Mormon Helping Hands: 4/30/11

On Saturday April 30th, 2011, 325 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints gathered to serve their community at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley California. These volunteers came from Fountain Valley 1^st, 2nd and 3rd wards and the SeaCliff Singles Ward. They ranged in age from toddlers to senior citizens.

Work duties included applying mulch to planters and tree beds, weeding and picking up trash as well as installing crushed rock into brick planters. Volunteers also painted the handball courts at the Recreation Center and the inside of the restrooms near the tennis courts. All totaled, the volunteers installed 3,400 square feet of turf grass, 300 cubic yards of mulch and 7 cubic yards of crushed rock. Families worked together along side friends and neighbors. Many hands made for light work and what would have taken many hours for city employees to finish the voluneers were able to complete in 4 hours. This service project was a huge success. We look forward to making Mormon Helping Hands a tradition of service to our community.

The following is an excerpt taken from a letter of appreciation sent to our stake president, President Frank Parker by the Mayor of Fountain Valley, Steve A. Nagel:

“The great volunteer effort, commitment to public service, and community

spirit demonstrated by the Huntington Beach California Stake and the

Fountain Valley 1^st , 2^nd & 3^RD Wards is what makes Fountain Valley a "Nice

Place to Live." Please pass on our thanks and appreciation to all the

wonderful people that made this event a great success.”

(RS Presidency Side note: Many thanks go to Sharri Clonts and the others of her committee whose tireless work culminated in a very rewarding and successful experience for all those involved. Well done!)

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Lesson Highlights 5/15/11

Given by Emihlie Wells

"Chapter 32: Tithes and Offerings," Gospel Principles

We have been given commandments to help us prepare in every way to live in the presence of our Heavenly Father. He has given us a way to thank Him for our blessings. Willingly paying tithes and offerings is one way we thank Him. As we pay these offerings, we show that we love Him and will obey His counsel.

"This shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people. And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever" (D&C 119:3–4).

The First Presidency has explained that "one-tenth of all their interest annually" refers to our income (see First Presidency letter, Mar. 19, 1970).

When we pay tithing we show our faithfulness to the Lord. We also teach our children the value of this law. They will want to follow our example and pay tithing on any money they receive.

It is important to give willingly. "When one pays his tithing without enjoyment he is robbed of a part of the blessing. He must learn to give cheerfully, willingly and joyfully, and his gift will be blessed" (Stephen L Richards, The Law of Tithing [pamphlet, 1983], 8).

Speaking to Latter-day Saints in the Philippines, President Gordon B. Hinckley said that if people "will accept the gospel and live it, pay their tithes and offerings, even though those be meager, the Lord will keep His ancient promise in their behalf, and they will have rice in their bowls and clothing on their backs and shelter over their heads. I do not see any other solution. They need a power greater than any earthly power to lift them and help them" ("Inspirational Thoughts," Ensign, Aug. 1997, 7).

The Lord will also help us grow "in a knowledge of God, and in a testimony, and in the power to live the gospel and to inspire our families to do the same" (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Heber J. Grant [2002], 124).

Humanitarian Aide 4/5/11

After natural disasters around the world and with calls from our prophets and apostles to serve those in need, our Relief Society sisters have been hard at work fulfilling some of the needs of the LDS Humanitarian Center. For our April Relief Society Meeting, we worked on 3 different projects to donate: hand puppets, file folder activities and games, and made a quilt (thanks to Kim Hoke!). All of these items are listed as immediate needs for families and children around the world. Thanks to our Relief Society committee for creating the opportunity to serve!! There will be more opportunities to work on some of these projects at home in the near future. To see what the current needs are, visit this website: http://lds.org/service/humanitarian/help?lang=eng

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Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Here is a dish to help you celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Enjoy!

Lori's Healthy Chicken Enchiladas

3 c. cooked chicken breast, shredded

10-12 low carb wheat tortillas

1 can healthy request cream of chicken soup

1-2 TB. Taco seasoning

2 c. light shredded Mexican cheese blend

1 c. plain greek yogurt ( or light sour cream)

1 pkg. Lawrys Enchilada sauce ( prepared with water and 1, 6oz. can of tomato paste)

Mix soup, yogurt, chicken, taco seasoning and 1 to 1 1/2 c cheese together and set aside. Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Fill tortillas (about 3 TB of mixture), roll and place tortillas into pan. Pour the prepared Enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas and top with remaining cheese. Bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes and then uncovered for 15-20 min or until bubbling.

From: http://davisfamilyeats.blogspot.com/

Lesson Highlights May 2nd

Relief Society Lesson Notes

May 1, 2011 by Paige Waldron

“Press Forward with Faith and Hope”

*What do you know??

Some responses:

-I am tired!

-I know where I came from.

-I know I’m supposed to be a mother right now.

-I know that this is where I am supposed to be right now.

-I know that who I am and what I do matters for my children.

-I know my Heavenly Father knows my name and loves me.

*Although we don’t know everything, we know enough to continue our journey.

*Faith is not a feeling, it is a choice. We must choose faith, then make a commitment to progress.

*We know enough to keep going and get through our difficulties.

*Some misconceptions that are NOT true:

1. “I am not enough.”--Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love you. The Lord loves righteous women. The Lord loves me, so that should be good enough for me to love me.
2. “I can never do enough.”--Discouragement is not a God-given emotion. We CAN do enough just by being a righteous woman.

Scripture References:

Mosiah 4:27

Psalms 46:10

D&C 6:20

Ether 12:27

Joshua 1:9

"You Know Enough" by Elder Neil L. Anderson, October 2008 General Conference

http://lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/you-know-enough?lang=eng