March Announcements

Girl's Night Out

Brooklyn Rollins is moving away at the end of the month.  So we are going to get together for a girls night out! Tuesday March 11 we will be meeting at the Tutti Frutti on Kingsland and Fry Rd.  We will meet at 7:30 but please feel free to come and go as you want to.  Come and hang out with the girls and we will have a great night!  If you have any questions you can call me at 832-465-3812.

Thanks, Heather Bown

Beginning 8 week Sewing Class

Starting March 20 from 9:30 to 11:30 am, Kami LaTorre will teach a basic sewing class in the Stake Center Gym. Bring your own project, sewing machine, fabric, ironing board, etc. Kids are welcome, just bring an activity for them. The class will be each Thursday until May 8.

Lunch Bunch

Come eat at Pho Saigon Noodle House on March 20 at 11:30 am.

Women's Broadcast

This event will be for all sisters 8 and up and held at the Katy Stake Center on Saturday, March 29 at 6:45 pm. There will be a service project, sack lunch, and broadcast. Please bring a donation of used children's books, underwear, or new crayons and coloring books.

Choir Practice

Come sing every Sunday at 10:15 to 10:45 am.

Announcements

Strengthening Marriage Course by Brother Ken Alsop
This course is FREE and OPEN to ALL. 7 to 9 pm in the Relief Society Room on the following Fridays:
March 21, 28
April 11, 25
May 9

Katy Stake Single Adults 31+ Monthly Devotional
Meet every 2nd Thursday of every month, 7:30 - 8:30 pm
Bear Creek Building, Relief Society Room
Led by David Peterson - SA High Councilor

YSA (18-30) Institute Class: every Thursday @ 7:30 pm, Primary Room

YSA Fireside: March 30 @ 7 pm, Bear Creek Building, Brother and Sister Juergens

LDS Addiction Recovery Program
  ARP Tue 7:30 PM in HC Room at Stake Center
  PARG (men only) Thu 7:30 PM in HC Room at Stake Center
  For more locations and information:  http://arp.lds.org or call Elder & Sister Johnson at 832-232-3419

March Preparedness List

Food Storage Item: 21 pounds of pasta (date for rotation)

Week 1: Add a blanket to 72-hour kit

Week 2: Set your clocks forward. Check the batteries on your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detector. Make an escape plan.

Week 3: Add pocket/utility knife to 72-hour kit.

Week 4: Add $10 cash for emergency stash.

March Lesson Links

March 2: Presidency Lesson
"Forget Me Not" President Uchtdorf 2011

March 9: Lesson #5 Joseph Fielding Smith Manual
"Faith and Repentance"

March 16: Lesson #6 Joseph Fielding Smith Manual
"The Significance of the Sacrament"

March 23: Teaching for Our Times
"Wilt Thou Be Made Whole" Dyches 2013

March 30: Fifth Sunday Combined Lesson

Relief Society Activity - Thursday, Feb. 20 @ 6:30 pm

Come enjoy a night of fun at the "Sisterhood is 'Sow' Wonderful" activity on Thursday, February 20th at 6:30 pm. There will be get-to-know-you activities, a few speakers, and dinner will be served. Don't miss it! (A children's class will be provided).

2014 Emergency Preparedness Bookmark Items: January & February

Here are the emergency preparedness lists that have been handed out as bookmarks for the last two months.

February:
Food Storage Item - 21 lbs. Rice (date for rotation)

Week 1 - place a flashlight next to your bed and one in an alternate location, check batteries

Week 2 - add 2 cans of tuna fish/canned meat to your 72-hour kit

Week 3 - add a recent photo of each member of your household, including pets

Week 4 - add a can opener to your 72-hour kit

January:
Food Storage Item - 21 lbs. Wheat (date for rotation)

Week 2 - obtain a suitable 72-hour kit container (backpack, duffle bag, rolling suitcase, 5 gallon bucket, etc.)

