Pictures meant for Ministering Newsletter February 2024

 

September 2024 Ministering Newsletter

    

Hello everyone!

I have mentioned a couple of times that I have been meaning to take a rest occasionally - missing a month here and there.  However, while I was thinking of this, I thought I’d check to see if there was anything important that I would like to talk about.  Unfortunately (or fortunately) I found a couple of thing

President Russell M. Nelson’s 100th Birthday - September 9, 2024

President Nelson urged us to understand three fundamental truths as we prepare for the future.  First, know the truth about who you are; second, know the truth about what Heavenly Father and His Son have offered you; and third, know the truth related to your conversion  Another time he also said, You are never too young to learn, never too old to change.  We were born to die and we die to live.  As seedlings of God, we barely blossom on earth, we fully flower in heaven.  The wise use of your freedom to make your own decisions is crucial to your spiritual growth, now and for eternity.  Also in a July 9, 2024 BYU Blog it said,  "In you're efforts to reach out to “the one,” consider giving the gifts of kindness, peacemaking, and service to those around you.” Here are some of our favorite BYU speeches that address these topics.  In your efforts to reach out to “the one,” consider giving the gifts of kindness, peacemaking, and service to those around you. Here are some of our favorite BYU speeches that address these topics. We hope that as you review them, you will be inspired with ways you can reach out to “the one” in your own life.

Kindness

• “What If Love Were Our Only Motive?” by Russell T. Osguthorpe

• “Being Christ’s Compassionate Hands” by Steven A. Smith

• “Seeing Things Differently” by Michael J. Dorff

Peacemaking

• “Our Path to Lasting Personal Peace” by Steven J. Hafen

• “Uniting to Establish a Culture of Peace” by Vishwanath D. Karad

• “Blessed Are the Peacemakers” by Henry B. Eyring

Service

• “Loving Our Neighbors” by D. Carolina Núñez

• “Why Giving Matters” by Arthur C. Brooks 

• “Turning Enemies into Friends” by Sharon Eubank

For quite a while I would center my September newsletter around the starting of school.  However, this is silly for multiple reasons.  For one thing, since most of you are older the start of a school year is not really relavent.  Another reason is that it seems that the school year started in August.  Granite School started on August 14th and the Salt Lake District started on August 15th.  One of the main points that I would dwell on was food - both breakfast and lunch (which, with school lunches, wasn’t that relevant for school age kids).  However, expanding our thinking about those meals for school age kids to include those who work away from home makes a lot of sense.   That’s because, since we all eat, this includes a larger group.  Also, even for us older people, it doesn’t need to just include the times when we eat at home but also when we go out to places like the genealogy library where having a packed lunch might be a good idea.  Also, a good, nutritious, easy to prepare breakfast can be appreciated no matter what we do for the rest of the day.   Because of this, here are some websites that have some recipes that fit this category - both tasty, easy and fun.  Also, they are hopefully fun - since who doesn’t like fun foods - which makes it more likely that we prepare and eat them.  Here is a link to those websites:

• https://www.forbes.com/health/nutrition/healthy-breakfast-ideas/#:~:text=The%20healthiest%20breakfast%20foods%20include,parfait%20with%20nuts%20and%20berries.

• https://www.wellandgood.com/mood-boosting-breakfast-foods/

• https://www.realsimple.com/delicious-on-the-go-breakfast-ideas-for-busy-mornings-7571207

• https://uscvhh.org/share/healthy-people-usually-eat-these-7-things-for-lunch.html

• https://www.medibank.com.au/livebetter/be-magazine/food/10-healthy-lunch-ideas/

• https://www.evesleep.co.uk/blogs/the-well-slept-club/healthy-lunch-ideas-to-keep-you-energished

• I left this in because without this line it wasn’t showing the link to the last website

Holidays

September 8

I am putting this day in for 2 reasons.  For obvious reasons I’m not ranking them.  

There’s Star Trek Day.  As I am creating these newsletters and am trying to find information about what I’m writing about, I get into some interesting websites. The website Hillsborough Soil & Water Conservation District Florida had a section about Star Trek Day   The reason that they picked September 8 is because On September 8, 1966, a television series pilot known as Star Trek was introduced on American television. Aiming for an adult audience, this was the first time a scientific fiction series would explore morality through scientific narratives.  One of the reasons that it’s actually celebrated is because For many, it's not just a show but a source of inspiration and a way to connect with like-minded people.  The show also explores many aspects of society that we weren’t able to do at that time in society. One example of this was shown when Nichelle Nicole tried to leave Star Trek.  However, fortunately Martin Luther King Jr. persuaded her not to quit

