New Presidency!

Well, mostly new.

I know that Tamera, Allison, Jolyn and I are very sad to leave Relief Society, but we know you'll be in good hands.

The new presidency is
Sister Nancy Holich--Relief Society President
Sister Tammy Moss--1st Counselor
Sister Rae Ann Weiland--2nd Counselor
Sister Margo Bucker--Secretary

Good luck to our new presidency and have fun!  We love you sisters and will always keep you in our hearts.

Clearing Up Some Confusion

Just wanted to make sure that no one is confused about the Relief Society Temple Trip.  It is not this Wednesday, June 16th.  It will be on July 14th and we will be meeting at the Burger King by Pacemaker in Belvidere 8 a.m.  Sorry if you were confused.  I hope that you can come on the 14th!

If you are still confused about the trip, please contact anyone of us in the Presidency. (Nancy Holich, Tamera Griffis, Allison Mortensen, or Jessica Gobble) Thanks!

The Sweetery and Softball Game

So a while back...

We went to the Sweetery!

And had a softball game!

  They were great and fun activities!  Our next Relief Society activity will be a temple trip on July 14th.  Meet at 8 am at the Burger King by Pacemaker in Belvidere.  We hope to see you there!

June Activities

Can you believe it's summer time already? 
Here are some activities that are coming up for the Relief Society in June! 

June 2: Softball Game and Hot Dog Roast 11 a.m.

Joe Lewis Field at Belvidere Park
June 3rd: Painting Group from 6- 9 p.m.
June 5: Painting Group from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 5: Mother/Daughter Breakfast 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
June 9th: Painting Group from 6-9 p.m.
June 10: Bishop Storehouse Assignment at 6:30 p.m. (More
inoformation on Branch website)
June 19th: Painting Group from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 23rd: Painting Group from 6-9 p.m.
June 30th: Painting Group from 6-9 p.m.
 
And with school out, we will be starting up a Play Group soon and it will be on Tuesdays.  Please keep checking back for more information! Thanks!

Reminders All Around!!!

Here's some activities coming up!

Tomorrow, Wednesday, May 19th at 7 p.m. there will be a Food Storage Group at the Thomas's home on Gardening.

Painting Group is Thursday, May 20 at 6 p.m.

This Saturday, May 22nd, at 10 a.m., the Relief Society and Young Women are meeting at the Boone County History Museum at the corner of State Street and Locust for a 1 1/2 hour tour.  Afterwards, we will be taking a walk to the Sweetery for some ice cream!

Painting Group is May 26 at 6 p.m.

May 30 is Seminary Graduation at 7 p.m. at the Stake Center.

May 31 is Memorial Day

Thursday nights every week, the adults of the Branch are welcome to join in a round of volleyball at the Stake Center.

Every Tuesday, Sister Ward goes to the temple.  Please contact her with any questions if you would like to join them.

Your food storage buy for this week is gelatin and pudding mixes.

And don't forget your Visiting Teaching!  PLEASE REMEMBER YOUR SISTERS!  We all need each other in one or another, physically, emotionally and spiritually.  Please remember that for May, the Visiting Teaching message is a talk of your choice from the April 2010 General Conference which you can find online at lds.org or in your own copy of the May 2010 Ensign. 

Remember and pray upon what Sister Julie B. Beck of the General Relief Society has told us from this past General Relief Society Conference.

"Visiting Teaching


Much of the essential Relief Society work we do doesn’t happen in meetings. Let’s focus now on learning about visiting teaching. Because we follow the example and teachings of Jesus Christ, we value this sacred assignment to love, know, serve, understand, teach, and minister in His behalf. This is one duty we have in the Church where we are certain to have the help of the Lord if we ask for it. This is one responsibility that is certain to increase our faith and personal righteousness and strengthen our own homes and families as we become partners with the Lord. A sister in this Church has no other responsibility outside of her family that has the potential to do as much good as does visiting teaching.

Because this is the Lord’s program of individual watchcare for His daughters, the policies regarding visiting teaching are approved by the First Presidency as outlined in the Church Handbook of Instructions. Because visiting teaching focuses on individual sisters, Relief Society leaders do not organize women into groups for the purpose of visiting teaching.