Week 3 - add 1 1/2 gallons of water per person to 72-hour ki

Week 4 - add $10 cash to emergency cash stash

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Relief Society Lesson Links

Because a few sisters have asked about the talk and resources referenced in Brother Alsop's depression lesson last week, here are the links to those and links to the rest of the February's lessons.

Brother Alsop:
"Like a Broken Vessel" (Elder Holland)

"Nine Things You Shouldn't Say to a Depressed Loved One (And What to Say Instead" (LDS Living)


February:
2nd - Presidency Lesson "Finding Happiness" (Elder Scott)

Catherine Craner's Notes:

After Kelly’s lesson a few weeks ago, I went home and read the first lesson in the Joseph Fielding Smith manual. (I hadn’t read it yet).Like Kelly, I had what I would call, an “Awakening” about our Father in Heaven. Mostly about his LOVE for ME as an individual, and how has interest in ME.

These are the scriptures that particularly struck me as I read them:

In the Pearl of Great Price, in the Vision of Moses,  Moses is caught up into an exceeding high mountain, and God talks face to face with Moses, and shows unto him ALL the Children of men “to the latest generations,”

Moses 1:35 -  The Lord says: “For Behold, there are Many Worlds…. But all things are unto me, for THEY ARE MINE, & I KNOW THEM.

vs 37 - the Lord spoke saying, (Paraphrased) that the Heavens are many and cannot be numbered unto man, but they are numbered unto me, for THEY ARE MINE.

Moses 7, the Lord speaks to Enoch and shows him the nations of the earth, and  Enoch witnesses the Father weeping, in sorrow for his children’s disobedience.  And Enoch asks, how can you weep? You’re the Father, Holy, and from All eternity to all eternity?  (meaning, how can this affect you,  you have SO many children!)

However, in vs 29 & 30, Enoch recognizes that even with the magnitude of Heavenly Father’s Children (which are numberless), .. that “Thou are there THERE, and thy bosom is there, and also thou are merciful and kind forever.

When I read these scriptures, I re-understood how much he loves me, and KNOWS me, & I imagined being wrapped in the arms of his love, and I truly FELT his love.  I had a spiritual witness come over me, about GOD’s love for ME.  It was a special experience.

BECAUSE Heavenly Father loves me, (loves all of US), he provided a plan for us. – “The Plan of Happiness.”

I realized that the name itself , infers that we are to be Happy!  I know that if I’m obedient to the plan, I will be happy for eternity, after I die, but I want to feel Happier NOW.  Surely, Heavenly Father wants me to also be happy NOW, in THIS LIFE.

So I went to LDS. org and typed in, “Finding happiness” – found Elder Richard G Scott’s talk.

As I read this talk, Elder Scott talked about how he woke from a dream:  He said, “there flooded over me, feelings of love and gratitude for our Heavenly Father.”  He (Elder Scott)  could not convey the unspeakable joy, the feeling of being wrapped I pure love. 

This description is of his experience, was describing what I had just experienced.  I could relate. And it seemed amazing to me that I had just had that same “confirmation” of God’s love.

Then Elder Scott said something that stuck a chord with me…. He said – “How easy it is to take for granted our relationship with our Father in Heaven and his Beloved Son, our Master and Savior. Oh, how blessed are we that they are as they say they are, perfect in every possible capacity and attribute. Fundamental to their purpose is that you “might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25).

As I read this talk, I thought to myself, “Okay…I know Heavenly Father loves me, and I know the Plan of Happiness, and I try my best to live it… but why am I feeling so unhappy, so frequently?”

Then I read this paragraph:

“If you are one of the truly happy individuals who love your Father in Heaven and are grateful for each day’s blessings, reaching out to others in preference to thoughts of self, I rejoice for you. You have found a pattern of life that will ever bring you happiness. I can do little more than encourage you to continue to enjoy a life squarely centered in love of your Father in Heaven, your Savior,”

“If, however, you are among those who have not found a fullness of joy, even in your determination to live the commandments of the Lord, I pray that you may feel how very much your Father in Heaven loves you and wants you to be happy. I pray that you will be stirred to recognize how infinitely blessed you are to have a Father in Heaven, to have a plan that is perfect, to be able to acquire a clear understanding of what brings happiness in life-- through pondering, prayer, and application of his teachings.

