yourLDSneighborhood

New Blog

2011-09-14T09:19:00.000-06:00

Dear friends who've been following us faithfully. We have good news.

We've moved to a new location: http://www.yourldsblog.com/

Please come and see what new things we've planned. Some of them are still on the way, but we're moving ahead.

We hope you like the new look.

Patricia - editor

Balance Through Service

2011-09-12T05:00:00.002-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

www.thinkstockphotos.com/

President Thomas S. Monson repeats what the Savior said—that in order to find purpose in life, lose yourself in the service of others.

President Monson further teaches this doctrine by telling how individuals in one group found purpose in their lives by serving their neighbors.

In a letter President Monson received, Sister Mori Farmer explained that her family had experienced difficult financial times. One week, the Farmers attended a family reunion, and when they returned they found a letter taped to the garage door. The note read:

“We hope you had a great family reunion. While you were gone, we and about 50 of our friends had a great party at your house. We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the years of unselfish service you both have given to us. You have been Christlike examples of untiring service to others. We can never repay you for that—but just thought we’d like to say thanks. Signed, your home teachers.”

The Farmer family was shocked as they entered their house.

“Our home teachers had decided that they would fix our carpet while we were away. They had moved the furniture out into the front yard so the carpet could get stretched and finished. One man in the ward stopped and asked what was going on. He returned later with several hundred dollars’ worth of paint and said, ‘We might as well paint the house while everything is out.’ Others saw the cars out front and stopped to see what was going on, and by week’s end 50 people were busy repairing, painting, cleaning, and sewing.

“Our friends and fellow ward members had fixed our poorly laid carpet, painted the entire house, repaired holes in the drywall, oiled and varnished our kitchen cabinets, put curtains on three windows in the kitchen and family room, did all the laundry, cleaned every room in the house, had the carpets cleaned, fixed broken door latches, and on and on. … All of this had been accomplished between Wednesday and our return on Sunday.”

Those who served the Farmer family said they felt spiritually uplifted and humbled as they demonstrated the pure love of Christ by serving those who had unselfishly served others for years.

Taken from Serve God by Serving Others.

To see the Neighborhood News for Monday, 12 September, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Healthy Habits

2011-09-09T05:00:00.011-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation

D&C 89:4

www.thinkstockphotos.com/

The Law of Health applies to all of us. It was given to us for our benefit and enjoyment.

The following excerpt was taken from a May 1996 Ensign talk, given by President Boyd K. Packer, entitled The Word of Wisdom: The Principle and the Promises. He comments:

"The story is told of a king who was choosing between two drivers for his coach. He ordered each of them to drive his coach down a steep, winding road cut into a high cliff.

"The first driver came down slowly, hugging the wall of the cliff. The second driver demonstrated great talent and ability. He raced down the mountain, with the coach so close at times that half the wheel was off the edge of the cliff.

"The king was very thoughtful, then wisely chose the first man to drive his coach. It is best to stay on the safe side of things.

"The Word of Wisdom is 'adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints' (D&C 89:3). It is buttressed by other scriptures. They teach that the good things of the earth 'are made for the benefit and the use of man, … Yea,' the Lord said, 'for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul, … to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion' (D&C 59:18–20)."

Don't forget to checkout our Free Download Friday from our Positive Music and Downloads.

To see the Neighborhood News for Friday, 9 September, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Ready for What's Next?

2011-09-07T05:00:00.021-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

When we make plans to take a trip, there's a lot of discussions on the subject, what way we're going to go, if we're going to fly or drive, and what we're going to pack.

Planning is part of life. We plan to go to school, or go on a mission, or go to the temple, we plan on doing our spring cleaning, or end of summer activities.

Did you ever plan on becoming inactive? Is that something we plan, or does it just happen? How about coming back to the church, is that planned?

Let's share the following excerpt from a March 2011 New Era article by Gary Leikness, A Small and Simple Rafting Trip.

In it, the author tells us how he'd been baptized at the age of eight, but through the years he and his family stopped going to meetings. Until one day after he'd spent some time with friends away from home, he comes back to find out his dad had accepted an invitation from the bishop and had signed him up for a youth rafting trip. He met boys that he knew, but he wasn't involved with the 'church people.'

The thing is, he had fun at that trip, and noticed the difference between his worldy friends and his newfound friends. He was invited to come to church, and he said that maybe he'd come. The next Sunday he got up and got dressed, and surprised his family by going to church. He did that for a few weeks, until his family decided to join him.

He says:

"One small invitation led a family back to church. I earned my Eagle Scout Award and went on a mission. Patti and I each got married in the temple to returned missionaries. We’re now raising our own families in the gospel.

