Barbara Thompson is the 2nd Counselor of the General RS board. A few of the points she talked about are mentioned below. We'd love to hear what any of you high lighted from her talk.
• As the three members of the General Relief Society board prepared to travel and speak to members of the church, President Monson asked them for two favors. One was for them to express how much he loves the sisters in the church, and the other was to tell us that he prays for us.
• Barbara talked mostly on the book Daughters of My Kingdom. She mentioned how the prophet wanted a history of Relief Society given to all women as a gift. It isn’t a normal historian’s history but like the small plates of Nephi contains spiritual things. It is a record of faithful, good women who did amazing things through their faith and conviction to the church.
• If history is not your thing, at least open the book, flip through the pages and look for uplifting quotes.
• Alma 30 tells about Alma and Amulek preaching. The church was strong and things were going well. Korihor did much damage by saying that we can’t know things to come or things we cannot see. He claimed that it is the sign of a “frenzied mind” to think we can know the future. Verse 18 says that women were being led away by what he taught. It is not very often that scriptures mention women specifically. Barbara feared that we were being led away by what the world is teaching today. She exhorted us to resist.
• Moses 1:31 tells that Enoch was slow of speech. The Savior replied, “Walk with me” the rivers will move from their place. Enoch eventually taught repentance and the atonement. He spoke so powerfully, that a whole city was converted even though he was slow of speech. Moses 1:39 defines the Zion people in the city of Enoch.
• Joseph Smith said that the purpose of Relief Society is to help women become holy. Corinthians 10 talks about faith, righteousness, and charity.
• Barbara told the story behind the selecting of a plot of land for the Vancouver Canada temple. The stake president had selected 3 possibilities all of which President Hinckley was not particularly fond of. While driving around, the prophet asked about one particular spot. The stake president mentioned that it was not for sale, but the prophet asked him to check into it. When the land owner was finally located, the stake president met to discuss the possibility of purchasing the land. When the owner heard that Mormons were wanting the land, he declared that not only was the land not for sale, but under no circumstances would he sell to Mormons. The stake president got the courage to ask why and learned that his aunt was a member of the church in a nursing home and had virtually been abandoned by the Mormon Church after a lifetime of service. The stake president dug deeper and left the property owner to find out what happened. Long story short is that this sweet woman had Alzheimer’s disease and was being visited every week by her home teachers and visiting teachers. The bishop, RS president, and other friends also visited often, but her disease blocked memory of the attention she was getting. When the property owner found out the truth, he sold his property for the building of the temple. Moral of the story is: the little things we do and the small acts of service can have a huge impact.
• Barbara encourage us all to attend the temple often and “angels will be our associates”.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Are you tired of the same old menus? Try Pan Tarragon Chicken
Pan Tarragon Chicken from the kitchen of Tiffanie Huntley
This recipe serves 4
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 slices prosciutto di Parma (or turkey bacon or thin slices of ham)
4 ounces garlic and herb cheese (boursin or laughing cow or 4 slices swiss cheese)
toothpicks
3 TB olive oil
salt and pepper
For sauce:
2 TB unsalted butter
2 TB flour
1/2 cooking white wine or cooking sherry
1 cup chicken broth or stock
2 TB fresh tarragon or 2 tsp dried tarragon
place chicken in large storage bags or under wax paper and flatten with mallet of side of hammer. Pace one slice of prosciutto (or bacon or ham) and 1 ounce garlic and herb cheese (or swiss cheese) inside each chicken breast and roll up. Place in toothpicks to keep chicken rolled. Heat oil in fry pan and season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Brown each side of the chicken breasts (cooking for about 10 minutes total). Remove breasts and keep warm on a plate covered with foil. Add butter to pan and then the flour. Cook for a minute then add wine whisking in quickly and cook for another minute. Wisk in chicken broth and tarragon and return the chicken to the pan. Reduce heat and simmer until ready to serve. Spoon over sauce occasionally over the chicken. I like to serve this dish with garlic mashed potatoes and a cooked veggie like asparagus or brussle sprouts. If you add a little more chicken broth to the sauce it makes a great gravy to go over the mashed potatoes.