Elder Scott went through SIX ways to “SEE” with greater clarity, day to day, and be happy.

 (these are summarized from his talk)

1.      Guiding principles – What does he mean, “guiding principles?”  He means, Rules that you live by. Your standards…. Like:

•      Be honest, serve, don’t judge, be responsible, DON’T DEVIATE, no matter how it seems that circumstance would allow for departure
•      Difficulties in life start, when small deviations from standards are justified 
•      Strength comes from making no exceptions.
•      WHEN YOU CENTER YOUR LIFE IN TRUTH, YOU ARE ASSURED SUCCESS & HAPPINESS

2.Scriptures – As we read the scriptures WITH FAITH in the Redeemer, and confidence and trust in the plan, 

•      You will receive great strength
•       Feast upon the words. Fill your soul, like you’d fill your body, with daily nourishment, of GOOD FOOD. Not junk food

3.Temple Worship – temple attendance has a calming, settling, consoling influence that distills peace and         contentment.  (These are all needed in today’s fast lifestyle, & help us be happy amidst the craziness.) The accompanying family history work yields similar blessings.

4.Prayer – Prayers that bring comfort, solace, direction and great inner strength are of the variety offered by Enos.  His record teaches us the importance of PRAYING WITH FAITH IN CHRIST AND BEING DILIGENT IN KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS.

5.Faith – Faith is abiding trust in Truth. Enduring happiness is rooted in unchangeable truth.  Without faith, we have fear, doubt, despair.  Not happy feelings.  But Faith leads to hope. Hope leads to happiness.

6.Good Music – (this is a very tangable thing we can use to help us feel happy.)  Good music, especially sacred music, helps us feel the spirit. Helps prepare our emotions to respond to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Makes spiritual things more understandable.

Closing…

From pg 237 in Joseph Fielding Smith manual: (emphasis added)

“the Lord has spoken in OUR DAY… His message is one of Hope and Joy and Salvation.  I promise you that if you will walk in the Light of Heaven, be true to your trust, and keep the commandments, you shall have Peace and Joy IN THIS LIFE, AND in the life to come.”

                                                --Joseph Fielding Smith

9th - Lesson #3 "The Plan of Salvation" (Joseph Fielding Smith Manual)

16th - Lesson #4 "Strengthening and Preserving the Family" (Joseph Fielding Smith Manual)

23rd - Stake Conference

Getting to Know Me!

Andrea N — Times are a changin’

I was born in Provo Utah when my Dad was principal of BY High.  Now that dates me!!!  I had two older brothers and would get two more brothers.  My dad was sent to Tehran, Iran in an educational government exchange.  He was to set up the teachers college at the University of Tehran.  It was when the Shah was in power and wanted to modernize the society including educating women.  Things have changed.  As a family we traveled through Europe both going and coming from Tehran.  I remember playing on the acropolis with my brother and remember also when we were served escargot he made a scene in the restaurant crying at the top of his lungs “Worms” Worms!”  I remember going to the top of the Eiffel Tower and later looking in the canals in Amsterdam.  I was quite a novelty in Iran (Blonde, blue eyes, and fair skin).  The old men on the streets would want to touch me to see if I was real.  One day I was sitting on the ledge of our second store window playing with my Dad’s bible.  I “accidently “dropped it out the window.  A policeman brought it to the front door and my Dad had to buy it back.  The conversation took place in German as my Dad didn’t speak Farsi and the policeman didn’t speak English but they both spoke a little German.  (Probably a hold-over from WWII.)  We met for church in the homes of the members and during Ramadan we didn’t sing hymns too loudly so they couldn’t be heard by passers-by outside the windows. 

When we returned to the states after two years in Tehran my dad was recruited by the new President of the College of Southern Utah to work there and help bring the education department to a 4 year status.  This is now Southern Utah University so I spent most of my growing up in Cedar City Utah.  In fact I remember the first year they staged the Utah Shakespearean festival on a six inch platform for the stage!!  My things have changed.  I have ushered for the festival and got to see many Shakespeare plays, some of them many times.

