How to Share the Gospel Effectively

Thank you Jessica Christensen for the wonderful lesson you taught today.  The Spirit was so strong. If you missed this lesson, please visit here to read it. It's a good lesson for all of us.

Here is a brief summary of the lesson:

"I would not seek to force people to live up to my ideas but rather love them into doing the thing that is right." George Albert Smith

Jessica talked about how we need to bless every soul we come in contact with and not judge them, love them and invite them to feel the spirit through your actions and thoughts. 

Here are the key points of the lesson:

1) Daily, seek to attain charity for all men

2) Gain/solidify personal testimony

3) live with true happiness

4) Acknowledge already existing strengths and virtues in others

5) Using existing strengths and virtues as a foundation, present the more complete truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ with boldness and kindness

Come celebrate Pioneer Day with us!

Meet the RS 2nd Councelor

Sarah Allred

Thanks so much for sharing with us Sarah. We are excited to get to know you!

1. Tell us about you and your family. (for example...where are you from? What is your career? Where did you go to school/major? Are you married? What does your husband do? Do you have any children? What are their ages? etc.)

Husband: Greg - 2nd year DO student @ Midwestern, Graduate of Utah State University in

Communications

Me: Sarah - Graduate of BYU in Music Education with an emphasis in Band. I am currently a

Family & Couples Photographer + a MOM! :)

We have 1 daughter: Macy - she is 3, and her favorite thing to do is Ride the CITY BUS!

2. If you had an hour free time, what might we find you doing?

Munching Nutella + graham crackers while playing a board game with my Greg.

3. Share an experience that has strengthened your testimony or why the gospel is important to you?

As a 15 year-old girl I attended EFY at Rick College (wow..that dates me!). During that week I was incredibly jealous of a girl in my group. She was STUNNING, fun, a cheerleader, outgoing, and kind. She was everything I wanted to be. I admired her from a distance the entire week. Near the end of my EFY experience we were sharing our testimonies with each other about how we knew God loved us, and knew us as individuals. This girl whom I admired, bore her testimony that she knew God was aware of her. She had been getting ready for their biggest cheerleading competition of the year, and could not find her sock! Her precious socks! They had to match the rest of the girls socks for the competition and she was panicked. At this point, she knelt to pray. (In my mind I was thinking......Really? Praying about socks??) Needless to say, He did hear her. He did answer her prayers. She closed her prayers and within moments, found the socks that were so important to her. This is one of the earliest memories I have of my testimony bursting inside of me. It seems such a small story, now - looking back - but I know that sweet girls testimony was a starting point of my very own. :)

4. What are your following favorites:

· Dessert: Lemon Bars OR BYU Brownies.

· Hobbies: I love Broadway tunes, organizing, amazon.com

· Scripture: D & C 15: 6-And now, behold, I say unto you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father. Amen

· Hymn: Abide with Me 'Tis Eventide

Happy Happy Birthday to.....

We hope you all have a fabulous birthday this month!

It is nice to be remembered on your birthday, so if you get a chance, call these sisters on their special day and let them know how much they are loved and appreciated.

July newsletter is here!

Meet the RS 1st Councelor

Jill Bodily

Thanks so much for sharing with us Jill. We are excited to get to know you!

1.  Tell us about you and your family. (for example...where are you from? What is your career?  Where did you go to school/major? Are you married? What does your husband do? Do you have any children? What are their ages? etc.)

I was born in Thousand Oaks, California.  We lived there for 5 years. Then we moved to St. George, Utah, where I grew up.

I moved to Arizona two years ago with my family so that my husband, Kevin, could attend Midwestern University. He is in the Dental program.  We moved here from Frederick, Colorado.  We lived in Colorado for 11 years while Kevin was working as a computer programmer at IBM.  Colorado was so good to us. We are now enjoying this exciting and challenging adventure that has us here in Arizona.  We have four children: Cole-about to be 11, Ethan-age 7, Isabel(Izzy)-age 5, and Ashton-age 3.

I met Kevin while we where attending Utah State University.  We were both juniors, I was in the pre-Veterinary program, but my last year I decided that was not the path for me and changed to Dental Hygiene.  We were married for one year while attending USU.  When Kevin graduated, he was offered a job at IBM and we moved to Colorado.  I never finished my degree, but have a very fulfilling career as a mother and wife.  I wouldn't have it any other way.  I have thought if I were to go back to school, I would love to learn about Landscape design.  I love being outside and and growing beautiful plants.