This recipe serves 4
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 slices prosciutto di Parma (or turkey bacon or thin slices of ham)
4 ounces garlic and herb cheese (boursin or laughing cow or 4 slices swiss cheese)
toothpicks
3 TB olive oil
salt and pepper
For sauce:
2 TB unsalted butter
2 TB flour
1/2 cooking white wine or cooking sherry
1 cup chicken broth or stock
2 TB fresh tarragon or 2 tsp dried tarragon
place chicken in large storage bags or under wax paper and flatten with mallet of side of hammer. Pace one slice of prosciutto (or bacon or ham) and 1 ounce garlic and herb cheese (or swiss cheese) inside each chicken breast and roll up. Place in toothpicks to keep chicken rolled. Heat oil in fry pan and season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Brown each side of the chicken breasts (cooking for about 10 minutes total). Remove breasts and keep warm on a plate covered with foil. Add butter to pan and then the flour. Cook for a minute then add wine whisking in quickly and cook for another minute. Wisk in chicken broth and tarragon and return the chicken to the pan. Reduce heat and simmer until ready to serve. Spoon over sauce occasionally over the chicken. I like to serve this dish with garlic mashed potatoes and a cooked veggie like asparagus or brussle sprouts. If you add a little more chicken broth to the sauce it makes a great gravy to go over the mashed potatoes.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Stories from the life of Lucille Johnson
Stories from the life of Lucille Johnson narrated by Amy Johnson
1. One day Lucille’s three great-grand children were running in and out of the house. Feeling annoyed, Lucille gathered the young kids together on her sofa. Her mind was on how to scold them when she was directed by the Spirit not to be angry. She then asked herself, “Then what should I say?” At that moment she knew that she should tell them that she loved them. Following her declaration, they all said in unison, “We love you too, Grandma”! Lucille felt the warm embrace of the Holy Spirit and knew that she had made the right decision. Lucille feels that her relationship with her great-grand children has improved since that experience because they have continued to be more affectionate.
2. One time when Lucille’s husband, Rolla, was extremely ill and in the hospital, Lucille left Church early to visit him. When she got to the hospital, Rolla exclaimed, “You shouldn’t have missed Relief Society. They might say something that you need to hear.” Bishop Nixon, their bishop at the time, was at the hospital giving Rolla a Priesthood blessing. He laughed heartily at the sweet rebuke knowing how sick Rolla was. Yet, Rolla simply wanted what’s best for his dear wife. Clearly, Rolla and Lucile value the gospel as much as they do each other and know the value of church attendance even when their time together may be near its end.
3. As most of you know, Lucille currently struggles to be able to see much of anything. However, every day she sits by her big, front, window where the light is most illuminating and attempts to read her scriptures. She moves the sacred book around striving to catch the right light and manages to read a few verses. It takes a good hour or so to make out all the words, but what an example she sets as she demonstrates her love for Heavenly Father and willingness to read scriptures every single day despite her challenges.
Learn more about Lucille by reading her profile at http://mormon.org/me/5RN2/
1. One day Lucille’s three great-grand children were running in and out of the house. Feeling annoyed, Lucille gathered the young kids together on her sofa. Her mind was on how to scold them when she was directed by the Spirit not to be angry. She then asked herself, “Then what should I say?” At that moment she knew that she should tell them that she loved them. Following her declaration, they all said in unison, “We love you too, Grandma”! Lucille felt the warm embrace of the Holy Spirit and knew that she had made the right decision. Lucille feels that her relationship with her great-grand children has improved since that experience because they have continued to be more affectionate.
2. One time when Lucille’s husband, Rolla, was extremely ill and in the hospital, Lucille left Church early to visit him. When she got to the hospital, Rolla exclaimed, “You shouldn’t have missed Relief Society. They might say something that you need to hear.” Bishop Nixon, their bishop at the time, was at the hospital giving Rolla a Priesthood blessing. He laughed heartily at the sweet rebuke knowing how sick Rolla was. Yet, Rolla simply wanted what’s best for his dear wife. Clearly, Rolla and Lucile value the gospel as much as they do each other and know the value of church attendance even when their time together may be near its end.
3. As most of you know, Lucille currently struggles to be able to see much of anything. However, every day she sits by her big, front, window where the light is most illuminating and attempts to read her scriptures. She moves the sacred book around striving to catch the right light and manages to read a few verses. It takes a good hour or so to make out all the words, but what an example she sets as she demonstrates her love for Heavenly Father and willingness to read scriptures every single day despite her challenges.
Learn more about Lucille by reading her profile at http://mormon.org/me/5RN2/
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Notes from the Multi-Stake Women's Conference part I
For those of you who missed the Women’s conference Saturday morning, here are a few notes. They are not complete by any means so if you attended, please leave a comment or two.
