Sunday Report: Snowy Sabbath

Sunday, January 31, 2010 – Church services were canceled today due to  the snow and with no specific RS lesson (it is a 5th Sunday today - Bishopric teaching).  I thought about what to share for the Sunday Report as I sent the email last night sharing the meeting cancelation - I almost included a reminder about the keeping the Sabbath day - Despite having “off” from church, it is still the Lord’s Day “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8; see also D&C 68:29).– so I would like to ask… What did you do to keep the Sabbath day Holy? 

“The Sabbath is a holy day in which to do worthy and holy things. Abstinence from work and recreation is important, but insufficient. The Sabbath calls for constructive thoughts and acts, and if one merely lounges about doing nothing on the Sabbath, he is breaking it. To observe it, one will be on his knees in prayer, preparing lessons, studying the gospel, meditating, visiting the ill and distressed, writing letters to missionaries, taking a nap, reading wholesome material, and attending all the meetings of that day at which he is expected.” President Spencer W. Kimball (“The Sabbath—A Delight,” Ensign, Jan. 1978, p. 4.)

A few years ago for a stake young women’s activity we made Sunday boxes – with the idea that it is easier to keep the Sabbath day Holy when we have ideas about what we can do – not just what we can’t do.   Here are the activity plans and idea cards from the activity – would make for a great Family Home Evening lesson tomorrow night!

Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy Activity Plan.pdf

Sabbath day Box 8 Idea Cards.pdf

Great Lesson helps and quotes from the old Gospel Principles book:  “Chapter 24: The Sabbath Day,” Gospel Principles, 159

Mmmm… Homemade, Fresh Baked Bread

Here is the Mmm good and easy Artisan Bread Recipe Sister Shanklin Showed us at Tuesday’s Relief Society Meeting!  It comes from Mother Earth News – click here on the link below to view the whole article and tips on variations and what to look for in making the bread.  the recipe below is found on page 4,  http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/Artisan-Bread-In-Five-Minutes-A-Day.aspx 

I am making it tonight – perfect with a bowl of soup on a cold snowy day!

The Master Recipe

The artisan free-form loaf called the French boule is the basic model for all the no-knead recipes. The round shape (boule in French means “ball”) is the easiest to master. You’ll learn how wet the dough needs to be (wet, but not so wet that the finished loaf won’t retain its form) and how to shape a loaf without kneading. And you’ll discover a truly revolutionary approach to baking: Take some dough from the fridge, shape it, leave it to rest, then let it bake while you’re preparing the rest of the meal. 

Keep your dough wet — wetter doughs favor the development of sourdough character during storage. You should become familiar with the following recipe before going through any of the others.

The Master Recipe: Boule  (Artisan Free-Form Loaf)  Makes 4 1-pound loaves

3 cups lukewarm water
1 1⁄2 tbsp granulated yeast (1 1⁄2 packets)
1 1⁄2 tbsp coarse kosher or sea salt
6 1⁄2 cups unsifted, unbleached, all-purpose white flour
Cornmeal for pizza peel

Mixing and Storing the Dough

1. Heat the water to just a little warmer than body temperature (about 100 degrees Fahrenheit).

2. Add yeast and salt to the water in a 5-quart bowl or, preferably, in a resealable, lidded container (not airtight — use container with gasket or lift a corner). Don’t worry about getting it all to dissolve.

3. Mix in the flour by gently scooping it up, then leveling the top of the measuring cup

with a knife; don’t pat down. Mix with a wooden spoon, a high-capacity food processor with dough attachment, or a heavy-duty stand mixer with dough hook, until uniformly moist. If hand-mixing becomes too difficult, use very wet hands to press it together. Don’t knead! This step is done in a matter of minutes, and yields a wet dough loose enough to conform to the container.

4. Cover loosely. Do not use screw-topped jars, which could explode from trapped gases. Allow the mixture to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse (or at least flatten on top), approximately two hours, depending on temperature. Longer rising times, up to about five hours, will not harm the result. You can use a portion of the dough any time after this period. Refrigerated wet dough is less sticky and easier to work with than room-temperature dough. We recommend refrigerating the dough at least three hours before shaping a loaf. And relax! You don’t need to monitor doubling or tripling of volume as in traditional recipes.