"If you invite a less-active person to an activity, it may or may not impact their lives. But if you don’t invite them, it definitely won’t."

So, tell us, what kind of trip are you prepared to take?

To see the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 7 September, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Humbling Experiences

2011-09-05T05:00:00.022-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

The tumult and the shouting dies;

The captains and the kings depart.

Still stands thine ancient sacrifice,

An humble and a contrite heart.

Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,

Lest we forget, lest we forget.

Rudyard Kipling

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

It is a great learning moment when we have humbling experiences that help us understand more fully different aspects of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We can learn to humble ourselves and receive instruction from God, or we can choose to bring it upon our heads. Alma, in the Book of Mormon, said:

“Blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble” (Alma 32:16).

There are many things that will push us in the other direction (pride), so we need to stand strong and choose what's right for us and our families.

Contention, dissolution of marriage, jealousy, impatience, aspiring for riches, and many other fallacies will keep us from having that peace that passes all understanding. That peace will help us conquer our imperfections and humble ourselves before God.

President Ezra Taft Benson said the following in his talk Beware of Pride, April 1989:

"Let us choose to be humble. We can do it. I know we can."

To bring Zion here now, we need to humble ourselves. We need to reach out to others, bring each other up and help everyone.

Is there anything else that our hearts can desire?

To see the Neighborhood News for Monday, 5 September, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Overcoming the Natural Man

2011-09-02T05:00:00.015-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

The key ingredient in our holding on to the natural man or woman in us is selfishness.

Read the following comment made by Elder Neal A. Maxwell in his October 1990 conference talk, Put Off the Natural Man and Come Off Conqueror:

"Stubborn selfishness leads otherwise good people to fight over herds, patches of sand, and strippings of milk. All this results from what the Lord calls coveting “the drop,” while neglecting the “more weighty matters.” (D&C 117:8.) Myopic selfishness magnifies a mess of pottage and makes thirty pieces of silver look like a treasure trove. In our intense acquisitiveness, we forget Him who once said, “What is property unto me?” (D&C 117:4.)

"Such is the scope of putting off the burdensome natural man who is naturally selfish. (See Mosiah 3:19.) So much of our fatigue, brothers and sisters, in fact, comes from carrying that needless load. This heaviness of the natural man prevents us from doing our Christian calisthenics; so we end up too swollen with selfishness to pass through the narrow needle’s eye.

"Unchecked selfishness thus stubbornly blocks the way for developing all of the divine qualities: love, mercy, patience, long-suffering, kindness, graciousness, goodness, and gentleness.

"Restoration scriptures tell us much more about how we can really be forgiven through the atonement of Christ by means of which, finally, “mercy … overpowereth justice.” (Alma 34:15.) We can have real and justified hope for the future—enough hope to develop the faith necessary to both put off the natural man and to strive to become more saintly.

Any thoughts? Just send your comments our way.

Don't forget to checkout our Free Download Friday from our Positive Music and Downloads.

To see the Neighborhood News for Friday, 2 September, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Love is All We Need

2011-08-31T05:00:00.003-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Love is the measure of our faith, the inspiration for our obedience, and the true altitude of our discipleship.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

Love is a powerful emotion. Whether we're attempting to soothe an emotional child, take care of our bodies or corresponding with a birth mother who has made the ultimate sacrifice, we're showing love. Love comes in all forms and ways, but the most important show of love comes from our Heavenly Father.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said in his October 2009 conference talk, The Love of God:

"Because love is the great commandment, it ought to be at the center of all and everything we do in our own family, in our Church callings, and in our livelihood. Love is the healing balm that repairs rifts in personal and family relationships. It is the bond that unites families, communities, and nations. Love is the power that initiates friendship, tolerance, civility, and respect. It is the source that overcomes divisiveness and hate. Love is the fire that warms our lives with unparalleled joy and divine hope. Love should be our walk and our talk.

"When we truly understand what it means to love as Jesus Christ loves us, the confusion clears and our priorities align. Our walk as disciples of Christ becomes more joyful. Our lives take on new meaning. Our relationship with our Heavenly Father becomes more profound. Obedience becomes a joy rather than a burden."

It's beautifully expressed, right? Do you have a way of showing love to yourself, others and Father in Heaven?

To see the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 31 August, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

There's Sunshine in My Soul

2011-08-29T05:00:00.004-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Enjoy more fully the sunlight.

President Gordon B. Hinckley

Coming from a Prophet, the following excerpt will help us be more positive about the things that are important. President Hinckley has said in his Words of a Prophet: The Spirit of Optimism:

"There never was a greater time in the history of the world to live upon the earth than this. How grateful every one of us ought to feel for being alive in this wonderful time with all the marvelous blessings we have. … And on top of all that is the Restoration of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ with all of the keys and authority, with all the gifts and blessings, with all the organization and doctrine of all previous dispensations all brought into one. And you and I are partakers of that marvelous restoration (from Church News, Aug. 14, 1999, 7)."

