General Conference Packets

This weekend is General Conference! 

I love this time of year! Just to sit and listen to the Prophet and Apostles speak to us, knowing that what they're saying is for us, now, at this time in our lives.

I don't know about the rest of you, but for us the past few Conferences it's been hard to really sit and enjoy every word because of little ones needing attention. 

Then I was sent this website. Lots of different age-appropriate packets for Conference from Nursery/Sunbeams to Adults. 

Enjoy!

Celebrating 170 years of Relief Society!

Please join us Thursday (29th) for a Birthday Party!! 

6:30pm Dinner will be served. 

Nursery provided.

Please bring something you've made that you're proud of, or be prepared to write down your talents so we might be able to get to know each other better! 

Hope to see you there!

Easter Activities

Here are two more fun Easter Activities, from The Friend magazine.

Bird Nest Snacks

6oz chocolate chips

3C fiber cereal

jelly beans or other small candies

1. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper.

2. Place the cereal in a large bowl. 

3. Put the chocolate chips in a medium bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Remove bowl, stir, and microwave for another 30 seconds. Repeat until chocolate is melted and smooth.

4. Pour the chocolate over the cereal and stir until all the cereal is coated. 

5. Use a spoon to scoop the mixture onto the waxed paper.

6. While the scoops are still warm, shape them into nests. 

7. Decorate with a few candies. 

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Easter Lilies

White Easter lilies remind us of the Resurrection. They are buried in the ground as bulbs. In springtime they bloom as beautiful, sweet-smelling flowers. This reminds us of how Jesus was laid in the tomb and then came forth on Easter morning. 
White construction paper
Pencil or crayon
Scissors
Tape
One yellow and one green pipe cleaner per lily

1. Use your pencil or crayon to trace your hand on the paper. Cut out the shape.
2. Roll the handprint into a cone shape, and tape it along the side.
3. Roll each finger down the side to form the curls of the bloom.
4. Cut a three-inch piece of the yellow pipe cleaner and form it into a U Shape. Curl the ends to form the center of the lily.
5. Wrap one end of the green pipe cleaner around the middle of the yellow pipe cleaner.
6. Place the other end of the green pipe cleaner into the curly end of the lily and pull it thru.

12 Days of Easter

 Last Sunday, Bishop Paige asked us to try to incorporate the Scriptures into our Easter celebrations this year to help us truly remember why we celebrate. I found this neat little activity that I thought would be a great help to do just that. My inspiration comes from a super-cute website : Delia Creates. 

Our family will be starting this next Tuesday (the 27th) to be finished by Saturday night before Easter. 

Here it is, super simple and cute! 

 Just gather together these supplies:
12 plastic eggs
a sharpie
scissors
lists of scriptures printed out, or just write them out yourself. 
list of trinkets below - all of which are easily found around your house

1. Matthew 26:26-27,39 (sacrament cup or piece of bread)
2. Matthew 26: 14-15 (3 dimes - represents 30 pieces of silver) [This fulfilled the prophecy in Zechariah 11:12-14.]
3. Matthew 27:1-2 (knotted twine)
4. Matthew 27:15, 17, 21, 24-26 (chunk of hand soap)
5. Matthew 27:28-30  or Mark 15:16-17 (square of red or purple fabric)
6. Matthew 27:31-32 (small nail or toothpick cross)
7. Matthew 27:35 (dice to represent soldiers casting lots)
8. Matthew 27:50-51, 54 (crushed rocks) [I used marbles because I didn't have a way to get crushed rocks!]
9. Matthew 27:57-60 (strip of white cloth)
10. Matthew 27:60, 62-66 (a small, flat stone)
11. Mark 16:1, 2-6 (bay leaf or other herb)
12. Matthew 28:5-6 (empty - He is Risen )

Number your eggs, 1-12. (Doing this first was easier for me to know which trinket went into each egg)

Either type up the scriptures (copy and paste), cut them up or wtrite them on a piece paper then cut into 12 strips.

Roll up the strips and tuck into coordinating egg, along with trinket.

Toss into cute basket. (We used an old basket from a previous Easter). 

Take one egg out each night in succession, look up the scripture in your Bible, and let your children hold the trinket and learn hands-on more about the Savior. This is such a great way to help children learn the true meaning of why we celebrate Easter, and a really good reminder for us adults too. :)

All the supplies, easily found around the house.

So fun! I can't wait for this Easter to come, and to be able to teach my young son about the Resurrection. 

Here's a little printable I made up last night. It prints best as 5x7. Enjoy it!

March Visiting Teaching Message

Daughters in my Kingdom

We are daughters of our Father in Heaven. He knows us, loves us, and has a plan for us. Part of that plan includes coming to earth to learn to choose good over evil. When we choose to keep God’s commandments, we honor Him and acknowledge our identity as daughters of God. Relief Society helps us remember this divine heritage.

Relief Society and its history strengthen and support us. Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president, said: “As daughters of God, you are preparing for eternal designations, and each of you has a female identity, nature, and responsibility. The success of families, communities, this Church, and the precious plan of salvation is dependent on your faithfulness. … [Our Heavenly Father] intended Relief Society to help build His people and prepare them for the blessings of the temple. He established [Relief Society] to align His daughters with His work and to enlist their help in building His kingdom and strengthening the homes of Zion.”

Our Father in Heaven has given us specific work to help build His Kingdom. He has also blessed us with the spiritual gifts we need to accomplish this specific work. Through Relief Society, we have opportunities to use our gifts to strengthen families, help those in need, and learn how to live as disciples of Jesus Christ.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, said of discipleship: “By patiently walking in the path of discipleship, we demonstrate to ourselves the measure of our faith and our willingness to accept God’s will rather than ours.”   

Let us remember we are daughters of God and strive to live as His disciples. As we do so, we will help build God’s kingdom here on earth and become worthy to return to His presence.

From Our History

On April 28, 1842, the Prophet Joseph Smith said to the sisters in Relief Society: “You are now placed in a situation in which you can act according to those sympathies which God has planted in [you]. … If you live up to your privileges, the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates.”

Recognizing the power of Relief Society to serve others and to help individuals increase in faith, Zina D. H. Young, third Relief Society general president, promised the sisters in 1893, “If you will dig in the depths of your own hearts you will find, with the aid of the Spirit of the Lord, the pearl of great price, the testimony of this work.”

What Can I Do?

How can I help my sisters reach their potential as daughters of God?

How can I apply in my life the counsel and warnings given to women in Doctrine and Covenants 25?