The bishop, who is the ordained shepherd of the ward, cannot possibly watch over all of the Lord’s sheep at one time. He is dependent on inspired visiting teachers to help him. We know we should each choose to be a friend to everyone in our ward, but the bishop and Relief Society president have the responsibility to receive revelation as to who should be assigned to watch over and strengthen each individual sister. Ideally, every sister should watch over and strengthen at least one other sister in her ward. It is our blessing to pray for another sister and receive inspiration as to how the Lord would have us care for one of His daughters.

Visiting teaching becomes the Lord’s work when our focus is on people rather than percentages. In reality, visiting teaching is never finished. It is more a way of life than a task. Faithfully serving as a visiting teacher is evidence of our discipleship. We demonstrate our faith and follow a pattern established by the Lord as we report on our assignment every month. If our watchcare were primarily about reporting that every sister in the ward heard the Visiting Teaching Message printed each month in the Ensign and Liahona, it would be much more efficient to read it aloud to everyone in a sacrament meeting. Our reports are most helpful to the bishop and the Relief Society president when we inform them of the spiritual and temporal well-being of sisters and how we have been able to serve and love them.

How grateful I am for all of my visiting teachers who, over the years, have demonstrated their faith as they have served, taught, strengthened, and loved me in inspired ways."

Staff of Life Bakery and Farms

We have received an order form and letter about the Staff of Life Bakery and Farms.  I did send out an email to all the sisters in the branch whose emails I have.  If you did not receive a copy of this email, please please please email me at jessicagobble@gmail.com so I can send it to you as soon as possible.  I read the letter and the order forms are due in on May 5th (coming up quickly!). 

I will be out of town from April 28th to May 2nd.  I will do my best to check my email while I am gone, but this is a busy trip for me so if you do not hear from me within the day you send your email request, please contact Sister Nancy Holich--Relief Society President.  Thanks!

Food Storage/Preparedness Group--CANCELLED For Thursday

Sisters--

Sorry to be the bearer of sad news, but due to scheduling conflicts, we have to cancel the food storage/preparedness group this Thursday evening at 7 p.m. 

We are truly sorry for the inconvenience but hope that you will endeavour to keep up with what you have learned so far from this group and even maybe venturing out to learning some of your own things past what you have learned so far from this group.

Please accept our sincerest apologies and I hope that you have a wonderful week!

Painting group is still on for Wednesday night.  So have fun if you plan on going to that.

Thanks!
Jessica Gobble
Relief Society Secretary

A Friendly Reminder...

We have a few things going on this week!

Painting group has switched to Wednesday evening from 6-9 p.m. this week, on April 21.

The Food Storage Group will be held at Brother Stahmann's home at 7 p.m. this Thursday, April 22.

The Stake Relief Society Meeting is this Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  Lunch will be served but sadly there will be no nursery provided.  Just remind your wonderful husbands that they are babysitting so you can come join the many women who will be going and having a wonderful time! 

And don't forget that the end of the month is coming quickly.  Where did April go?  Anyway, remember to do your visiting teaching.  If you don't have the Ensign with the Visiting Teaching message or haven't gotten a bulletin from Relief Society or just lost it, you'll find it on lds.org.  Or just click this link:  Visiting Teaching Message for April

Charity Never Faileth!

Love you sisters!
Jessica Gobble
Relief Society Secretary

FYI--Writing Group--Cancelled for April

For those of you who came last month to writing group and were planning on coming this month on the 14th for writing group.  I am sorry, but I'm going to cancel it.  We are planning some things for Relief Society that may help us bring this group back up into being, but for now, please keep working on what you are doing.  I will more than likely post up some journaling prompts or things for family history to help you keep on doing what you're doing as well.

We love you sisters and wish you well!

So, remember, no writing group this Wednesday, April 14th at Sister Gobble's home.

Thanks!
Jessica Gobble
Relief Society Secretary

ATTENTION SISTERS!

