Thanksgiving Dinner

Just a few photos from our Thanksgiving dinner held last Wednesday evening. Thanks to Chelsea and Sue for a great night. And also to the YM and leaders for doing such a great job helping in the kitchen.

Sorry about the photo quality, these were taken on my phone!

We began the night in the chapel where we viewed a short dvd about being thankful then we moved into the rec hall for our dinner (Roast Chicken and Potatoes and an assortment of yummy salads followed by a variety of scrumptious desserts).

In the middle of the room was our 'Thanksgiving Tree'. On our table we found gum leaves and markers, we wrote on the leaves something we are thankful for then hung them on the tree. This is Carmen's and it says "Being able to stay home and be a mum".

Angus, Jonathon, and Isaac - three of our helpers.

The boys having some dinner - they perched themselves out of sight on the stage behind the curtains. L-R Angus, Josh, Ethan, Campbell, Hayden, Isaac and Campbell in the front.

Bishopric member Brother Bruce - working on his dishpan hands.

Katrina, Alice, Carmen, Jenny, Tina

Charlotte, Toni, Liz, Rhiannon and Robyn behind Rhi

Between courses we made nativity calendars. Brown paper bags were stamped with numbers from 1 - 24. In each bag we placed a strip of paper with a suggestion for that day of an activity to do with your family or friends to get you in the Christmas spirit. Suggestions were things like reading about the birth of the savior from the scriptures, Stargazing on the trampoline, eating fish 'n' chips at the beach, baking biscuits and delivering them to your neighbours, decorating the Christmas tree and so on. The bags were hole punched and tied together with ribbon.

In the foreground are [L-R] Mary, Andrea, Camilla and Barb

L-R Larissa, Debbie, Andrea, Kirsten, Fiona, Cindy?, and Karina

L-R Marj, Elaine, Helen, Shannon, Pat, and Angela

I think it's safe to say a fun night was had by all. It's nice to take time and reflect on the things we are thankful for and to express our gratitude to family and friends and most importantly to our Father in Heaven.

Sunday Snippet

Announcements:

• General Priesthood Meeting 7pm 22nd Nov @ Stake Center
• Ward RS Thanksgiving dinner this Wed @ Chapel 7-8.30pm
• Teaching Symposium @ Stake Center 28th Nov 10.45am
• Christmas Hampers to be in by the end of the month
• Ward Christmas activity 12th Dec

Today's lesson was led by sister Angela Stewart and was based on this talk given by Elder Oaks. Please try to make time to read this talk. I think it is a very timely reminder to us all that we should be anxiously engaged in acts of service. It's not a difficult thing to find a need and fill it. We hear it all the time; "lose yourself in service and it is there that you will find yourself". I believe that this is because when we are selflessly serving others we are taking on Christ-like attributes. We are most like our Saviour when we willingly serve and most unlike Him when we choose not to. We 'find' ourselves because we discover who it is our Father in Heaven wants us to become.

It is my sincerest hope that each of us can appreciate the need for service in all it's many forms, that we can serve each other, side by side, and help each other to reach our divine potential.

I particularly like the end of President Oaks talk:

Each of us should apply that principle [of unselfish service] to our attitudes in attending church. Some say “I didn’t learn anything today” or “No one was friendly to me” or “I was offended” or “The Church is not filling my needs.” All those answers are self-centered, and all retard spiritual growth.

In contrast, a wise friend wrote:

“Years ago, I changed my attitude about going to church. No longer do I go to church for my sake, but to think of others. I make a point of saying hello to people who sit alone, to welcome visitors, … to volunteer for an assignment. …

“In short, I go to church each week with the intent of being active, not passive, and making a positive difference in people’s lives. Consequently, my attendance at Church meetings is so much more enjoyable and fulfilling.”

All of this illustrates the eternal principle that we are happier and more fulfilled when we act and serve for what we give, not for what we get.

Something to think about I reckon...