With 8 stakes invited throughout the Denver area, we filled the whole building including the Primary, Relief Society, and Young Women’s rooms. There was a whole orchestra ready for the musical numbers including our own Reed Jentzsch on the Bass and Joni Bowler on the Harp. The day was cold with snow still covering the ground, but the sun was gloriously bright.
President Robert Simmons from the Longmont Stake Presidency spoke first. He is also some sort of seminary guru (I missed the details).
• Br. Simmons has been blessed by great women in his life and was in awe of our presence. He was also aware that he is the “warm-up man” (since Barbara Thompson was probably the draw for the day’s attendance).
• He asked if we had the book Daughters of My Kingdom and encouraged us to read it.
• He then told a story of Yens and Elsie Nelson who were part of the tragic handcart company stranded in Wyoming in the early days of the church. These struggling saints were literally starving to death with only 4 oz of flour each day for about 2 weeks time. Their feet were frozen with the arrival of early winter, and they had already lost a son and a girl who they were assisting on the trip. As Yens faced Rocky Ridge, he collapsed and told Elsie to go on alone. Elsie replied that he could ride in their hand cart. She said, “I can’t leave you, but I can pull the cart.” Yens was 6 foot 2 inches weighing 220 lbs while Elsie was only 4 feet 11 inches and 98 pounds. She managed to pull her husband over Rocky Ridge.
• Br. Simmons asked two questions that would be answered in his talk. 1. What Elsie knows that gave her the strength to do such a fete? And 2. How can we come to have such knowledge?
• D&C 84:88 sums up the answer to question one. There is nothing the Savior cannot or will not do for us. Elsie knew that the Savior wants to change us more than He wants to change our circumstances. After we are changed then we can change our own circumstances.
• Alma 34:17 answers question number two. The Zoramites needed to plant the "seed" or the word of God in their heart.
• Prayer is one of the most important things we can do. Two times a day is not sufficient, but we must pray “always”. We should ask for mercy and help. We should pray for our children each time we feel an inkling of concern for one of them. It does not always have to be a formal prayer.
• Besides having our hearts drawn out in prayer always, we must also remember the Savior. Br. Simmon’s definition of “remember” is to put something back together. The opposite of remember is not forget but to dismember which is defined as “pulled in every direction”. Atonement means to bring back to one. The Savior should be the focus and center of our lives.
• Lastly, we must open up the scriptures every day with the intent of finding the Savior. We should ask ourselves, “What are these verses teaching me?” or “What does the Savior want me to learn?”
• Praying and scripture reading should not be cloistered from the rest of our life, but it should also be while we are cleaning, or cooking, or carpooling, or working.
• Sometimes Br. Simmons writes a scripture on a 3 x 5 card and carries it around with him. He writes on the back any thoughts or feelings he has about the scripture throughout the day.
• Scripture reading doesn’t need to be long. Perhaps, 5-10 minutes here a little and there a little. Other times, it may be a feast for an hour or longer.
• Br. Simmons gave an analogy of Christ coming to our home and sitting in the one clean, untouched room of the house. . . alone. It is better to have Him join you in your life. Take Him with you no matter what you are doing or where you are. Truly, He doesn't care if our house is messy.
• Use your agency to reach out through prayer and scripture study every day and all the time.
Notes from Barbara Thompson's talk to follow ~Amy Johnson
With 8 stakes invited throughout the Denver area, we filled the whole building including the Primary, Relief Society, and Young Women’s rooms. There was a whole orchestra ready for the musical numbers including our own Reed Jentzsch on the Bass and Joni Bowler on the Harp. The day was cold with snow still covering the ground, but the sun was gloriously bright.
President Robert Simmons from the Longmont Stake Presidency spoke first. He is also some sort of seminary guru (I missed the details).
• Br. Simmons has been blessed by great women in his life and was in awe of our presence. He was also aware that he is the “warm-up man” (since Barbara Thompson was probably the draw for the day’s attendance).
• He asked if we had the book Daughters of My Kingdom and encouraged us to read it.
• He then told a story of Yens and Elsie Nelson who were part of the tragic handcart company stranded in Wyoming in the early days of the church. These struggling saints were literally starving to death with only 4 oz of flour each day for about 2 weeks time. Their feet were frozen with the arrival of early winter, and they had already lost a son and a girl who they were assisting on the trip. As Yens faced Rocky Ridge, he collapsed and told Elsie to go on alone. Elsie replied that he could ride in their hand cart. She said, “I can’t leave you, but I can pull the cart.” Yens was 6 foot 2 inches weighing 220 lbs while Elsie was only 4 feet 11 inches and 98 pounds. She managed to pull her husband over Rocky Ridge.