Equally important/close to my heart (for obvious reasons) is Grandparents' Day 

Sunday, 8 September 2024  National Grandparents' Day is an annual celebration that takes place on the Sunday after Labor Day, making it the second Sunday in September. Although observed throughout the country it is not a federal holiday. Most businesses will continue to follow Sunday working hours.  In reading this It became apparent to me that it was a grassroots movement that started when its originator (Jacob Reingold) attended a congress on aging in the White House.  At that time he became very concerned about the need to celebrate by doing something special to honor all Grandparents.  Because of this, the first celebration took place in September of 1961 at the establishment, ‘The Hebrew Home of Riverdale’ (where he was the executive Vice-president).  The first instance was celebrated with a picnic and carnival.  However, like with a lot of other things, we can make it better when we personalize the celebration to meet our specific needs.  It can also, especially with the personalizations, be made to accommodate different relationships in our lives other than grandparents - such as neighbors or friends and older parents, aunts and cousins.  It can help foster neighborhood closeness and be used as a ministering tool. It can include different activities, including crafts, outings and meals that emphasize the type of relationships associated with grandparent and grandchild bonding.  Such activities include conducting interviews (grandparent or biographical), cooking a family recipe (and sharing the details of what makes it a special recipe and/or any traditions associated with it), creating a collage or building something together. Some suggestions for building things together include:

• 1. Handprint Flower Bouquet

• 2. Clay Photo Frame

• 3. Handwritten Letter

• 4. Memory Jar

• 5. Customized Coasters

• 6. Family Tree Collage

• 7. Grandparent Appreciation Poem

• 8. Photo Album or Scrapbook

• 9. Love and Care Coupons

• 10. DIY Colorful Plant Pot

• 11. Handmade Grandparents Day Card

Also, it’s a good time to work on your family tree in FamilySearch.  In an email from FamilySearch it gives 6 webinar presentations that are, hopefully still available.

Conference Talk

For the General Conference for this month, choose the talk given during the Saturday morning session of the April 2024 General Conference by Elder Jack N. Gerard: ‘Integrity: A Christlike Attribute’ I chose this for a couple of reasons.  One was because, since I’m not sure when my next newsletter will be, I want to make sure this is included.

Part of the talk that I appreciated was ‘Living a life of integrity requires us to be true to God, to each other and to our divine identity’  I feel that this an integral part of our spiritual growth - otherwise we have the potential, especially in these troubling times, to lower ourselves to our baser instincts.  In the talk Elder Gerard goes on by stating, “Living a life of integrity means being true to God, to each other and to one’s divine identity. Integrity means not lowering standards or behavior to impress or be accepted by others. It means doing what is right and letting the consequences follow.”  In this same talk he quotes President Nelson, saying:  “The Savior reminds us, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” President Russell M. Nelson counseled: “[Overcoming the world] means overcoming the temptation to care more about the things of this world than the things of God. It means trusting the doctrine of Christ more than the philosophies of men.” Likewise, we must resist the temptation to walk “in [our] own way, and after the image of [our] own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world.”  If we are to survive and flourish (like we can and must do) we need to follow this advice with vim and vigor - and help those around us (our loved ones, neighbors, etc.) to strive to obtain our full capacity, our full premortal potential.  

Testimony

The part of my testimony that I want to share this month is that it is more important than ever that we follow our living prophets and all of the rest of our General Authorities.  With President Nelson’s 100th birthday coming up, this brings this especially to the forefront.  I have a testimony that President Nelson is the right man at the right time and we need to follow all the truths and admonitions that lovingly gives us.  I also believe that the rest of the Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve are also prophets, seers and revelators who are here now because that's where Heavenly Father has placed them.  I also believe that this is true about our Stake Presidency, Ward Bishopric and all the other leaders of the church.  I also have a testimony each new calling we both receive and sustain is because these callings come from divine inspiration from our Heavenly Father.  Not only is divine inspiration evident in callings, all the way from President Nelson down, it is also necessary in our personal lives.  Because of this we need to listen carefully and recognize it when it comes.  We need to hone our abilities to listen to and follow the promptings given to us by the Holy Ghost.  We can do this through continual and thoughtful fasting, prayer and study.  We have been given quite a few aids to assist us in doing this.  But we need to remember that our personal lives, and inspirations, include our loved ones and all those that we minister (officially and unofficially) to.  In this way we can not only lift ourselves up but we can raise those we love along with us.  A vital part of our spiritual lives is  to lift each other up.  In our current times we need to do more that was done in Moses time when those under him lifted up and supported his feeble hands.  We need to also show that support for each other - acting as buoys so we can all help us to lift each up.  I pray that we may all develop our ability to receive revelation, recognize and act upon it - for ourselves and all those, family, loved ones and those we minister to.  This way we can become who we need to be in order to survive and flourish during these troubling final days.  I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

