Monday, November 25, 2013

December Weekday Meeting

Plan for an amazing fireside for the weekday meeting. Thursday December 5th, at 7pm in the primary room.  

Visiting Teaching Message

VISITING TEACHING MESSAGE

"THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN"
                   by
        Elder David A. Bednar


As we live the law of tithing, we often
receive significant but subtle blessings
that are not always what we expect
and easily can be overlooked. For example
a subtle and significant blessing we re-
ceive is the spiritual gift of gratitude that
enables our appreciation for what we have
to constrain desires for what we want. A
grateful person is rich in contentment.
An ungrateful person suffers in poverty
of endless discontentment.
The honest payment of tithing is much
more than a duty; it is an important step
in the process of personal sanctification.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

December Weekday Meeting

Plan for an amazing fireside for the weekday meeting. Thursday December 5th, at 7pm in the primary room.  

REMEMBER!

THIS IS THE LAST WEEK FOR PIE DONATIONS!  THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE DONATED.

Sister Updates

Sharon Jones in home from the hospital and will be recovering there. 
Please keep her in your prayers and call if you'd like to drop by for a visit.

Brynde & Ian Bassett had a baby boy October 31st.  He was 7.5 lbs. and 22 inches long.  He is a cutie.  They named him Lincoln James.  (I am a little slow getting this posted.  Sorry)

lesson recap

Sister Irene Campbell gave a wonderful lesson on "Doing good to others" by President Lorenzo Snow

Cultivate a spirit of Charity, be ready to do for others more than you would expect from them if circumstances
were reversed'. 


We are children of the same Heavenly Father and have been sent into the world to do good to one another.


To love the Lord our God, with all our might,mind, and strength,and our neighbor as ourself (Mathew 22:37-40)


To do unto others as we would have others do unto us. We are happier when we sacrifice for the good of others, we get Heaven within us.
 

Monday, November 11, 2013

President Searle's Invitation

There are currently six full-time missionaries serving in the Shelley Stake.  This number is the most full-time missionaries serving in Shelley than any other time since the church has been restored.  This is certainly a direct result of efforts to hasten the work--particularly here in Shelley.  We hope that as members of the Stake we are excited about the opportunity we have to work with these faithful full-time missionaries.  Therefore, we invite you to become an instrument in the hand of the Lord by helping these missionaries accomplish more effective teaching opportunities.

This month, the Pocatello Idaho's baptism goal in 125.  Consequently, this is our goal too and we invite all to assist in obtaining this goal.  As a means to support this effort, we invite each member capable of fasting to participate in a special stake fast on November 17, 2013 to aid us in hastening His work.  During this fast, we invite you to pray and ponder about specific friends and neighbors who the Lord is preparing to hear and accept the truths of His gospel.  Then we ask that you listen and act on the promptings you will receive as a result of this effort, particularly on who you might invite to listen to the full-time missionaries.

Thank you for your goodness.  We look forward to working together to accomplish His great work.

Shelley Stake Presidency

PIE

It's time to donate to the community food bank "PIE" fund.  We need to gather all donations by November 24th.  We are the only ward that provides the pies for the community Thanksgiving baskets given out by the food bank.  We would appreciate your donation.  Please give to a member of the Relief Society Presidency or on your donation slip in the "other" column write "pie donation". 

Presidency Message

An Attitude of Gratitude

Several years ago, a dear friend, gave me a "Gratitude Journal".  The idea was to daily list 5 things I was grateful for.  As I took this challenge, I began to recognize the simple beauties--a robin in the apple tree outside my window heralding spring, the joy in my career as a mother as well as the things like the gospel and my membership in the Church.  I had an experience similar to that described in an article in the September 2013 Ensign.  (1,000 Things to be Thankful For, page 58).

In a conference talk (Ensigh, November 2008, pg. 42), Elder Bednar relates an experience in which his wife was asked to  "express only appreciation for blessings received and ask for nothing" and testified to the power of thankfulness.

"And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more" (D&C 78:19) and in Alma 34:38 we are told to "live in thanksgiving daily".

May we all have an attitude of gratitude and come before the Lord with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise unto the Lord in appreciation for those blessings (Psalms 95:2).

Sister LaDawn Bolander

Lesson Recaps

Sister Cherie Seward gave a wonderful lesson by President Monson on "Obedience Brings Blessings".  A knowledge of truth and the answers to our greatest questions come to us as we are obedient to the commandments of God.  What a glorious promise!  He that keepeth Gods commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things...

Sister Heather Olsen gave a wonderful lesson Sunday.   In view of the facts, it becomes us as intelligent beings, to realize that this life closes in a few days, then comes the life which is eternal. Love God more than the world. If we...fail to keep the covenants we have made, namely, rouse our time, talent and ability for the upbuilding of the kingdom of God upon the earth, how can we reasonably expect to come forth in the morning of the first resurrection? 

Sister Updates

Ruth Stewart is looking for pint size jar lids, they can be rusted ones that you won't use.  If you have any will you please bring them to Kim Strupp and she will get them to her. 

Sharon Jones had surgery this last week on her hip. She is in the Blackfoot hospital and would love for everyone to pray for her.

Gloria is doing a bit better. She is still weak and would love your prayers as well.

Information

The ward Halloween party was a great success.  A big thankyou to all who helped.

There will be no Family History class for November or December.  Family History consultants will be available to help you in January.

Winter is coming and the Idaho Falls Area Humanitarian Center is busy making mittens, blankets, quilts, newborn kits and much more.  We need your hearts and hands to move the work forward.  Please come join us Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 20th and Higbee (the South Stake Center) Idaho Falls.

Monday, November 4, 2013

November Preparedness Thought



Preparedness thought for November

November is a month that we always seem to have thankfulness and gratitude on our minds. With that as a thought this month look at your preparedness in a  little different way. We are so blessed, and even when we seem to struggle with  life’s many bumps we are still so blessed. I was just reading the other day about people in another country who live in mud huts, I thought,  I can never complain, it can always be worse,  and then my daughter pointed out mom there is worse than mud huts too, it could be a cardboard box. Wow what a thought. It could be worse. How much we have to be grateful for. In our attitude of being grateful, let us share willingly with those around us who have it worse. We prepare have and have a stock, not just for ourselves, but to give assistance to others when the time calls for it. The are many ways to do this, give generously in our Fast Offerings, donate to the food bank, we just had scouting for food that is a good way to help others, the humanitarian center, and just by seeing a need and helping to fill it. We have so much, let us share of our blessing and preparedness and bless others lives as well is my challenge for this month.

PIE

It's time to donate to the community food bank "PIE" fund.  We need to gather all donations by November 24th.  We are the only ward that provides the pies for the community Thanksgiving baskets given out by the food bank.  We would appreciate your donation.  Please give to a member of the Relief Society Presidency or on your donation slip in the "other" column write "pie donation". 

As a personal note, my children and I were asked by the Relief Society one year to deliver the pies to the Food Bank.  You would not believe the gratitude of these good brothers and sisters, who work so hard at the Food Bank, for these pies.  They couldn't thank us enough.  The floor was lined with boxes with the makings for a thanksgiving dinner in each of them--all for people in our area who cannot provide this for themselves.  It touched our hearts.  We can be the Lord's hands in this simple gift.

Weekday Meeting

No November weekday Meeting!  Spend the Day with your family.  Happy Thanksgiving!

December Weekday Meeting special sisters fireside December 5th at 7 p.m.  This is for all sisters 18 and older.

Happy Birthday!

Kara Higham - November 9th
Sharon Jones - November 10th