So tell us are you a half-empty or half-full glass kind of person?

To see the Neighborhood News for Monday, 29 August, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Exemplary Behavior

2011-08-26T05:00:00.010-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

How many times have we let others rule our emotions? Do we allow it to happen often?

In an October 2006 Conference talk, And Nothing Shall Offend Them, Elder David A. Bednar commented:

"When we believe or say we have been offended, we usually mean we feel insulted, mistreated, snubbed, or disrespected. And certainly clumsy, embarrassing, unprincipled, and mean-spirited things do occur in our interactions with other people that would allow us to take offense. However, it ultimately is impossible for another person to offend you or to offend me. Indeed, believing that another person offended us is fundamentally false. To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else.

"In the grand division of all of God’s creations, there are things to act and things to be acted upon (see 2 Nephi 2:13–14). As sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, we have been blessed with the gift of moral agency, the capacity for independent action and choice. Endowed with agency, you and I are agents, and we primarily are to act and not just be acted upon. To believe that someone or something can make us feel offended, angry, hurt, or bitter diminishes our moral agency and transforms us into objects to be acted upon. As agents, however, you and I have the power to act and to choose how we will respond to an offensive or hurtful situation."

It took me a long time and all the strength that I had to figure this out for myself. The desire to talk back or give an insult for an insult is too strong. To let go of the 'natural man' in us takes courage, determination and a strong desire to become a better person for yourself, your loved ones and especially the Lord.

Don't forget to checkout our Free Download Friday from our Positive Music and Downloads.

To see the Neighborhood News for Friday, 26 August, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Trusting

2011-08-24T05:00:00.005-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation.

~ D. Elton Trueblood

We have been told by our leaders to trust in the Lord. How do we do that? We have learned to trust people close to us, people we know. To trust in the Lord takes a great leap of faith. Are we ready to make that giant step?

We'd like to share a story told by President Marion G. Romney in his talk Trust in the Lord, Ensign, Nov. 1977:

"President Heber J. Grant tells of a different type of reward that comes from trusting in the Lord. When he was a young man, he heard his bishop in a fast meeting, which was then held on Thursdays (in the early days, we held our fast meetings on Thursdays), make a strong appeal for donations. At that time President Grant had $50 in his pocket which he intended to deposit in the bank. But he was so impressed by his bishop’s appeal that he tendered the whole $50 to the bishop. The bishop took $5 and handed him back $45, stating that $5 was his full share. Then President Grant replied, 'Bishop Wooley, by what right do you rob me of putting the Lord in my debt? Didn’t you preach here today that the Lord rewards fourfold? My mother is a widow and she needs two hundred dollars.'

"'My boy,' queried the bishop, 'do you believe that if I take this other forty-five dollars you will get your two hundred dollars quicker?'

“Certainly, replied President Grant.

"Now here was an expression of trust in the Lord which the bishop could not withstand. He took the remaining $45.

"President Grant testified that on his way back to work, 'an idea popped' into his head, acting upon which he made $218.50. Speaking on this incident years later, he said, “Someone will say that it would have happened anyway.

“I do not think it would have happened. I do not think I would have got the idea.

“I am a firm believer that the Lord opens up the windows of heaven when we do our duty financially and pours out blessings upon us of a spiritual nature, which are of far greater value than temporal things. But I believe He also gives us blessings of a temporal nature.” (Improvement Era 42:457.)"

Absolute faith will open up the windows of Heaven. Can we take the leap?

To see the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 24 August, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Special Moments

2011-08-22T05:00:00.006-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

We can relate to the stories we're portraying in the newsletter today simply because I'm pretty sure we've all been able to share the gospel with somebody, or hope that our children would remember the teachings we've imparted to them, or at some time or another had a misunderstanding with a friend.

I'd like to share my own special moment today. Even though my temple wedding was the most special day of my life, and the birth of my son was the second one on my list, the third spot is taken by the time we went to the temple to have our baby girl sealed to our family.

Our daughter had to come to our family a different way, so when she was six months old and the adoption was final, we went to the Salt Lake temple where my husband and I had been sealed years earlier. Our son was eight, and our bishop gave him a temple recommend, so he could be there with us, even though he didn't need to, since he'd been born in the covenant.

It was so wonderful and beautiful to have our family complete at last. We were waiting for our children in the sealing room accompanied by family and friends. Then the temple workers brought our children to us, dressed in white. Our baby girl was peacefully asleep.