2.  If you had an hour free time, what might we find you doing?

If I ever have an hour of free time during the day, I wouldn't know what I'd do. I can't sit still! If I have free time at night, I love to relax with a good movie.

3. Share an experience that has strengthened your testimony or why the gospel is important to you?

Moving to Arizona was a really challenging experience for me.  I had to leave my friends and a place I loved a lot to come to a place that for me meant uncertanty.  Going from a very comfortable income to no income, with my kids uprooted--just so many trials all at once.  I knew that this move would bring hard times, I just didn't know how hard it would hit me.  However, through all that I went through over the last two years, I learned that My Heavenly Father is very much aware of me.  I have felt his loving arms around me through my struggles. I know without a doubt that He answers prayers and will be there for us if we ask Him. 

4.  What are your following favorites:

• Dessert: I don't have just one...I just love dessert!
• Hobbies: Gardening, yard work and slalom skiing, I just wish I had a boat so I could go all the time!
• Scripture: Ether 12: 27 
• Hymn: If I had to pick just one: The Spirit of God

Nutrition Lecture

Here is a recap, by Stephanie Bennion, from the Nutrition Lecture that was given last Wednesday:

Last Wednesday Sister Dana Cox gave an informative, informal lecture on family feeding structure. This kind of information is so applicable to pretty much everyone! We all eat and unfortunately this necessity of life that is meant to be a pleasure becomes a confusing and frustrating daily event for many people. Some stand-out thoughts I will remember include:

• Trust your child. Children are born with an intuitive ability to eat when they're hungry and self-regulate themselves (no mind battles over food for them). Unfortunately that self-regulation can disappear between ages 3-5 largely through interference of adults.
• It's easy to overestimate what a child can realistically eat. The general rule is 1 T per age of the child. That's not very much!
• The Ellyn Satter approach was the framework for our discussion. Her "Division of Responsibility" for feeding toddlers through adolescents is: The parent is responsible for what food is presented, when, where the child eats and the child is responsible for how much and whether they eat.
• It's important to emphasize to children how food makes you feel. Think about the refreshing/cleansing effect of fresh fruits and vegetables versus the filmy, greasy feel of more processed foods.
• I like Dana's family rule for Halloween candy: Eat what you want but no tummy aches! This allows children to learn to recognize how they feel in response to eating. Also, before leaving the table instead of saying "are you full?" ask "are you hungry?" or "are you satisfied?" ("full" can imply making yourself "filled up" and going over your level of satisfaction).
• We are a child's biggest exemplar. It is important that we show children how to eat and like good food. Our attitudes, even subliminally, can be picked up by children.

A follow up discussion/lecture is a possibility for the upcoming fall. Stay tuned for that and in the meantime don't hesitate to discuss this topic with Sis. Cox - she is passionate about it and loves sharing ideas with others. Thanks Dana and thank you those who attended!

Thanks for sharing Stephanie!

Below you will find Dana's notes from the meeting:

Ellyn Satter's Division of Responsibility in Feeding

Parents provide structure, support and opportunities. Children choose how much and whether to eat from what the parents provide.

The Division of Responsibility for Infants:

· The parent is responsible for what

· The child is responsible for how much (and everything else)

The parent helps the infant to be calm and organized and feeds smoothly, paying attention to information coming from the baby about timing, tempo, frequency and amounts

The Division of Responsibility For Toddlers through Adolescents:

· The parent is responsible for what, when, where

· The child is responsible for how much and whether

Parents' Feeding Jobs:

· Choose and prepare the food

· Provide regular meals and snacks

· Make eating times pleasant

· Show children what they have to learn about food and mealtime behavior

· Not let children graze for food or beverages between meal and snack times

· Let children grow up to get bodies that are right for them

Fundamental to parents' jobs is trusting children to decide how much and whether to eat. If parents do their jobs with feeding, children will do their jobs with eating:

· Children will eat

· They will eat the amount they need

· They will learn to eat the food their parents eat

· They will grow predictably

· They will learn to behave well at the table

Copyright 2012 by Ellyn Satter. Published at www.EllynSatter.com