Lesson Summary: June 9, 2013

I Seek Not Mine Own Will, but the Will of the Father  

           Instructor- Aimee Roylance

'There is a course that men and women may pursue wherein there will be no failure. Whatever disappointments may arise or seeming failures may result, there will be in reality no failure, as a general thing."

A young child may feel that "Divorce and failure is your fault" 

Need to set your mind on improvement, not failures.

Sometimes we don't see the impact of our efforts to help others. 

                - Spent a week at girls camp trying to help a trouble youth, thought I had failed.  Later she thanked me for the impact I had in her life.

-I felt like a failure as a daughter, when I saw the disappointment in their face when I joined the church.  But in the eternities they will be grateful.

Our weaknesses are often greatest in our own eyes:

                Inability, incompetency, inadequacy, insufficient

We may be confused at the callings of the Lord, but the Lord knows what he is doing

"We cannot always do what we would like to do, but we shall have the power to do that which we should do."

The Lord knows our potential.  The days are long, but if we trust him we can accomplish what he wants us to do.

He helps us in those moments when we try to do what we don't know is possible.

The Lord has a purpose for us.

Lesson Summary: June 16, 2013

  Chapter 12: Tithing, a Law for Our Protection and Advancement

Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow, 2011
Instructor: Barbara Neuenswander

When President Lorenzo Snow was 85 he took a trip to St George:

"I know not why..."

He didn't know why he was going until he got there, but was prompted to go, despite his age.

In his 50 yrs previous of sermons to the saints he seldom mentioned Tithes

-He went town to town teaching on tithing

Soon the drought ended

-5 yrs after he died the church was free of all indebtedness

Why do you pay tithing?

 - Afraid of missing out on needed blessings

- Not my money anyway, the Lord gives us all

- It's a cut and dry commandment, either you pay it or not.  You know whether or not you are keeping that commandment.

How did you gain a testimony of tithing?

-We used to stand in line to pay tithing

-Mom's stories of financial tithing blessings during the great depression

-Taught from the missionaries- if you accept the gospel you accept the law of tithing.

-Easier to pay than taxes.

What blessings have you received from paying your tithing?

-Lost my wallet, but was returned.   Info on an old tithing slip helped get it back.

- Greatest blessing is being able to enter the temple.

Summer Newsletters 2013

Here are the missing newsletters:
June 2013 Newsletter
July 2013 Newsletter
August 2013 Newsletter

Enjoy most warmly.

Family Memories Desserts

Family Memories Recipes:

Buttermilk Brownies -Patti Jeppson

Brownie Ingredients                                      Frosting Ingredients
2 c all-purpose flour                                      3 T unsweetened cocoa
2 c sugar                                                      3 T buttermilk
1 t baking soda                                              ¼ c butter
¼ t salt                                                         2 ¼ c sifted powdered sugar
1 c butter                                                      ½ t vanilla
1 c water                                                      ¾ coarsely chopped pecans
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
½ c buttermilk
1 ½ t vanilla

Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour jelly roll pan (15 x 10).
Combine flour, sugar, soda and salt. Set aside. Put butter, water and 1/3 c cocoa powder in pan and bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and add mixture to dry ingredients, beating with electric mixture on medium to high speed until thoroughly combined. Add eggs, ½ c buttermilk and vanilla. Beat 1 minute (batter will be thin). Pour into prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, combine remaining butter, cocoa powder and buttermilk in small saucepan. Bring to boil, remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth. Stir in nuts and pour warm frosting over warm brownies, spreading evenly. Cool and then cut into bars.


OATMEAL CAKE -Francine Coons
Mix:
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Boil:
1 1/3 cup water
2 sticks butter

Add to dry ingredients and mix

Add and mix:
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Bake in greased 9x13 pan at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

Cool and sift powdered sugar on top

Cinnamon Rolls - Jennifer Daily
In a medium saucepan heat until medium warm:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups milk
2 tsp Kosher salt
3 eggs beaten (add last)

Meanwhile in large mixing bowl combine:
4 1/2 tsp yeast
1 Tbsp sugar
2/3 cup hot water (I use the hottest water that comes out of my tap)
Mix together and let brew until bubbly.