If you're like us and had to wait a long time to get your children, then being at the temple dressed in white with your children's hands over yours is the most heavenly feeling you can possibly have.

If you have a special moment and would like to share it with us, please do.

To see the Neighborhood News for Monday, 22 August, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Artful Friday

2011-08-19T05:00:00.002-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

To see the Summer Sky
Is Poetry, though never in a Book it lie -
True Poems flee.~Emily Dickinson

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

Ahhh. The beautiful days of summer are getting shorter. School starts in a few days and days of going to the pool are in the past, until next year.

It's a beautiful Friday, and for all of us who've enjoyed being outdoors (not that it's ending anytime soon), harvest will start soon. But before it's gone, let's hear it for summer in this beautiful short poem by Callie Taggart:

Taste Summer

Taste the summer sea;
its cool luscious juice will
linger on your tongue.
 

Taste the summer air,
and smear the raw sun
on top of your tanned skin.
 

Taste a summer rain;
whisper in its singing mists as the
honey spray moistens your face.
 

Taste the summer sky;
let the pastel blue cream
drip freely down your chin.
 

Taste a summer day.

It will be sweet and delicious

until, finally, it is gone.

How's your summer going? Are you ready to enter the next season in life? Whether I like it or not, I think I am. Have a great weekend.

Don't forget to checkout our Free Download Friday from our Positive Music and Downloads.

To see the Neighborhood News for Friday, 19 August, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Is This Joy?

2011-08-17T05:00:00.014-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Joy is more than happiness. Joy is the ultimate sensation of well-being. It comes from being complete and in harmony with our Creator and his eternal laws.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

We all know the scripture that says: "Men are, that they might have joy." (2 Nephi 2:25)

Did you notice that the word 'might' is used? Not 'may', not 'should', but 'might.' We use may when something is likely to happen. Might is used when the outcome of an event is uncertain or unlikely. So, is that how the scripture was meant? Can we find joy in this life for certain? Is joy attainable?

In his Ensign Nov 1991 article Joy and Mercy, elder Dallin H. Oaks has said:

"When I think of happiness or joy in this life, I begin with some experiences that are simple and basic. I see the expression on the face of a one-year-old taking those first steps. I remember a two-year-old immersed in a soft ice cream cone. I think of a child loving a puppy or a kitten.

"Another source of happiness and mortal joy is the accomplishment of worthy goals, simple things like physical exercise or more complex goals like the completion of an arduous task.

"Other goals have eternal significance. Their completion produces joy in this life and the promise of eternal joy in the world to come. A few weeks ago Elder Rex D. Pinegar and I saw an example of this as we visited the beautifully renovated temple in Cardston, Alberta. In the brides’ room stood a lovely young woman in her wedding dress. She was there because she had made righteous choices. The look in her eyes and the expression on her face were a perfect embodiment of joy.

"But despite all we can do, we cannot have a fullness of joy in this world or through our own efforts. (See D&C 101:36.) Only in Christ can our joy be full."

Whether it's parents getting remarried, achieving a worthy goal, having a son going on a mission, welcoming a most desired baby into the family, I believe that we can find joy in this life.

To see the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 17 August, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Smart Choices

2011-08-15T05:00:00.024-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Tomorrow’s blessings and opportunities depend on the choices we make today.

President James E. Faust

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

The great thing about this life is that we're here to make our own choices. For good or bad, they're ours to make, unless we allow others to make them for us.

Elder Faust said in his talk Choices, in the April 2004 Ensign:

"In this life we have to make many choices. Some are very important choices. Some are not. Many of our choices are between good and evil. The choices we make, however, determine to a large extent our happiness or our unhappiness, because we have to live with the consequences of our choices. Making perfect choices all of the time is not possible. It just doesn’t happen. But it is possible to make good choices we can live with and grow from. When God’s children live worthy of divine guidance they can become “free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon.”

Please tell us what are your thoughts in this matter.

To see the Neighborhood News for Monday, 15 August, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

For Your Own Good

2011-08-12T05:00:00.003-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

We'd like to share this note from the Mormon Messages page:

The Book of Mormon: What the Broadway Musical Misses

You may have heard about the Broadway musical, The Book of Mormon. You probably already know that reviewers have said that it isn't exactly a family friendly play. Here is the Church's response to the play:

The production may attempt to entertain audiences for an evening, but The Book of Mormon as a volume of scripture will change people's lives forever by bringing them closer to Christ.

—Official Church Statement on the Book of Mormon Musical

Experience tells us that years after The Book of Mormon play has faded from the spotlight on Broadway stages and elsewhere, the volume of scripture will continue to quietly strengthen families and promote Christian values.