Needed sisters to participate in the choir for the Stake Relief Society Conference, Saturday, April 24 meet for practice time at 9am in the chapel of the Stake center on that day. You will be singing “As Sisters in Zion”.
Sister Linda Smith has also asked for sisters who can practice on their own for an additional musical number. If you would like to participate in this musical number please call Sister Smith
at 815-978-2526.

Also, Thursday, April 22 @ 7pm is our meeting for Food Storage & Preparedness group. Brother Stahmann will be teaching it on disaster preparedness at his home.

This Wednesday night is Writing Group at Sister Gobble's home.  Don't forget to bring a writing utensil and paper!  Also, bring something you've been working on whether it's family history, a story of some genre, poetry, a screenplay, etc.  We'll be trading pieces for a bit, then talking about how telling our own stories can help those who come after us.

Tuesday, May 4th there will be a Self-defense class with the YW, Brother Denning from the Rockford 2nd ward will teaching it.

Here's a copy of the dates that are on the bulletin.

April 14: Writing Group at Sister Gobble’s home at 7 p.m.
April 16: Painting Group from 6-9 p.m.
April 22: Mission Zone Conference Lunch
April 22: Painting Group from 6-9 p.m.
April 22: Food Storage Group at 7 p.m. at Brother
Stahmann’s home
April 24: Stake Relief Society Conference from 10 am
to 2:30 p.m. Lunch will be served
April 28: Painting Group from 6-9 p.m..
May 4: Self Defense Class with the Young Women
 
One last thing:
Our Relief Society is in charge of the Zone Conference meal for the missionaries on April 22nd. The meal will be served between 12 and 12:30 p.m.  If you would like to help, please contact Sister Tamera Griffis on what else we need. Thanks!
 
Our Food Storage Buys:
Last week was toiletries: toothpaste, floss, razor blades,shaving cream, etc.
This week is pasta. Consider your family’s tastes.
At least 5 lbs.
 
Enjoy all this beautiful weather we are getting!
 
Don't forget to go visit teach!  It helps us all in more ways than one!

Stake Relief Society Conference Invitation

Activities Coming Up...

We have a slew of activities coming up in April!  It should all be good.  I'm just going to mention what's going on (gotta a case of the allergy/cold/sore throat thing going on--and I don't have all the papers in front of me like I should), but I will put their details up later.

We have our playgroup back up.  Last week they went to Sapora Playworld.  I believe this week they are planning on taking the kids to the temple grounds and to teach them about the temple.

Conference and Easter land on the same weekend this year!  I love it when this happens.  It's always felt more special to me (both are always special) because of family traditions we had when this would happen.  Conference is a week from tomorrow.  April 3rd and 4th while Easter is on the 4th.

We have Stake Relief Society Conference coming up on the 24th.  It will be fabulous.  I will post more info later--like I said, it's not all in front of me and my head's not all there.

We are also in charge of the Zone Conference lunch this month.  It should be a lot of fun.

Then there is our writing group, food storage group, painting group and birthday dinner group.  Again, more info later. 

I'm sorry for the disorganization.  I know as the secretary I should be better, but as my head is full of yucky's, I am not as organized.  I thought I'd just post to let you all know just some of the actitivities going on this month.  And as always, please go visiting teaching.  There are sisters who need us and we need them.  It's a fantastic blessing and calling to be a visiting teacher.

So sorry for the mess, pick up the bulletin on Sunday.  If you haven't been getting them in Primary, Nursery, Relief Society or Young Women's, please check the Branch bulletin board on Sundays after church.  I try to put whatever is left of the bulletins on the board.  And also check the calendar on lds.org.

Yours truly,
Jessica Gobble
Relief Society Secretary

Family History Friday!

It's another Friday.  That means it's another day for Family History focus! :D

If you haven't already, try this out.  Find a family member or two (maybe one for you and a friend or you and your spouse) that you can both go do temple work for.  Plan a day that you and this "other" person can do it.  Make it a whole day thing.  Do all the temple work together.  If you and your spouse are doing a couple the whole way through--end it with the sealing.  This may be one of those days that you remember forever because of how everything made you feel.