Pour liquid mixture from saucepan into mixing bowl and mix in:
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
6 cups white flour

Knead for 10 minutes and cover with towel and let rise about 1 hour or until double in size. Divide dough in half and roll into a rectangle. Spread butter, brown sugar and cinnamon on top. Roll up starting at long end. Cut with serrated knife into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Put on jelly roll pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.
Let rise about half an hour then preheat oven to 350.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Top with your favorite icing or cream cheese frosting.

RAISIN BARS - Connie Lee
1 cup raisins - boil 5 min. in 1 1/2 cups water
(strain and save liquid) add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon soda to liquid.

Mix by hand in bowl:
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup oil
1 egg

Add alternately:
2 cups flour
Raisin liquid
Stir well
Add raisins. Mix well

Spread on greased sheet cake pan.
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes (don't over bake)

When cool frost with butter cream frosting.

BUTTER CREAM FROSTING
4 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons hot milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar

Stir butter until very soft. Add a small amount of sugar, then milk and vanilla. Beat in remaining sugar until of soft, spreading consistency. Tint if desired. This frosting may be put through a decorator tube.


Grandma's Awle Dumplings - with a Modern Twist - Lezlie Zollinger

My Grandma always said:
"If a little sugar is good then a lot is a lot better"

(Heritage Version)
Sift together: 3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1/8 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking soda

Mix In: 3/4 cup shortening (lard is best)
1 cup or more of cream or milk
Apples dash of cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Sugar
Chunk of butter

Make a dough similar to pie crust. Roll out and cut into squares about the size of a small hankie.
Onto each square put peeled and sliced apples, sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon and sugar and a chunk of butter.

Roll into a bundle.

Make a simple syrup with sugar and water and pour over dumplings until about 1/2 inch or more deep.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Makes 18 small

(Modern Twist)
Instead of making the dough, use Pillsbury Pop and Fresh Crescent Rolls
2 pkgs of Crescent rolls and 2 - 3 small to medium apples
Cover with:
1 cup melted butter, 1 V2 cup sugar, I tsp. vanilla, Stir gently over low heat until sugar
and butter are melted and mixed together - don't over stir. Pour over apple bundles
and then gently pour around the edges 12 ounces of Sprite
Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.
Serve warm with Ice Cream

Enjoy once every Decade!! For Good Health!!

Lesson Summary April 28, 2013

“Lord, I Believe”
BY ELDER JEFFREY R. HOLLAND
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Taught by: Talia Deccio

The Little engine that could would have never made it up the mountain if he hadn't believed in himself. "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can."

Doubt is a tool of Satan.  When we doubt our self worth, we doubt our potential as a child of God.
We must put faith before doubt
-Sometimes doubt seems safer
-We must rise to the occation
-The scriptures can help us

The Lord won't give us anything we can't handle

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is perfect as he is.  People are human, and are imperfect as such.
"So be kind regarding human frailty—your own as well as that of those who serve with you in a Church led by volunteer, mortal men and women. Except in the case of His only perfect Begotten Son, imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to Him, but He deals with it. So should we."

Joseph Smith: “I never told you I was perfect—but there is no error in the revelations which I have taught” (The Words of Joseph Smith, ed. Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook [1980], 369).

2 Nephi 31:13

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins,witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel."

"When doubt or difficulty come, do not be afraid to ask for help. If we want it as humbly and honestly as this father did, we can get it. The scriptures phrase such earnest desire as being of “real intent,”pursued “with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God.”11 I testify that in response to that kind of importuning, God will send help from both sides of the veil to strengthen our belief."