Share The Book of Mormon

The recent interest in The Book of Mormon gives us a great opportunity to share our beliefs. Mormon.org has a page about the Book of Mormon that describes very clearly what the purpose of the book is. Here are some ways you can share the page, including a video that introduces The Book of Mormon and an opportunity for visitors to request a copy.

• If you have access to a blog or web page, you can describe how The Book of Mormon has influenced your life and include a link to http://mormon.org/book-of-mormon so that people who read your web page can learn more about The Book of Mormon.

• You can embed the video directly into your website or blog as well. Once you've played the video you will see the link to copy the code to your clipboard. Simply paste that code in the appropriate spot on your website or blog.

• You can also visit the Mormon.org Book of Mormon page and "Share" it using your Facebook account. Doing so will allow your Facebook friends to recognize your interest in The Book of Mormon.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ will continue to go forth into the world, and the Internet is becoming a powerful tool for spreading the word. You can help others learn more about The Book of Mormon by sharing your testimony and truthful information through your blog or website, or by sending them an e-mail message containing links to official Church sources.

Send feedback to: mormonmessages@ldschurch.org

Our mailing address is:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
50 East North Temple St.
Salt Lake City, UT84150

Don't forget to checkout our Free Download Friday from our Positive Music and Downloads.

To see the Neighborhood News for Friday, 12 August, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Listen to the Spirit

2011-08-10T05:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.

Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation

D&C 8:2–3

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

As members of the Church, we've been given the blessing of the Holy Ghost. And we want to receive our own personal instruction. But how do we do that?

In his talk Teaching and Learning by the Spirit, Ensign, March 1997, Elder Dallin H. Oaks is giving us a few pointers on how to recognize promptings:

"The teachings of the Spirit often come as feelings. That fact is of the utmost importance, yet some misunderstand what it means. I have met persons who told me they have never had a witness from the Holy Ghost because they have never felt their bosom 'burn within' them.

"What does a 'burning in the bosom' mean? Does it need to be a feeling of caloric heat, like the burning produced by combustion? If that is the meaning, I have never had a burning in the bosom. Surely, the word 'burning' in this scripture signifies a feeling of comfort and serenity. That is the witness many receive. That is the way revelation works.

"Truly, the still, small voice is just that, 'still' and 'small.'

Elder Oaks also goes on to quote:

“The language of peace, as spoken by the Lord, embraces a sense of quiet confidence, comfort, and warmth. It is gentle and calm, amiable and sweet; it is temperate and kind; it is orderly and identified by happiness, joy, and feelings of love” (Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert L. Millet, The Holy Ghost [1989], 14)."

I recently went to the temple with my husband and son. Our boy is going on a mission soon, and he was receiving his endowments. The extended family was there, and when we made it to the celestial room, I was full of joy. It was a beautiful feeling, to think that we'll have that joy (and more) after we cross the veil. I said that to our company, and one of them got closer to me and said that she wished she could feel anything. Are we like that some times? We don't listen to the promptings, and then we say that the Lord doesn't answer our prayers.

I believe that He does answer, we just have to keep working on our reception.

To see the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 10 August, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Introspection

2011-08-08T05:00:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://photobucket.com/

Did you know that introspection is a quality needed for leadership? Let's share the following excerpt, taken from Joseph Smith-Five Qualities of Leadership, given by William E. Berrett, Ensign, June 1977:

"Joseph Smith had some qualities that enabled God to use him and that would enable God to use you and me if we possessed them. For greatness is not handed to man upon a platter, and no individual can be an instrument in God’s hands except he possess the qualities that are inherent in leadership.

“The Prophet recognized in himself many weaknesses, but he set about to overcome them. He recorded that on one occasion a man came into his home and in a rage called him almost every name under heaven. The Prophet wrote that he was so incensed he kicked the man out of his house and all the way to the front gate. He then went back to his office and wrote in his journal how unbecoming of a prophet his actions had been. He never lost his temper again.

“As he rode out of Nauvoo on his way to Carthage to give himself up to the sheriff, he turned in the saddle, and looking back upon the city of Nauvoo, said, ‘Oh, that I could but speak once more to my beloved people.’

“On the highway he met Steven Markham who said to him ‘Joseph, where are you going?’ He answered, ‘I am going like a lamb to the slaughter, but I am as calm as a summer’s morning. I have a conscience void of offense toward God and toward all men.’ (Essentials in Church History, p. 376.)

“This is the Prophet Joseph Smith who possessed these five great qualities: intelligence, zeal for learning, faith in a living God, the ability to look within himself and correct his own character, and a love of people. These five qualities, possessed collectively, helped to make Joseph Smith a fit instrument in the hands of God to be a prophet to this dispensation. These same qualities will greatly help us in our callings if we will but recognize and cultivate them.”