Being Spiritually and Physically Prepared

Chesapeake Ward Relief Society Activity: January 26

What a wonderful activity!  A great way to start the year by becoming better prepared!  Thank you to Sister Shanklin – our RS Provident Living Specialist who coordinated the evening, and thank you to all who prepared and participated in activity!

Spiritual Preparedness: We never know when those moments may come when we will have a trial of our faith or perhaps we suffer from the exhaustion of daily life.  Keeping our spiritual lamps full is a continuous process, we are always using our reservoir of oil to keep the light burning, we also share that light with all who around us.  We learned the importance of keeping our spiritual lamps full and the sure ways to keep our lamps full:

1. Experience the power of prayer in your daily lives. Talk with our Father in Heaven every night and every morning. Tell Him how it is with you. In your daily prayers you might ask, “Father in Heaven, what can I do today to help in thy work?” You might simply ask, “What should I do or not do to be a better member of my family, a better friend, a better member of the Church, a better student at school?”

2. Become familiar with a few favorite scriptures and then gradually add new ones as you study the scriptures each day. We need women who use and read the scriptures like letters from home to know what our Father in Heaven wants them to do and not do while they are away. By studying the scriptures we learn why there must be good and evil, why we must be tried and tested. We learn why we must choose for ourselves and why we must be responsible for our choices.

3. The third sure way to obtain the oil, the light to guide you, is to keep the commandments of God. Remember always that the further you are from the negative influences of the world, the closer you are to your heavenly home.

Let us all be filled—filled with the light, the strength, the faith that comes from prayer, scripture study, and obedience to God’s commandments each day of our lives. Let us stand united together, shoulder to shoulder, heart to heart, and hand in hand, bonded together by that light that never grows dim. We’ll hold our torches high that Christ’s true light through us will shine, His name to glorify.  Ardeth G. Kapp, “Stand for Truth and Righteousness,” Ensign, Nov 1988, 93

Physical Preparedness:  We had a representative from Baltimore County speak to us on being prepared with a “grab and go” bag (72 hr kit) and what our local government resources are. We were also reminded if we are prepared, we will be that much more prepared to help others in need! 

“We do live in turbulent times.. Often the future is unknown; therefore, it behooves us to prepare for uncertainties.” – Thomas S. Monson

The Prophets and Church Leaders council us on being prepared, there are many resources set up by the church to help us get our families better prepared for the future, given the recent devastation in Haiti, we need to consider how are we prepared to face these uncertainties.

We else did we learn?… Displays, hand outs, and hands on:

• Dry Pack Canner Demonstration (Courtesy of Sister Coyle)– did you know if you properly seal the right kind of grains & beans they can last 30+ years!
• Tips on 72 hour kits (Courtesy of Sister Kimball) Preparing the whole family for what ever may come  - including children and pets
• Gardening (Courtesy of Sister Wessel) Having a garden, even a small planter can be a very valuable resource for fresh fruits and vegetables.  
• Water Storage (Courtesy of Sister Huebner) for 3 day storage we need to have 1 Gallon of water per person per day.
• 3 Month Food Storage (Courtesy of Sister Shanklin)– What could you make for dinner with only the food on  your shelf/ pantry? Don’t go to the store! Just what you have?
• Longer Term Food Storage (Courtesy of Sister Shanklin)
• Artisan  Bread Making Demonstration 4 ingredients/ 5 minute – very tasty recipe! (Courtesy of Sister Shanklin)– Recipe to come!