• Br. Simmons asked two questions that would be answered in his talk. 1. What Elsie knows that gave her the strength to do such a fete? And 2. How can we come to have such knowledge?
• D&C 84:88 sums up the answer to question one. There is nothing the Savior cannot or will not do for us. Elsie knew that the Savior wants to change us more than He wants to change our circumstances. After we are changed then we can change our own circumstances.
• Alma 34:17 answers question number two. The Zoramites needed to plant the "seed" or the word of God in their heart.
• Prayer is one of the most important things we can do. Two times a day is not sufficient, but we must pray “always”. We should ask for mercy and help. We should pray for our children each time we feel an inkling of concern for one of them. It does not always have to be a formal prayer.
• Besides having our hearts drawn out in prayer always, we must also remember the Savior. Br. Simmon’s definition of “remember” is to put something back together. The opposite of remember is not forget but to dismember which is defined as “pulled in every direction”. Atonement means to bring back to one. The Savior should be the focus and center of our lives.
• Lastly, we must open up the scriptures every day with the intent of finding the Savior. We should ask ourselves, “What are these verses teaching me?” or “What does the Savior want me to learn?”
• Praying and scripture reading should not be cloistered from the rest of our life, but it should also be while we are cleaning, or cooking, or carpooling, or working.
• Sometimes Br. Simmons writes a scripture on a 3 x 5 card and carries it around with him. He writes on the back any thoughts or feelings he has about the scripture throughout the day.
• Scripture reading doesn’t need to be long. Perhaps, 5-10 minutes here a little and there a little. Other times, it may be a feast for an hour or longer.
• Br. Simmons gave an analogy of Christ coming to our home and sitting in the one clean, untouched room of the house. . . alone. It is better to have Him join you in your life. Take Him with you no matter what you are doing or where you are. Truly, He doesn't care if our house is messy.
• Use your agency to reach out through prayer and scripture study every day and all the time.
Notes from Barbara Thompson's talk to follow ~Amy Johnson
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Have you set up your profile on Mormon.org?
Bishop Haymond is an awesome bishop who strives diligently to get inspiration for us. He has asked each of us over the age of 14 to get on Mormon.org and set up our profile. If you haven’t done it yet, and are having trouble logging on, Bishop is still willing to hold your hand a bit to make it happen. In fact if you have any concerns or problems, contact either the bishop, Gregg Johnson, or Brent Riggs.
See the bishop’s profile at http://mormon.org/me/35T2/
See the bishop’s profile at http://mormon.org/me/35T2/
Monday, February 13, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
RS Service project specifics: If you'd like to participate, please bring your items to the RS Birthday party March 8th.
You can also access the information below by going to Arvadafoodbank.com and checking out the Backpack program.
Feeding the Future Backpack Program
This program provides food for children who are on the school Free and Reduced Lunch Program at participating schools in Arvada and Wheat Ridge during the school year. Each Friday, children take home a sack/backpack filled with food to see them through the weekend. To be a part of this program parents may register their children at any time during the school year. Studies have shown that children who aren't hungry have improved grades and increased school attendance. This program helps children be ready for school each week.
Suggested Food Donations:
Canned fruit, canned vegetables, canned beans, Macaroni and Cheese, peanut butter, cereal, tuna, chili, dry pasta, canned pasta, spaghetti, soup, cooking oil, salad dressing, etc.
Snack Items (Individual serving sizes):
Jello, pudding, fruit, pasta, soup, hot chocolate, wrapped cookies, ravioli, granola bars, individual oatmeal, fruit snack, Rice Crispy Treats, microwave popcorn, Vienna Sausages, etc.
Feeding the Future Backpack Program
This program provides food for children who are on the school Free and Reduced Lunch Program at participating schools in Arvada and Wheat Ridge during the school year. Each Friday, children take home a sack/backpack filled with food to see them through the weekend. To be a part of this program parents may register their children at any time during the school year. Studies have shown that children who aren't hungry have improved grades and increased school attendance. This program helps children be ready for school each week.
Suggested Food Donations:
Canned fruit, canned vegetables, canned beans, Macaroni and Cheese, peanut butter, cereal, tuna, chili, dry pasta, canned pasta, spaghetti, soup, cooking oil, salad dressing, etc.
Snack Items (Individual serving sizes):
Jello, pudding, fruit, pasta, soup, hot chocolate, wrapped cookies, ravioli, granola bars, individual oatmeal, fruit snack, Rice Crispy Treats, microwave popcorn, Vienna Sausages, etc.
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