To see the Neighborhood News for Monday, 8 August, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Bad Hair Days

2011-08-05T05:00:00.011-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

Janice Kapp Perry wrote the following poem and put it to music.

Tender Mercies of the Lord

1. Tender mercies of the Lord

Come in quiet ways,

Not by mere coincidence,

But by heaven’s grace.

As we choose to follow Him

With full heart and soul,

We become His chosen ones

And tender mercies flow.

2. Tender mercies of the Lord

Come in times of need.

Gifts of faith and confidence

Fill us as we plead.

Words of guidance, hope, and peace

Help us feel God’s love.

By our faith, His mercies come

Like manna from above.

3. Tender mercies of the Lord

Come as we repent.

Sweet forgiveness, peace of mind

Follow, heaven-sent.

Faithfulness, obedience

Help us to discern.

Blessings sweet and personal

For which our spirits yearn.

4. Tender mercies of the Lord

Comfort us and guide.

In His time and in His way,

We receive His light.

As we yield our will to His,

Blessings freely flow.

We partake of love divine

Thru mercies He bestows.

Don't forget to checkout our Free Download Friday from our Positive Music and Downloads.

To see the Neighborhood News for Friday, 5 August, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Finding Strength

2011-08-03T05:00:00.010-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Have you ever had a dream that felt very real? Granted that in the dreaming state, they all do. But there are times when dreams take a different aspect and you can almost taste and feel what you see.

Just before Joseph and Hyrum Smith's martyrdom, the prophet Joseph had a dream that he related to his brother Hyrum, in the presence of W. W. Phelps. Brother Phelps didn't write about it until 1862, but when he did, he entitled it "Joseph Smith's Last Dream."

Here's the account, put to video by videographer Seth Adam Smith.

So tell us what's your opinion about this subject. What are your feelings and thoughts.

To see the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 3 August, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

True to the Faith

2011-08-01T05:00:00.015-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

Nothing better to remind us of traditions and why we LDS members do what we do than going on a good old fashioned trek. We were reminded of the reason the pioneers crossed the frozen plains: to live their religion peacefully, to make and keep covenants with the Lord, and to build another temple.

In the March 1993 Ensign, Richard N. Holzapfel wrote Every Window, Every Spire Speaks of the Things of God. In it, he said:

"'I went through frozen mud and slush with my feet tied up in rags,' wrote one anonymous Latter-day Saint who attended the icy ground-breaking ceremonies for the Salt Lake Temple on 14 February 1853. 'I had on a pair of pants made out of my wife’s skirt—a thin Scotch plaid; also a thin calico shirt and a straw hat. These were all the clothes I had. It was go that way or stay at home. … I was not alone in poverty; … there were many who were fixed as badly as I was.' He was one of thousands who arrived at an early hour for the ceremony, scheduled for eleven o’clock that morning."

Do we take for granted what our forbears had to endure to get where we are now? Do we fully enjoy the blessings that the temples bring?

To see the Neighborhood News for Monday, 1 August, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

What's Your Story?

2011-07-29T05:00:00.009-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Story time! Today I'm sharing a Native American tale.

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

How Raven Made the Tides

(Tsimshian Pacific Northwest)

A long time ago, the old people say, the tide did not come in or go out.

The ocean would stay very high up on the shore for a long time and the clams and the seaweed and other good things to eat would be hidden under the deep water. The people were often hungry.

“This is not the way it should be,” said Raven. Then he put on his blanket of black feathers and flew along the coast, following the line of the tide. At last he came to the house of a very old woman who was the one who held the tide-line in her hand. As long as she held onto it the tide would stay high. Raven walked into the old woman’s house. There she sat, the tide-line held firmly in her hand.

Raven sat down across from her.

“Ah,” he said, “Those clams were good to eat.”

“What clams?” said the old woman.

But Raven did not answer her. Instead he patted his stomach and said,

"Ah, it was so easy to pick them up that I have eaten as much as I can eat."

"That can’t be so,” said the old woman, trying to look past Raven to see out her door, but Raven blocked the entrance. So she stood up and leaned past him to look out. Then Raven pushed her so that she fell through the door, and as she fell he threw dust into her eyes so that she was blinded. She let go of the tide-line then and the tide rushed out, leaving all kinds of clams and crabs and other good things to eat exposed.

Raven went out and began to gather clams. He gathered as much as he could carry and ate until he could eat no more. All along the beach others were gathering the good food and thanking the raven for what he had done. Finally he came back to the place where the old woman still was.