If you have any questions about any provident living topic – just ask Sister Shanklin, she has a wealth of knowledge and experience and can help teach you how to better prepare yourself and your family.  Remember “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” D&C 38:30

Helpful Links & downloadable files:

• www.baltimorecountymd.gov/News/emergency_prep/index.html 
• www.baltimorecountymd.gov/News/emergency_prep/petpreparedness.html
• www.baltimorecountymd.gov/News/emergency_prep/personalpreparedness.html
• www.providentliving.org
• www.ready.gov/kids/_downloads/familylist.pdf
• www.fema.org/kids
• www.fema.gov/plan/index.shtm
• www.ready.gov
• http://preparedness.families.com/blog/category/390
• Emergency preparedness and 72 hr kits for children pdf
• 72 hour kits Tips and Info pdf
• Emergency Preparedness for Pets pdf
• Weather Safety pdf

Sunday Report: Love and Law

Sunday, January 24, 2010 - Dallin H. Oaks, “Love and Law,” Ensign, Nov 2009, 26–29 Taught by Sister Deandrade

I loved reading this lesson –I missed having the lesson discussion with our RS -   having to leave right after the RS announcements – to head down to College Park  for my sister’s graduation.

Excerpts from the Lesson:

Love:  My message is that God’s universal and perfect love is shown in all the blessings of His gospel plan, including the fact that His choicest blessings are reserved for those who obey His laws.

The love of God does not supersede His laws and His commandments, and the effect of God’s laws and commandments does not diminish the purpose and effect of His love. The same should be true of parental love and rules.

Consider the love of God, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” the Apostle Paul asked. Not tribulation, not persecution, not peril or the sword (see Romans 8:35). “For I am persuaded,” he concluded, “that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, … nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God” (verses 38–39).

There is no greater evidence of the infinite power and perfection of God’s love than is declared by the Apostle John: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16). Another Apostle wrote that God “spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all” (Romans 8:32). Think how it must have grieved our Heavenly Father to send His Son to endure incomprehensible suffering for our sins. That is the greatest evidence of His love for each of us!

Law:  Jesus taught, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). The effect of God’s commandments and laws is not changed to accommodate popular behavior or desires. If anyone thinks that godly or parental love for an individual grants the loved one license to disobey the law, he or she does not understand either love or law. The Lord declared: “That which breaketh a law, and abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself, and willeth to abide in sin, and altogether abideth in sin, cannot be sanctified by law, neither by mercy, justice, nor judgment. Therefore, they must remain filthy still” (D&C 88:35).

We read in modern revelation, “All kingdoms have a law given” (D&C 88:36). For example: “He who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory. “And he who cannot abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial glory. “And he who cannot abide the law of a telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial glory” (D&C 88:22–24). In other words, the kingdom of glory to which the Final Judgment assigns us is not determined by love but by the law that God has invoked in His plan to qualify us for eternal life, “the greatest of all the gifts of God” (D&C 14:7).

The love of God is so universal that His perfect plan bestows many gifts on all of His children, even those who disobey His laws. Mortality is one such gift, bestowed on all who qualified in the War in Heaven. Another unconditional gift is the universal resurrection: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). Many other mortal gifts are not tied to our personal obedience to law. As Jesus taught, our Heavenly Father “maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45).

If only we will listen, we can know of God’s love and feel it, even when we are disobedient. A woman recently returned to Church activity gave this description in a sacrament meeting talk: “He has always been there for me, even when I rejected Him. He has always guided me and comforted me with His tender mercies all around me, but I [was] too angry to see and accept incidents and feelings as such.”

I testify of the truth of these things, which are part of the plan of salvation and the doctrine of Christ, of whom I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Sunday Report: Jesus Christ, Our Chosen Leader and Savior

Sunday, Jan 17, 2010, Gospel Principles: Chapter 3  Taught by: Sister Jucar

Excerpts from the Lesson: 

When the plan for our salvation was presented to us in the premortal spirit world, we were so happy that we shouted for joy (see Job 38:7).  We understood that we would have to leave our heavenly home for a time. We would not live in the presence of our Heavenly Father. While we were away from Him, all of us would sin and some of us would lose our way. Our Heavenly Father knew and loved each one of us. He knew we would need help, so He planned a way to help us.

We needed a Savior to pay for our sins and teach us how to return to our Heavenly Father. Our Father said, “Whom shall I send?” (Abraham 3:27). Jesus Christ, who was called Jehovah, said, “Here am I, send me” (Abraham 3:27; see also Moses 4:1–4).  Jesus was willing to come to the earth, give His life for us, and take upon Himself our sins. He, like our Heavenly Father, wanted us to choose whether we would obey Heavenly Father’s commandments. He knew we must be free to choose in order to prove ourselves worthy of exaltation. Jesus said, “Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever” (Moses 4:2).