 

#PresisentNelsonsBirthday

#Elder Gerard

#GrandparentsDay

#Testimony

Impossible??? Ask Cinderella (or her Fairy Godmother)

 Sometimes it's fun to contemplate the impossible (probably at least the improbable)   One of the things that I have been thinking about is making money from my blog.  One of the reasons that I have been thinking of this is that, just like everyone else, I could always use more money.  I have heard a lot of different people mentioning how they have a side hustle.  However, with my medical problems, I don't seem to have the energy or ambition to put a lot of effort into it - otherwise I would probably be more likely to look into a part time job.  However, especially not only did I have to quit a part time job, I had to  stop volunteering doing something that I loved!

However,  although money would like to come in handy, I don't like to keep my blog centered around my Ministering newsletter.  Although there are some possibilities that might be compatible with the newsletter, I can't seem to think of them right now.    

Any and all help would be appreciated - a long with any feedback on this entire website.

#Imporrible #Improbable #sidehustle #feedback #MinisteringNewsletter

Advice worth sharing!!

 https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2024/08/24/elder-ulisses-soares-g20-interfaith-forum-brazil-2024/?utm_campaign=Church%20News%20Today&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--nMVB1rzTtm_i76YLeKHjzYpuiSiVF6ItAiZc8tNTpwYB1oYksLlpSdjmR0geqe4JrkZe5jIcGlHtfQyRBoMuWprA5Ppbr_csUwB2oVX4s4gRQvVI&_hsmi=321569727&utm_content=321569727&utm_source=hs_email   

The mangrove tree filters toxins and provides stability around tropical coastlines.ccSimilarly, faith communities can serve as society’s moral filters and stabilizers, said Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Elder Soares used the mangrove analogy while speaking at the G20 Interfaith Forum in Brasília, Brazil, on Wednesday, Aug. 21, ChurchofJesusChrist.org reported.

“As a collective moral mangrove, we can protect future generations from forces of addiction, isolation, narcissism and moral relativism that could consume them,” he said. “A moral mangrove, and all the people who are part of it, are crucial to the fabric that strengthens and holds our society together and gives us faith in the future of the world.”

#ElderUlissesSoares #G20InterfaithForum #Brazil 

A story of hope about Ammon's 2,000 stripling warriors - it's all about the mothers.

In the website LDS Living they have a story entitled  Find hope—not unreachable mom standards—in the mothers of the stripling soldiers By Julie Frederick August 20, 2024.  The story of Ammon and his 2,000 strippling warriors starts in Alma chapter 56.  One of the main points that is made concerns the strippling warrior’s mothers.  The versus states:

46 For as I had ever called them my sons (for they were all of them very young) even so they said unto me: Father, behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth; we would not slay our brethren if they would let us alone; therefore let us go, lest they should overpower the army of Antipus

47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

This story shows how important mothers are and how they can shape both the lives of the children, and their community and the country.

#BookofMormon #Ammon #StripplingWarriors

Going back to the beginning

As I am starting to use my blog again, I thought about a quote from Princes Bride about going back to the beginning.  Sometimes it's good to step back and see what was working in the past - and how it could work in the future.

One thing that I found that I had done in the past was to have a small paragraph about a different Sister each month.  I would select a sister in the ward and ask them to give me a brief paragraph that would give the rest of the sisters in the ward an insight into her life.  I would also ask for volunteers - although I would be a little more aggressive in my search for someone to 'volunteer' as my deadlines came due.  I had given an example of how this COULD look on June 30, 2010 with the title Patricia Gudmundsen Wilson (on the blog).

I would also share reports from Sister Missionaries (with their permission).  Although I did this for the Sister Missionaries that went out from our ward, it seems like it would be worthwhile to send out insights from those Sister Missionaries that are working within our ward/stake.  Please let me know what you guys think of this.

Thanks for your reading - and for your help!!  Please give any and all feedback that you feel is useful.

Just BARELY found my comments!

 I just BARELY found the comments that I had been sent - I'm definitely behind on the learning curve.  I was trying to answer some of the comments - some have gone back as far as 2010.  However, I can't see full names or email addresses for ANY of them.

If you give me a comment, FIRST, THANK YOU!!  Second if you can read this, and want to comment again (and receive an answer) please include your email address.  Or let me know and I will try to send you mine.

#OldComments #Apologies #Feedback