I took piano lessons and lived on a street with lots of kids.  We all played outside most of the time and slept outside in our backyards in the summers.  We hiked the mountains near our homes and rode bikes.  I watched “I Love Lucy’ before school and remember watching “Honey West” and “Man from U.N.C.L.E.”  I also remember when the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan and my third grade teacher saying it was just a fad and wouldn’t last.  My chores included cleaning the house but I much preferred helping my Dad in the Garden.

While in High School I participated in the band, (saxophone), choir, drill team and debate.  I attended SUU and served a mission in Nagoya Japan.  This was quite a change from my Dad who was a radio operator on a B-29 in WWII and bombed Nagoya -- twice!!!. Most of my companions were Japanese.  The first one didn’t like American’s much but we hung in there.  One Japanese companion had worked at the LTM in Hawaii so she was a real help in teaching me Japanese.  She was also a gourmet cook and didn’t like my cooking.  (The ingredients I used were not in Japan and we didn’t have an oven)  So much for the casseroles I grew up on.  We worked it out so that she did the cooking and I did the cleaning.  Actually I got the better end of the deal as she was a fabulous cook.  One American companion became the sister I never had.  She had all brothers too and we had an immediate connection when she stepped off the train.  We were called the Blonde bombers of Fukui

After my mission I returned to SUU for my final year of college doing my student teaching at Timpview High School in Provo.  I also got engaged just before I graduated and married in 1978.  My husband was a schoolteacher and I was blessed with two daughters. We moved to Southern California in order for my husband to attend a professional music school to become a studio musician.  I managed 4 apartment buildings and had my third daughter.  We moved back to Utah and built a house in American Fork where my son was born.  Not wanting to go back to California without a source of income and 4 children, on my part, my husband, on his part, decided he wanted a change.   I became a single parent with 4 children, with a mortgage and no car, so I had to change my entire plan for life.  I returned to Cedar City, renewed my teaching certificate and taught in the Iron County school district as a Debate coach, and a Japanese and American Government/History teacher.  The teams were very successful always finishing 1st 2nd or 3rd place.  Leaving my children each weekend for debate tournaments for five years necessitated another change, and I obtained employment as the Assistant to the President of MetalCraft Technologies - a company that built airplane parts. 

The summer of 1998 my brother went to a class reunion and met up with his friend with whom he had formed a rock band with in High School - Roice Nelson.  Roice came to my parents’ house after the reunion, and as I was living across the street from my parents, I went over to say hello to a guy I hadn’t seen in many years.  Another change ensued as Roice decided the little sister of his friend was “interesting”.   We were married in the St. George Temple on May 15, 1999, I changed my whole life again, and moved to Houston.  

 Now my life is changing each day as I learn new things teaching seminary, experiencing weddings of children (we have 10) and addition of Grandchildren (12 at present count).  Roice travels with work and I like to travel and learn new things to change my perspective of life and the world.  I also like to quilt, read, and garden. 

The only thing that hasn’t changed is the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the truthfulness of the restoration.  Without this knowledge I could not have gone through all these changes and been strengthened each day though scripture and prayer.  I love meeting new people in the ward and am enriched as I learn of their wonderful experiences and testimonies, which then help me continue to change as my testimony is strengthened. 

Getting To Know Me!

My name is Lesley H. I grew up in Baton Rouge, LA, the oldest of 7. I was born in Mexico City, Mexico and have a twin brother. I am truly blessed to have a real close family and love going home and eating good Cajun food. Boiled crawfish, crabs and fried oysters are my favorite foods. It seems like we not only eat at the table but we sit there for hours and visit. I have a sweet tooth and love anything that is pure sugar – Cotton candy, red hots, jaw breakers, red vines, Swedish fish and the list goes on. I have never liked chocolate and my mom jokes that I could not possibly be hers. I grew up catholic but have been in the church 19 years this October. I credit my mom and how she raised us for my membership in the church.