Jesus Christ was chosen and foreordained to be our Savior. Many scriptures tell about this (see, for example, 1 Peter 1:19–20; Moses 4:1–2). One scripture tells us that long before Jesus was born, He appeared to a Book of Mormon prophet known as the brother of Jared and said: “Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. … In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name” (Ether 3:14).

When Jesus lived on earth, He taught: “I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. … And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:38, 40).

From the beginning, Jesus Christ has revealed the gospel, which tells us what we must do to return to our Heavenly Father. At the appointed time He came to earth Himself. He taught the plan of salvation and exaltation by His word and by the way He lived. He established His Church and His priesthood on the earth. He took our sins upon Himself.  By following His teachings, we can inherit a place in the celestial kingdom. He did His part to help us return to our heavenly home. It is now up to each of us to do our part and become worthy of exaltation.

Sunday Report: Our Heavenly Father & Our Heavenly Family

Sunday, Jan 10, 2010, Gospel Principles: Chapter 1 & 2  Taught by: Sister Dicarlo

Excerpts from the Lesson:

What are some things that testify to you that there is a God?  “All things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator” (Alma 30:44). We can look up at the sky at night and have an idea of what Alma meant. There are millions of stars and planets, all in perfect order. They did not get there by chance. We can see the work of God in the heavens and on the earth.

God is the Supreme and Absolute Being in whom we believe and whom we worship. He is “the Great Parent of the universe,” and He “looks upon the whole of the human family with a fatherly care and paternal regard” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 39).

Knowing God is so important that the Savior said, “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3).  The more we know God, the more we love Him and keep His commandments (see 1 John 2:3–5). By keeping His commandments we can become like Him.

We can know God if we will:

1. Believe that He exists and that He loves us (see Mosiah 4:9)
2. Study the scriptures (see 2 Timothy 3:14–17).
3. Pray to Him (see James 1:5).
4. Obey all His commandments as best we can (see John 14:21–23).

As we do these things, we will come to know God and eventually have eternal life.

God is not only our Ruler and Creator; He is also our Heavenly Father. All men and women are literally the sons and daughters of God. “Man, as a spirit, was begotten and born of heavenly parents, and reared to maturity in the eternal mansions of the Father, prior to coming upon the earth in a temporal [physical] body” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith [1998], 335).

We were not all alike in heaven. We know, for example, that we were sons and daughters of heavenly parents—males and females (see “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102). We possessed different talents and abilities, and we were called to do different things on earth. We can learn more about our “eternal possibilities” when we receive our patriarchal blessings (see Thomas S. Monson, in Conference Report, Oct. 1986, 82; or Ensign, Nov. 1986, 66).

A veil covers our memories of our premortal life, but our Father in Heaven knows who we are and what we did before we came here. He has chosen the time and place for each of us to be born so we can learn the lessons we personally need and do the most good with our individual talents and personalities.

Our Heavenly Father knew we could not progress beyond a certain point unless we left Him for a time. He wanted us to develop the godlike qualities that He has. To do this, we needed to leave our premortal home to be tested and to gain experience. Our spirits needed to be clothed with physical bodies. We would need to leave our physical bodies at death and reunite with them in the Resurrection. Then we would receive immortal bodies like that of our Heavenly Father. If we passed our tests, we would receive the fulness of joy that our Heavenly Father has received. (See D&C 93:30–34.)

Our Heavenly Father called a Grand Council to present His plan for our progression (see Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 209, 511). We learned that if we followed His plan, we would become like Him. We would be resurrected; we would have all power in heaven and on earth; we would become heavenly parents and have spirit children just as He does (see D&C 132:19–20).

Perfecting the Saints: Why is Church attendance important?