See you on Wednesday

Blanche x

Not Sunday Snippet

I put my hand up for the job of updating the blog, but failed to realise that the Sunday Snippet should be posted on Sunday... I will do better next week!

Announcements
21st November Stake Fireside
25th November Ward Thanksgiving Dinner
28th November Teaching Symposium
Stake Temple trip Show weekend in 2010, idea is to attend temple from Wednesday to Saturday of that weekend.

Last Sunday our lesson was given by the Stake Relief Society Presidency, with a guest panel, President Prebble and Brother Dale. The lesson was taken from a talk given by Elder David Bednar, entitled, 'Things as they really are'.

This talk is worth a read and can be found on the church website by clicking here.

Larisa Richardson ended the lesson with her comment that life is all about balancing our time, we are all at different stages and we need to make careful judgement about how we best spend our time.

See you all on Saturday!

Fiona xx

Sunday Snippet

This is the first of what we hope will be an ongoing thing...we are going to try to post something every Sunday! It will include announcements and a brief outline of the RS lesson. We are very aware that relief society sisters serving in Primary and Young Women, and those who have to be away from our ward on assignments, for work or for personal reasons can sometimes feel a bit out of the loop. So this is to try, in some small way, to get around that. We have been asking someone to take notes during RS time. These will be photocopied and distributed as best we can on Sunday's after church. If you fall into the category of someone who would appreciate a copy please seek out Fiona Rea, Sue Smith or myself. As you can well imagine trying to get around everyone is problematic and people will miss out from time to time. That is why we will also update the blog with the same information.

So...that being said please be patient with us as we find our feet n our new callings and try our best to serve the sisters of our ward.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• 15th November - Seminary and institute graduation
• 17th November - Kenneth Cope Fireside
• 21st November - Stake RS Fireside
• 23rd November - Sunday School Teaching symposium
• 25th November - Ward RS Thanksgiving dinner (Young Women invited)
• Christmas Hampers to Tim Watson by the end of the month.

5 minute music was a song from the Primary Sacrament Presentation (which was today) sung to us by Chelsea Parsons and her daughter Darby.

The Young Women visited with us today for opening exercises. It is always nice to have an injection of 'youth'. I love to have the chance to recite the Young Women theme with them and to hear their sweet voices when we sing. The Laurels and some of the YW Presidency stayed for the lesson.

Today's lesson was taught by sister Pat Barwick. Lesson 40 JSM.

Firstly we were paired with someone we didn't know very well and we had to find out the following information : name, members of their family, about their home, favourite food, colour, movie star, their 'decade' age.

We discussed what it is that makes a friend a friend. We were banned from using the word 'loyal'!!!

An extensive list was compiled and included:

• someone you can relax and chill out with
• unconditional love
• common interests/ experiences
• reliability
• being able to share feelings/thoughts with them and wanting to.
• a feeling of love for your friend and them for you.
• 'really' talks to you
• good listener
• makes you feel happy
• kindred spirits/spirit world friend?
• mutual attraction/admiration
• no awkward silences
• undemanding of time - doesn't expect reciprocation of things they happily do for you
• helps and cares for you
• helps you be the best you can be/ brings out the best in you
• believes in you and supports you

Pat read us part of a story from the JULY 2009 ENSIGN 'Am I of Worth', about a sister who had been very successful and suddenly found herself very ill and mostly bedridden. She began to question her worth. What could she possibly have to offer now? we didn't hear the end of the story but came to our own conclusion that Heavenly Father loves us all unconditionally and we ALL have worth, we all have something to offer.

Finished with reading from Joseph Smith Manual (JSM) p 461 "How good and glorious...are true friends".

We closed by singing a primary song "We are Different".

After church it was ICE-CREAM Sunday (ticked off I missed out AGAIN for the second time in a row!!!!!!!!) to celebrate the wonderful job the kids and their leaders did with the presentation today. They had a wonderful display of photos and drawings of the primary children and what they had learned over the past year.

See you next week x