“Raven,” she said, “I know it is you. Heal my eyes so that I can see again.”

“I will heal you,” Raven said, “but only if you promise to let go of the tide-line twice a day. The people cannot wait so long to gather food from the beaches.”

“I will do it,” said the old woman. Then Raven washed out her eyes and she could see again.

So it is that tide comes in and goes out every day because Raven made the old woman let go of the tide-line.

Don't forget to checkout our Free Download Friday from our Positive Music and Downloads.

To see the Neighborhood News for Friday, 29 July, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Be Thou an Example

2011-07-26T05:00:00.003-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

Giving service is a good habit that most of us should cultivate.

Homer S. Ellsworth has said:

“There lived in my neighborhood a noble, white-haired patriarch, Bryant S. Hinckley, who was loved by all and was famous for many things, not the least of which was his Sunday School class. This elderly gentleman had seen the wagon train trails become freeways and the oxcarts replaced by jets. He was an outstanding teacher and the father of Elder Gordon B. Hinckley.

"He once said about service, “Service is the virtue that has distinguished the great of all times and which they will be remembered by. It places a mark of nobility upon its disciples. It is the dividing line which separates the two great groups of the world—those who help and those who hinder, those who lift and those who lean, those who contribute and those who only consume. How much better it is to give than to receive. Service in any form is comely and beautiful. To give encouragement, to impart sympathy, to show interest, to banish fear, to build self-confidence and awaken hope in the hearts of others, in short to love them and to show it is to render the most precious service.”

(From The Love That Never Ceases to Be, Homer S. Ellsworth, Ensign June 1975)

How will our children and grandchildren describe us? Will they say that we gave freely of our time, or that we never taught them how to be of service?

To see the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 27 July, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Preparing for the Journey

2011-07-25T05:00:00.013-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

pi·o·neer (p-nîr)

2b: one of the first to settle in a territory

From the Merriam Webster online dictionary

A lot of members of the Church have ancestors that crossed the plains in companies, pulling handcarts or riding in wagons. But not all members do.

So, what about the rest of us? If you're like me, and you were the first members in your area when it was open to preach the gospel, then you're a pioneer in your own right.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf has said the following in his talk We All Share Pioneer Legacy:

"Pioneers of an earlier era provide a heritage of faith, courage, and sacrifice for all of us, according to prophets and apostles who lead the Church today. But they are quick to add that there are many modern pioneers who continue the legacy by spreading the gospel throughout the world. In a Church that has more than 14 million members from various backgrounds and origins, pioneer heritage is both a gift from the past and a unifying force for the future."

Let's share the following video, also part of President Uchtordf's talk:

So tell us your own pioneer story, if you'd like to share it with us.

To see the Neighborhood News for Monday, 25 July, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Fun Times

2011-07-22T05:00:00.002-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live

Anonymous

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

A few weeks ago we spent a week in Alaska, as part of a cruise. In one of our excursions our guide gave us some advice that I'd like to share with you here.

Advice from an Alaskan Bear

Live Large

When Life Gets Hairy, Grin and Bear It

Live with the Seasons

Take Good Long Naps, and

Always Look After Your Honey.

It's so simple, to just smile when things don't go your way, enjoy the moments each season brings, take care of your body and take care of your partner. It's a straight forward philosophy.

What are your thoughts on the matter? Agree or disagree?

Don't forget to checkout our Free Download Friday from our Positive Music and Downloads.

To see the Neighborhood News for Friday, 22 July, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Life Lessons

2011-07-20T05:00:00.025-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies.

Aristotle

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

Friends are such a blessing. They’re there when you need them, and keep your confidence when necessary.

In history and the scriptures there are a lot of examples of good friends: Sam and Nephi, David and Jonathan, Ruth and Naomi, Achilles and Patroclus. What can we say about friendship?

Let’s quote from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s talk, Real Friendship, given in June 1998:

“Living the gospel and being true to gospel principles is the key to true, lasting, triumphant friendship. Weak bonds and less spiritual relationships will not hold up when confronted by a wicked person such as David and Jonathan faced, or an unbelieving background such as Ruth had known, or the youthful transgressions of the younger Alma and the sons of Mosiah. In each case it was gospel principles, commitments, associations, and covenants that led to the strong ties and triumphant friendship we celebrate in these examples.

“Real friends share the gospel—the living of it and the loving of it. No stronger bond nor higher compliment can be given from one friend to another.”

None of us really want to be isolated, we all want and need friends. What are your feelings on this subject?

To see the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 20 July, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Research Your Family's History

2011-07-18T05:00:00.027-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming

of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children,

and the heart of the children to their fathers,

lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Malachi 4: 5,6

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

When we read the scripture above and understand it correctly, the Lord is saying that unless we bind people with each other in families, He will curse the earth (and its inhabitants).