Sometimes we think we can do it on our own, and then we stumble and fall.

The Apostles must have the constant guidance of the Lord to do what they do.

Gratitude helps

Ordinances must be perfect (practice makes perfect)

The Lord loves us even being imperfect.  God is perfect, and has a perfect understanding.

"A 14-year-old boy recently said to me a little hesitantly, 'Brother Holland, I can’t say yet that I know the Church is true, but I believe it is.' I hugged that boy until his eyes bulged out. I told him with all the fervor of my soul that belief is a precious word, an even more precious act, and he need never apologize for 'only believing.' I told him that Christ Himself said, 'Be not afraid, only believe,'12 a phrase which, by the way, carried young Gordon B. Hinckley into the mission field.13 I told this boy that belief was always the first step toward conviction and that the definitive articles of our collective faith forcefully reiterate the phrase 'We believe.'14 And I told him how very proud I was of him for the honesty of his quest."

It's ok to start with a little seed of faith.  We must learn line upon line.

Other scriptures: Mark 9:17-24, Alma 32:27, Matthew 17:20, D&C 122:9

April and May 2013 Newsletters

Two newsletters twice as fun:

April 2013

May 2013

Lesson Summary: April 21, 2013

Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow
Chapter 8: “Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart”

1 Nephi 2:4-

And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and ^adeparted into the wilderness.

When we apply for employment or other opportunities we often need to produce a resume, and/or letters of recommendation that shows some of our work experiences, skills, community service, character, and other items to show our qualifications for employment.  

"It is, however, comparatively easy to obtain a written character, as it is termed, a character that one can put in his pocket; and, indeed, according to my observation it is not infrequently the case that people are the bearers of written characters which their real and true character fails to attest."

On the resume of our life, we don't get to omit the failures and short comings, nor can it be embellished or falsified.  What will be on our resume when we apply for the celestial kingdom.  What will be written on our hearts?

What are some of the things that keeps us from having our hearts right with the Lord?

-Obsessions/idolatry (cleaning house, addictions, too much computer, etc.) that take time that should be spent elsewhere. 

-The way, tone of voice, we speak with, or of (gossip), others, especially our families, can drive away the Spirit.

-Procrastinating temple work or other essential gospel activities.

- Pride

- Low self-esteem or self-worth (you can't do it, you aren't worthy of love).  Remember you really are precious in Gods eyes.

- Going through the motions:  kind of doing what you should, but not putting your heart and soul into it.

- Environmental pressures: we may still be doing what worked before, but things in our lives have changed (external stresses, kids especially difficult, deadlines at work) requiring a reevaluation of our commitment to the Lord.

What can we do to bring us back in line with his will?

- Recommit to do his will and stay in tune to the promptings of the Holy Ghost.

- Start your day with fervent prayer and ask for opportunities to serve the Savior

- Prayer of Thanksgiving

- Having an attitude of Gratitude.

- Set right your priorities, take time for things that matter most.

- Remove those things in your life that are distancing you from the Lord.

- Remember you are a child of God, and the Savoir atoned for your sins, because you are worth it.

"There is no doubt, speaking of the people as a whole, that we are greatly improving in the sight of God. But although this is undoubtedly the case, I am convinced there are persons among us endowed with spiritual gifts and susceptible of cultivation, that could be exercised, if they chose, to a far greater extent than they are, and who could move much faster in the ways of holiness and get much nearer to the Lord. But the spirit which attends the things of this world is operating upon them to that extent that they do not increase those spiritual powers and blessings; they do not place themselves in that close relationship to the Lord that it is their privilege.⁶

Our character, as Latter-day Saints, should be preserved inviolate, at whatever cost or sacrifice. Character, approved of God is worth securing, even at the expense of a life-time of constant self-denial.

While thus living we may look forward … , with full assurance that … we shall be crowned with the sons and daughters of God, and possess the wealth and glory of a Celestial kingdom.^7"