leaders of leaders. Who has more influence on a man than his wife? Or on children than their mother? The word that best describes leadership by a woman is mother. Is there any influence more enduring than a mother's shepherding of her children along the path towards exaltation?

Mothers are always teaching, often in simple ways...A mother's voice is unlike any other because a mother's influence is endless.”

Sacrifice Quote

I love Neal A. Maxwell. This was taken from a talk called "Deny Yourselves of All Ungodliness". Any of Neal A. Maxwell talks are worth studying. He was a well educated, well versed amazing man.

View the talk below!

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What Mormon's Believe - The First and Great Commandment

Hello! Welcome to my blog. My name is Sue. In an effort to shed some light on what the Church I belong to believes, I am doing a post every Sunday with the topic - What do Mormon's believe? 

Here are the Quote art pieces from two previous posts.

 

 Semi-annually my church holds a General Conference. For the next few months, my Sunday blog posts (this one is a day late)will review the teachings of the most recent conference. Today’s quote art is from the talk that I am reviewing today titled “The First and Great Commandment” by Jeffrey R. Holland. You can read and view the whole talk by clicking HERE. 

To me, this talk is about what loving the Lord our God really means. I love how Jeffrey R. Holland related the story of the apostles after the Savior’s death. They went about their lives as they did before, they went fishing. The Savior came to see them again - and while eating a dinner provided by yet another miracle Jesus performed, Peter was asked three times if he loved the Savior more than the fish. Each time Peter answered in the affirmative and each time the Savior responded, “Feed my Sheep.” The reason He asked that is because Peter went about his previous work, not the work the Savior called him to do. Relating this to my own life I need to ask, has my life changed since I have come to know the Savior? Am I working at not only providing for myself but reaching out to others? The things that are important to the Savior should be important to me, if I love Him. I will leave you with the paragraph from this talk that I hope to incorporate into my life more.

"So we have neighbors to bless, children to protect, the poor to lift up, and the truth to defend. We have wrongs to make right, truths to share, and good to do. In short, we have a life of devoted discipleship to give in demonstrating our love of the Lord. We can’t quit and we can’t go back. After an encounter with the living Son of the living God, nothing is ever again to be as it was before. The Crucifixion, Atonement, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ mark the beginning of a Christian life, not the end of it. It was this truth, this reality, that allowed a handful of Galilean fishermen-turned-again-Apostles without “a single synagogue or sword” to leave those nets a second time and go on to shape the history of the world in which we now live."

This talk is so impressive when heard so I encourage you to watch it HERE. Jeffrey R. Holland certainly brings the gospel of Jesus Christ to life.

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'Lil Luna

What Do Mormon's Believe - Men and the Mormon Church

Hello! Welcome to my blog. My name is Sue. In an effort to shed some light on what the Church I belong to believes, I am doing a post every Sunday with the topic - What do Mormon's believe? Today I want to do some mythbusting so to speak about men in the Mormon church in which some people view them as dominating over the women. As a woman that has gone to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for fourteen years, I can report that I am not dominated. It is true that men "preside" over this Church, but that "presiding" is not meant for power or control, rather they are to be of service to the membership - kind of like what the Savior said in Matthew 20:28 

...the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister..."

 That is to say, that He was not here to be served, but rather, to serve. 
I have never felt so empowered as a woman since joining this church. I joined when I was 28. Society seemed to teach me that the power of a woman is to leave a mark with the power of seduction, flaunting what I have because I have it. There are better ways to leave an impression. Society also seemed to teach me that staying at home with children was some form of oppression for a woman. I find staying at home with children (if you can afford it) honorable and important. Although there seems to be a battle of the sexes in society and with some individuals, the Church actually elevates women. It is expected that both men and women treat each other with respect.

There is an immense amount of talent, and I may say of real sound statesmanship within a community of ladies; and if they would only train their minds, and exercise the rights and privileges that are legitimately theirs, and would contemplate subjects that they now pass over and never think about, they would find they have an immense amount of influence in guiding, directing, and controlling human affairs.

--President Brigham Young

 This was a quote from a male leader empowering women for good ahead of the times. I am not exactly sure when this was said, but Brigham Young was the leader of the church from 1847-1877. Another quote is below from a more recent leader (1994-2008)...

People wonder what we do for our women. I'll tell you what we do. We get out of their way, and look with wonder at what they are accomplishing. 

President Gordon B. Hinckley

Both quotes are an example of the respect that the men in our church are expected to give all women. 

When I met my husband, he was different than other guys I dated. He respected me. He was kind and had values that made an impression on me. He was a Mormon. Time went on and I learned what Mormon's believed in and taught first hand - and I joined the Church as well. The quote art above is one of many principles taught at my church, and we both try to apply those qualities to our lives to become better people. My husband and I have been married for twenty years. My hubby is not perfect, but what I can count on is that he will eventually do right by me because of what he is taught at our Church. I think he would say likewise in regards to me. Here are some pictures of my sweetie and I.

I came across an article on BeliefNet (I have no idea what faith sponsors that site )titled, The Mormon Gender Gap.
Here is a snippet of that article:

According to [the] Pew [Forum], Mormons have one of the most lopsided gender ratios of any religion: 44 percent men and 56 percent women. You can’t argue with the gender gap — that’s what the data is. The question is why such a disproportional gender gap emerges in the LDS Church...


 What is it (that women) like so much about LDS church activity?..... (The author tries to make some explanations -some I disagree with- you can read my comment linked to that article)

At the very least, it should be a wake-up call to those LDS feminists who depict LDS women as some sort of oppressed underclass in a patriarchal institution. The data tells the opposite story: the women are quite happy while the men are voting with their feet. What LDS feminists need to explain is why women are so happy with the LDS Church.

Read the whole article here: http://blog.beliefnet.com/mormoninquiry/2009/05/the-puzzling-mormon-gender-gap.html#ixzz26ltuM17F

So yes, in my congregation in British Columbia Canada, there are more women than men. They would not be there if the men were pompous or ignorant towards them.  I am always surprised to hear that apparently I am oppressed as a woman because I belong to this Church. 

 If you are searching for some truth about the Mormon Church I hope you take into consideration what you have read on my blog.  Of course, we all need to come to our own conclusions. Our Church welcomes people to investigate these issues to make educated decisions for themselves. If you are interested in learning more please go to LDS.org or Mormon.org or you can go to my profile on Mormon.org by

clicking here.

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