Jan/ Feb 2010, Chesapeake Ward Newsletter, Relief Society Article, Laura Kimball

Sacrament meeting is the most important portion of our Sunday services; “The sacrament is one of the most sacred ordinances in the Church. Partaking of the sacrament worthily gives us an opportunity for spiritual growth.” L. Tom Perry, “As Now We Take the Sacrament,” Ensign, May 2006, 39–42.  As we partake of the Sacrament, we renew our baptismal covenants to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ, to always remember Him, and keep His commandments. We have been commanded to “… more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day” (D&C 59:9). However, Sacrament Meeting is not the only meeting we attend on Sunday - in keeping ourselves “unspotted from the world”, we receive much needed continued instruction and spiritual uplifting, we support, serve, and fellowship each other, and have the privilege to participate in our church services through church assignments and callings. Elder Oaks shared with us:

Some years ago I enjoyed a newspaper cartoon that showed a clergyman in conversation with a hippie-dressed couple astride a motorcycle. “We are church goers,” one was saying to the clergyman. “We’ve been going for years … we just haven’t got there yet.”

Many of our extended family and friends haven’t yet gotten to church either. They may attend sporadically, but they are not yet enjoying the full blessings of Church participation and service. Others may attend regularly, but refrain from commitments and from seeking the personal spiritual rebirth that comes from yielding our hearts to God. Both kinds are missing some unique blessings in this life. And both are in jeopardy of missing the most glorious blessings in the life to come.

Paul taught that the Lord gave prophets and apostles for “the perfecting of the saints, … the work of the ministry, … [and] the edifying of the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12). Persons who are not fully participating in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and also seeking a personal spiritual conversion are missing out on experiences that are essential under the divinely established great plan of happiness. The teachings and the work of the Church are essential to bring to pass the eternal life of man (see Moses 1:39).

About a decade ago, I was introduced to a member who had not participated in the Church for many years. “Why should I return to Church activity?” this member asked me. Considering all the Savior has done for us, I replied it should be easy to offer something in service to Him and our fellowmen. My questioner considered that idea for a moment and then voiced this astonishing reply: “What’s He done for me?”

This astonishing answer moved me to ponder what people expect to receive from Jesus Christ, from His gospel, and from participating in His Church. I thought of some others who said they stopped going to Church because the Church was “not meeting their needs.” Which needs could they be expecting the Church to meet? If persons are simply seeking a satisfying social experience, they might be disappointed in a particular ward or branch and seek other associations. There are satisfying social experiences in many organizations. If they are simply seeking help to learn the gospel, they could pursue that goal through available literature. But are these the principal purposes of the Church? Is this all we are to receive from the gospel of Jesus Christ?

Someone has said that what we get depends on what we seek. Persons who attend Church solely in order to get something of a temporal nature may be disappointed. The Apostle Paul wrote disparagingly of persons who “serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly” (Rom. 16:18). Persons who attend Church in order to give to their fellowmen and serve the Lord will rarely be disappointed. The Savior promised that “he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it” (Matt. 10:39). “I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness” (Mosiah 2:41). Dallin H. Oaks, “The Gospel in Our Lives,” Ensign, May 2002, 33

The message is simple: “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him” (Moro. 10:32). Striving for perfection is a process; diligent church attendance helps to keep us unspotted from the world and more focused on Christ, our Lord and Savior. May we all make Church attendance a priority in this New Year, may we have the increased desire to seek after the teachings of the Spirit. As always, we look forward to our opportunity of worshiping together at our Church services.

Sunday Report: Our Relief Society Goals

Sunday, Jan 3, 2010, Ward RS Presidency Message: Taught by: Sister Kimball
At the beginning of a New Year, we often make  resolutions or goals to make the new year better than the last!  The question was posed to our ward Relief Society “What are our Goals for Our Relief Society in this upcoming year?” “What kind of Relief Society do we want to be?”  Given the objectives of Relief Society:  http://www.lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,4747-1,00.html
- Build faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and teach the doctrines of the kingdom
- Emphasize the divine worth of each sister
- Exercise charity and nurture those in need
- Strengthen and protect families
- Serve and support each sister
- Help sisters become full participants in the blessings of the priesthood
We added how we can fulfill those objectives:

• Talk with one another – really communicate
• Follow through with our commitments
• Introduce ourselves to one another
• Be Friendly
• Ask for help when needed (be humble & let other’s in)
• Be Positive
• Build each other up
• Smile
• Have Gratitude
• Read and Study the Scriptures
• Read and Study the Lessons
• Share our Talents and Abilities with others
• Develop our lesser seen talents
• Listen to the Spirit
• Follow the Spirit
• Always Remember our Savior, Jesus Christ
• Keep the Commandments

