Dec 2nd Weekly Connection

It's a Wrap.... What will you do with it now?

Council Discussion: "Creating Christ Centered Christmas Traditions"

Council discussion led by Stephanie Howell

Stephanie shared her recent experience of her step mother's illness and passing, and how difficult it was to support and comfort her family, because they don't have a relious faith, and how much she leans on her faith in the Savior in all aspects of her life.

She also shared about her life growing up, and how the only spiritual thing she experienced was a tiny wooden creche' that whe got to put out every Christmas and how it meant so much to her. After her mother passed a couple of years ago, she found the little creche', but the people and animals were lost. Last year, a sweet sister in the ward, who knew the story of the ittle creche' found some tiny people & animals and bought them for Steph. How wonderful to have this special tradition now being able to carry on with her own family...her daughter Bailey has claimed the honor of putting it out every Christmas. 

Traditions are important, they mean so much to our families...they can be a great way to bring Christ into our homes.

Stephanie asked the sisters to share their Christ centered Christmas traditions:

Leslie Elmer shared that she has been working very hard to learn an especially beautirul arrangement of "Silent Night" on the organ and offerred for anyone that would like to, to give her a call and she would love for you to bring your families over to hear it.

   ***Sidenote: this is the 200th anniversary of the writing of "Silent Night"

Samantha Warner shared that as a young girl growing up, on Christmas Eve, her mother would always attend mass and then held a big Christmas party for all of their family, which pulled them so close together. Since she has moved from California, it is hard for her to get together with her family and would love to hear new traditions that she can start to bring her own family closer together and closer to the Savior.

Bonnie VanOrden has an inspiational Christmas story book that her family reads an inspirational story from every night during the Christmas season.

Tara Flora Johnston said they have a similar book that they read from too. She also found that the Deseret News has a series of stories called "The Christmas I Love Best" that has some beautiful stories also. She loves the "Light the World" program and shared how they were able to go visit her 99 year old mother-in-law, to light her life.

Kim Beecher's family has a Christmas Eve program, some of it is just for fun, but the rest of it is all about Christ...they teach about how the symbols of Christmas (evergreen tree, gifts, candy cane, etc.) all teach of Christ. At the end of the program, they get out their gifts they gave to Christ last year from a beautiful gold box, and review them, then they give their new gifts for this year.

Yvonne Rodabough's family re-enacts the Nativity. She shared that it gets difficult to continue your traditions as your family gets older, but you can hope that they take some of them into their own families.

Jennie Anderson's  family puts their gifts to the Savior in a stocking. They always do their Christmas gift sharing in the afternoon so they can take the morning to go serve a Jewish refugee community taking them clothing food and gifts. If you would like to do the same with your family you can contact Eileen Stone at 801-485-7338 or 801-487-6970.

Chelsea Smith shared that when she was young, her family would have a talent show with the new talents they had been blessed with that year...talents they could give to Christ.

Eileen Petersen shared that throughout all their travels during their vatious missions and while serving as a Temple President, they would bring back Nativities that they would display all year long.

One sister asked for help with a teenager who doesn't like Christmas. Sisters suggested:

• Help her do the 12 days of Christmas for a struggling friend
• Discuss what she thinks the imortance of Christmas should be
• Collaborate and work together on meaningful Christmas traditions

In conclusion we sang several Christmas Songs.

2018 First Presidency's Christmas Devotional

Upcoming Lessons

Dec 9th Wounded by Neil L Anderson taught by Tris Martin

Dec 16th Believe, Love, Do by Dieter F Uchtdorf taught by Julie Peterson 

Dec 23rd Sacrament Meeting only at 10:30am

Dec 30 5th Sunday - Bishopric

Birthdays

  

3-Kaye Wyler

 6-Hiroko Turner

 8-Jodi Graham

Upcoming Events - Mark your calendars

Save the Date:

Dec 6th - "Come Follow Me Meeting" 7pm at the Stake Center (Tanner Lane Building) for all auxiliary leaders, Sunday school teachers and primary teachers 

Dec 8th - Relief Society Christmas Breakfast 9 AM - 10:30 AM at the home of Julia Witham - if you need a babysitter contact Carole Fuchs.  Invite and bring those you minister to as well as your neighbors.  Enjoy a relaxing morning in the busyness of the season.