"In [an] epistle, written one hundred and fifty years ago, Joseph Smith stated: 'The Saints have the privilege of being baptized for . . . their relatives who are dead . . . who have received the gospel in the spirit . . . through . . . those who have been commissioned to preach to them. . . . Those saints who neglect it in behalf of their deceased relatives, do it at the peril of their own salvation.' (History of the Church, 4:231; italics added.)

"The prophet Elijah committed the keys for vicarious work to Joseph Smith in the Kirtland Temple (see D&C 110:13–16) to fulfill the Lord's promise that 'he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers' (D&C 2:2).

"Through further revelation to Joseph Smith and subsequent prophets, there has come an understanding of and provision for temple work and the family history effort that supports it. Every prophet since Joseph Smith has emphasized the imperative need to provide all ordinances for ourselves and our deceased ancestors." ~Richard G. Scott, "Redemption: The Harvest of Love", Ensign, 1990

Journal Prompt Thursdays

Today's journal prompt:

If you have children, do this with them.  Help your children to start a journal.  Even if they don't know how to write yet, have them draw pictures of what they did that day in their journal.  Also, for you, write down about why you think journals are so important and the feelings you have while teaching your children about journaling.

If you don't have children, still write down why you think journals are so important and what you would teach to your children in the future about journaling.  No matter if you have children or not, journal writing will always be an important thing down the line of your family.

Have a beautiful day. 

Check out this article from the 1975 New Era by Jeannine Tibbits on journal writing. Dear Journal

Tracking Tuesday--Writing Exercise

Today Sisters, I really felt the need to urge you to either start, continue with or help others start their family history.  It's been a thing on my mind lately since I learned some pretty cool stuff down one line in my family.  But right now, I urge you sisters to do the same.  For today, Tuesday, and for tomorrow (we won't have a word challenge this week)--work on your family history.  Someone is waiting for you to discover them and possibly what could have happened to them.  I urge you to use the family history center at the Stake Center for any roadblocks you may meet doing some on your own.

Continue to search for your family and in turn you never know what you can learn about the person you, yourself are.

I found this quote from President Henry B. Eyring in an article from the Liahona in May 2005.  I hope it can help you find the motivation and "urge" that I've been feeling as well.

"Because your heart has already been turned, the price may not seem high. You begin by doing simple things. Write down what you already know about your family. You will need to write down the names of parents and their parents with the dates of birth or death or marriage. When you can, you will want to record the places. Some of that you will know from memory. But you can also ask relatives. They may even have some certificates of births, marriages, or deaths. Make copies and organize them. If you learn stories about their lives, write them down and keep them. You are not just gathering names. Those you never met in life will become friends you love. Your heart will be bound to theirs forever.

You can start searching in the first few generations going back in time. From that you will identify many of your ancestors who need your help. Someone in your own ward or branch of the Church has been called to help you prepare those names for the temple. There they can be offered the covenants which will free them from their spirit prisons and bind them in families—your family—forever.

Your opportunities and the obligations they create are remarkable in the whole history of the world. There are more temples across the earth than there have ever been. More people in all the world have felt the Spirit of Elijah move them to record the identities and facts of their ancestors’ lives. There are more resources to search out your ancestors than there have ever been in the history of the world. The Lord has poured out knowledge about how to make that information available worldwide through technology that a few years ago would have seemed a miracle.

With those opportunities there comes greater obligation to keep our trust with the Lord. Where much is given, much is required. 5 After you find the first few generations, the road will become more difficult. The price will become greater. As you go back in time, the records become less complete. As others of your family search out ancestors, you will discover that the ancestor you find has already been offered the full blessings of the temple. Then you will have a difficult and important choice to make. You will be tempted to stop and leave the hard work of finding to others who are more expert or to another time in your life. But you will also feel a tug on your heart to go on in the work, hard as it will be.