As we strive to  become more unified in our purpose and as we implement our goals, we need to be personally prepared with the strength to go about the Lord’s errand.  President Monson shares with us a reminder of  the kind of personal goals we need to set:
“As I contemplate the Relief Society of today, humbled by my privilege to speak to you, I turn to our Heavenly Father for His divine guidance. In this spirit, I have felt to provide each member of the Relief Society throughout the world three goals to meet:

1. Study diligently.
2. Pray earnestly.
3. Serve willingly.

Let us consider each of these goals. First, study diligently.  The Savior of the world instructed: “Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” He added: “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” A study of the scriptures will help our testimonies and the testimonies of our family members. 2 Timothy 1:7-8 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.”
Beyond our study of spiritual matters, secular learning is also essential. Often the future is unknown; therefore, it behooves us to prepare for uncertainties. I urge you to pursue your education. Your talents will expand as you study and learn. You will be able to better assist your families in their learning, and you will have peace of mind in knowing that you have prepared yourself for the eventualities that you may encounter in life. I reiterate: Study diligently.
Pray earnestly. The Lord directed, “Pray always, and I will pour out my Spirit upon you, and great shall be your blessing.” Perhaps there has never been a time when we had greater need to pray and to teach our family members to pray. Prayer is a defense against temptation. It is through earnest and heartfelt prayer that we can receive the needed blessings and the support required to make our way in this sometimes difficult and challenging journey we call mortality.
My dear sisters, do not pray for tasks equal to your abilities, but pray for abilities equal to your tasks. Then the performance of your tasks will be no miracle, but you will be the miracle. Pray earnestly.
Finally, serve willingly. You are a mighty force for good, one of the most powerful in the entire world. Your influence ranges far beyond yourself and your home and touches others all around the globe. You have reached out to your brothers and sisters across streets, across cities, across nations, across continents, across oceans. You personify the Relief Society motto: “Charity never faileth.”
You are, of course, surrounded by opportunities for service. No doubt at times you recognize so many such opportunities that you may feel somewhat overwhelmed. Where do you begin? How can you do it all? How do you choose, from all the needs you observe, where and how to serve?
Often small acts of service are all that is required to lift and bless another: a question concerning a person’s family, quick words of encouragement, a sincere compliment, a small note of thanks, a brief telephone call. If we are observant and aware, and if we act on the promptings which come to us, we can accomplish much good. Sometimes, of course, more is needed.
Such acts of love and compassion are repeated again and again by the wonderful visiting teachers of this Church—not always in such dramatic situations but just as genuinely, nevertheless.
I extol you who, with loving care and compassionate concern, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and house the homeless. He who notes the sparrow’s fall will not be unmindful of such service. The desire to lift, the willingness to help, and the graciousness to give come from a heart filled with love. Serve willingly.
Our beloved prophet, even President Gordon B. Hinckley, said of you, “God planted within women something divine that expresses itself in quiet strength, in refinement, in peace, in goodness, in virtue, in truth, in love.”
My dear sisters, may our Heavenly Father bless each of you, married or single, in your homes, in your families, in your very lives—that you may merit the glorious salutation of the Savior of the World: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” … in the name of Jesus Christ, amen." Thomas S. Monson, “Three Goals to Guide You,” Ensign, Nov 2007, 118–21
For other exceptional Church Talks on Resolutions and Goals:  (which could make for a great Family Home Evening Lesson)
Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Life’s Lessons Learned,” Ensign, May 2007, 45–47
Donald L. Staheli, “Achieving Your Full Potential,” Ensign, Feb 2009, 57–61
M. Russell Ballard, “Go for It!,” New Era, Mar 2004, 4
Joe J. Christensen, “Resolutions,” Ensign, Dec 1994, 62–67
Diana Logue, “New Year’s Resolutions,” Friend, Jan 1996, 36
Afton Day, “The New Me Has Been Cancelled,” Ensign, Jan 1981, 58