Dec 9th - Final Ministering Interviews for this quarter, if you (or your companion) haven't met with a member of the RS presidency please schedule with Cheryl Carter for this day between 4:30-6:30pm.

Dec 15th -  at the Tanner Lane Building (Stake Center) If you want to donate to the giving tree please bring a preloaded gift card with the amount visibly on it.  Food signups went around this past Sunday and will go around again this coming Sunday or you can contact Susan Burt to sign up for a salad, rolls, veggie or dessert.  

Jan 26th - Save the Date to come be uplifted by Laurel C. Day, Colleen Scoresby and Kathy Kinghorn - put on by the Stake RS  9-11:30am "Becoming New In Christ"

Ministering to the Sisters

"As I Have Loved You..."

Minister as the Savior ministers...

Making Ministering Interviews Meaningful 

In supporting President Russell M. Nelson’s statement that the ministering program will be a hinge point on which the course of the Church will swing, Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught, “The realization of his vision … might be predicated upon how well ministering brothers and sisters are taught and engaged in the ministering interview.”

Four tips for ministering brothers and sisters:

• Go to the interview seeking counsel. Be ready to learn.
• Be prepared to discuss needs that you may need help meeting.
• Focus on the individual’s strengths and abilities, not just needs.
• Contact the presidency to counsel between quarterly interviews as needed.

Ministering Interviews

These quarterly interviews between ministering sisters and the Relief Society presidency or ministering brothers and the elders quorum presidency are the only formal report we make regarding those we minister to. The interview is an opportunity on at least a quarterly basis to (1) counsel about the strengths, needs, and challenges of assigned families and individuals; (2) determine what needs the quorum, Relief Society, or ward council might assist with; and (3) learn from leaders and be encouraged in ministering efforts.

The elders quorum president and the Relief Society president communicate important needs directly to the bishop and will receive counsel and direction from him.

"A new name, new flexibility, and fewer reports will not make one ounce of difference in our service unless we see this as an invitation to care for one another in a bold new holier way."  

MINISTERING WEBSITE

Prayers for....

Please keep Charai Layton and her family in your prayers...

Also, keep Cliff Dunston and Judy in your prayers...

And Stephanie Howell's family, especially her step- mother.

Pray for those you minister to...

Do you know of anyone in need of our prayers?  Please contact a presidency member.

Service Opportunities 

Please contact Shauna Keech if you can prepare a batch of soup to be frozen for the Laytons

Take a moment and drop a letter or a card to one of our missionaries:

Sister Ellie Ross -Returned Home!

Elder Ethan Graham
Taipei Taiwan Mission
ethan.graham@myldsmail.net

Sister Jordan Fitting
California Ventura Mission
3301 W Gonzales Rd
Oxnard, CA 93036
jordan.fitting@myldsmail.net

Just Serve 

Stake Institute
Every Tuesday 10:00 - 11:15
Stake Center (Tanner Lane)
Bring your scriptures
No babysitting

Click on this link for the schedule of YSA activities

LDS Tools Info

1.  Are you using LDS Tools on your phone or tablet? 

We encourage you to use LDS Tools to access the ward directory, Your Ministering Assignments, Calendar, Temple Info, Missionary Info and more!

2.  Do you have a current photo of you and/or your family? 

Please take a few minutes and follow these instructions. 

3.  Is your contact info correct?  

If not and you need to change or update your info, go to your name in the directory (on a mobile device) and touch the red circle with a pencil and you can edit from there.  If you are signed on at lds.org, click on your name and then the edit button.

4.  Do you know how to access your ministering assignment?

On your mobile device click on your name.  Directly underneath your name is a blue bar that says:  contact, household, membership information, callings and classes and ministering (you must scroll across to access each of these headings.)  Click on ministering and it will list those that minister to you and who you minister to.

Do you have any other questions about LDS Tools?