She taught correct principles. I have lived in Louisiana, Illinois, Indiana and California before coming to Houston. I met my husband at church and have been married to my best friend for 19 years this January. I have 3 children and Bill has 4 so that makes 7. We have 3 granddaughters that we love to watch. We have two dogs at home and one grand dog. I enjoy going to our farm in the country and just sitting and enjoying Mother Nature. There are plenty of turkeys, deer, hogs and birds to enjoy. And I better not leave out the cows. Bird watching is a hobby of mine and this past year we had baby pileated woodpeckers at our ranch. What a treat to see. The babies are still hanging around and are one of the largest woodpeckers coming in at 16-19 inches.

I have worked since I was 15. I currently work at Willis as a benefits consultant. Consulting with companies about their employee benefit options. I love to exercise and started when I turned 40 running my first marathon with my twin brother. I have run several marathons and half marathons. The St. George marathon will always be my favorite. I enjoy jazzercise and performed at half time for the Houston rockets and the Houston Texans with my friend Karen Gebauer.

Bill and I love to travel and cruising is one of our favorites. We have traveled to Italy, Argentina, Spain, France, Mexico, Jamaica and many more places. Besides birding, I love to cook, go to Mardi Gras, work out in the yard, travel the back Texas country roads and attend Texas festivals like the Luling Watermelon festival. Oh I forgot to mention watermelon is a favorite food too. On the other side- one of my faults would be asking non- stop questions. I have been curious about anything and everything since I was a kid. I always wanted to know why? When I found the church it answered all my questions and still does. One time Bill said something and I asked where is says that and he said “that is the way it has always been” and I said sorry I left that life behind me at the other church.

I did not have a great conversion to the church but I feel that was my first test of my faith. I have had many trials in my life and believe with all my heart that I am here because of my choice to join this church. It has given me more strength and faith than I could have ever gotten on my own. Relief Society was the anchor that kept me at the church for 3 hours the first time I visited the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I love my sisters that love me for who I am. Coming a close second is Young Women. I served in Young Women for over 10 years and have been to girls camp just as many times. I will always treasure my young women. They were angels sent to me for a season in my life. I have three callings in the church- peanut butter operator, church public affairs member working with our community leaders and working at the temple with my husband. I love them all but the temple by far is my favorite. I love our Tuesday night group. Come on out and visit us on Tuesday.

Getting To Know Me!

[Mary P. J.] I was born in Walnut Creek, CA (about an hour outside of San Francisco) but grew up mostly in Provo, right next to the Provo Temple. I am one of seven children, dead center, and now I can't get enough of being around people! I just love everything outdoorsy! I met my husband, Greg Jones before my mission, he was my home teacher, and later became friends with my sister and that is how we hooked up. We really got to know each other when we went on a backpacking trip as a group of friends, down the Grand Canyon to the Havasupai falls. After dating for two years, my threats of breaking up if we weren't going to get married intensified, and Greg finally proposed! We have been married two years now and just had our first child, Madison Claire Jones.

Greg started working in Houston, as a civil engineer in February, while I finished my Masters in Environmental Science at BYU in Provo. I finished my thesis just in time to have Madison (in May), where Greg flew overnight to get there in time for the last hour of delivery (the nurses all called it a miracle that he got there). After Madison and I recovered and packed all our belongings, we moved to Houston in July and finally joined Greg. We were looking for a house, but ended up getting an apartment that we will move into in November.

Some other things that may be interesting to know about me; I worked at a radioactive waste facility doing environmental monitoring, I have done an internship in Hawaii propagating plants for BYU Hawaii, I served a mission in Washington D.C. and received my undergrad in Soil Science (agronomy) and a minor in Landscape management. My hobbies include; gardening, hiking, rock climbing, photography, cooking, flower arranging, etc. Currently I am learning how to be a mom, which has been quite the adventure!!

We have loved being in the ward, with all the warm friendships we have gained, thanks so much for you love and support!