As you decide, remember that the names which will be so difficult to find are of real people to whom you owe your existence in this world and whom you will meet again in the spirit world. When you were baptized, your ancestors looked down on you with hope. Perhaps after centuries, they rejoiced to see one of their descendants make a covenant to find them and to offer them freedom. In your reunion, you will see in their eyes either gratitude or terrible disappointment. Their hearts are bound to you. Their hope is in your hands. You will have more than your own strength as you choose to labor on to find them.

A few nights ago I had a dream. I saw a piece of white paper with a name on it I did not know and a date I could only partially read. I got up and went to the records of my family. The last name on the slip of paper is from a line which came into my mother’s ancestry 300 years ago in a place called Eaton Bray. Someone is anxious for a long wait to end. I have not yet found that person. But I have found again the assurance that a loving God sends help in answer to prayer in this sacred work of redeeming our families, which is His work and His glory and to which we have pledged our hearts. I so testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

Week-Warm Up Writing Exercise for Monday

Today for an exercise, write a story in 55 words or less.  It's been done.  I've done it, and I think it can spark something in your mind that you never thought would come from it.  It's an amazing feeling to even get this done in under 55 words.  (It's about 3 sentences or less.)

Here's an example of one I've done:

"It's time to go," the boss said. I had no clue where I would be going. Suddenly, I was pushed off the cloud and down toward the ground at a tremondous speed. Others were falling with me. As I inched closer and closer to the ground, all I could hear were groans. Once I got closer to the black asphalt, I heard one say, "Oh no. It can't be snowing again!"


Have fun with this!

Just a quote for today:

"Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it."  ~C.S. Lewis

Saturday's Warrior Writing Exercise

For our Warrior activity for Saturday and Sunday this week--Do 3 very in depth character sheets.  If you're doing family history, do character sheets for 3 family members.  Fiction, do 3 characters from your story.  It doesn't matter how short your story is or how long your poem is, there is a character in everything! 

Here's a link for a good character sheet (sorry if there are any offensive questions--just use the ones you want to use and create your own from it.  You don't have to use this specific one.)  Character Sheet  This is the one we used for the March Writing Group in my home.  It was fun!

Instead of a quote or a link to a talk today--Check out this blog/website I came across.  You can find help and hints and even some new books you may want to at to your reading list here.  It's a wonderful tool for LDS writers.  LDS Publisher Blog/Website

Have a wonderful weekend!

Family History Friday-Writing Exercise

For today's family history Friday, take that ancestor you wrote your description on and call up a family member who knows more about that ancestor and interview them.  Compare what they've told you about that family member with what you described last week.  Is anything different?  Anything the same?  Have fun learning about family!

"Your good name connects you with your past family history. Your righteous living, your example, your teachings, and your worthwhile service will bless numerous people with your vision. It is almost impossible to comprehend the number. May the Lord bless you with a greater understanding of his great plan of happiness and your special role in it. I add my witness that families are important. Your name is special. It is recorded in the histories of our Father in Heaven, and how you value that, how you treat it, will literally affect generations to come." --Elder L. Tom Perry from the New Era, February 2009 The Value of a Good Name

Journal Prompt Thursdays

Today's writing exercise will follow the same line as last Thursday.  Journal writing.

Today's journal prompt:

What are your favorite things to do?  Hobbies?  Sports?  How do you feel when you do them?  What are some things that you would like to learn to do in the future?  Why do you want to learn these things?

Check out this article from the 1981 New Era.  It's called A Journal Called Lucy.

Wednesday Word Challenge--Writing Exercise

Use this set of words given in a scene about springtime.  Good luck!

And don't forget that the Food Storage Group for tonight has been cancelled. 

Here are the words for today:

bog
bard
drumlin
galore
slogan

Good luck and have a wonderful day!


"Go to, then, you who are gifted; cultivate your gift. Develop it in any of the arts and in every worthy example of them. If you have the ability and the desire, seek a career or employ your talent as an avocation or cultivate it as a hobby. But in all ways bless other with it. Set a standard of excellence. Employ it in the secular sense to every worthy advantage, but never use it profanely. Never express your gift unworthily. Increase our spiritual heritage in music, in art, in literature, in dance, in drama." -Elder Boyd K. Packer Ensign, August 1972