So, what resources do we have to do all this? We are going to be part of a Pioneer trek in another week (son, husband and myself) and my son was supposed to find an ancestor to have his name with him. My husband found a name, Samuel Rowley, that was in the Willie handcart company. He was thankful that his grandma had done an extensive genealogy work on deceased relatives. Me on the other part, I have a long ways to go, simply because none of my relatives are here. Maybe the following will be of help to me and others like myself:

"In May 1999, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints launched the FamilySearch Internet Genealogy Service at www.familysearch.org. This Web site offers access to four databases: Ancestral File™, the International Genealogical Index, the Family History Library Catalog, and the Internet Index to the Pedigree Resource File.

1.Ancestral File is a collection of millions of names from individuals, families, and genealogical organizations throughout the world that are organized into pedigrees and family group record forms.

2.The International Genealogical Index is an index of more than 330 million names of deceased persons gathered since 1970.

3.The Family History Library Catalog describes the books, microfilms, and microfiche in Salt Lake City’s Family History Library.

4.The Internet Index to the Pedigree Resource File will let you know if your family history is part of that collection of family histories submitted by individuals via the Internet. The Pedigree Resource File is available for later publication on CD-ROM through LDS Distribution Centers. Information is organized in family groups and pedigrees. It is printed exactly as submitted and not combined with information from other submitters as is done in Ancestral File. Nine such CDs are currently available.

Resource: go here.

Also, enjoy this Mormon Messages video about Family History.

Researching our family's history is like weaving a thread between our past and present, in such a way that our future won't turn into dust.

What kind of stories will you leave behind for others to find, as treasures in the dust?

To see the Neighborhood News for Monday, 18 July, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Music to My Ears

2011-07-15T05:00:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

We all have that special song that's touched our hearts. There are the beautiful songs from Broadway plays, or a particular band that have made their mark in popular culture. And there are couple's songs -my parent's was 'Only You' by The Platters.

In his talk A Closer Look to Popular Music, Lex de Azevedo says:

"In each of our minds, certain kinds of music are tied deeply to our own experiences and emotions. Our favorite music has an intensely personal meaning to us. Memories of our childhood, first date, first love, youth conferences, prom night, testimony meetings, marriage, and old friends may all be tied to a certain kind of music in one way or another. Thus, when someone attacks our music, we may feel that they are also attacking our deepest, most treasured experiences.

"Music also has great power on our emotions. Music has been called the universal language because it speaks directly to our emotions. And our emotions and feelings influence our actions.

"Many people who listen to popular music claim that they never listen to the lyrics and that the messages never affect them. Research, however, shows that our brains are marvelously perceptive; they pick up almost any message within sight or sound, whether we consciously know it or not. Those subconsciously received messages may have as much an effect on us as the messages we consciously seek out.^"

So, tell us what kind of music has most influenced you.

Don't forget to checkout our Free Download Friday from our Positive Music and Downloads.

To see the Neighborhood News for Friday, 15 July, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Helpful Reminders

2011-07-13T05:00:00.012-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

Through the years, we members of the LDS Church have received plenty of reminders about preparedness. There have been enough General Authorities, including prophets, giving us advice and reminding us of what's expected of us.

We'd like to share a few thoughts given by members of the Church in Joplin, Missouri, after the May tornado. Read the full account in the Newsroom.

"Our emergency plan, while there is a lot of detail to it, is quite simple: account, assess, report promptly,” said President Jones. “You need to account for your people. Everybody goes out to find out how the missionaries are, how the members are, and if everyone is accounted for. Then they assess. Who is missing? Who has injuries? Who is without a home? Who is without power? What are their physical situations, family needs, and so forth? And then you report promptly, communicating that information back through the priesthood line.”

"As members of the stake followed the emergency plan, they saw miracles happen every day. Bishop Chris Hoffman of the Joplin First Ward, one of two wards where members were deeply affected by the damage, reported that people in the ward told him about times they needed some particular kind of help, only to have a fellow ward member arrive with exactly what they needed when they needed it."

So, do you think that reminders work? Please share your thoughts with us.

To see the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 13 July, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Personal Reflection

2011-07-11T05:00:00.033-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

Being able to sit back and think on something like a note, a list, a choice made or just a reflection in a mirror, it's great to be able to not only relate to it, but share our thoughts with others.

The following excerpt comes from the article A Reflection on Gratitude, by Michelle Van Tassell:

"One morning I was doing laundry when I caught a glance of myself in a mirror. The reflection surprised me. I had not showered or groomed for the day, and as I looked at myself, I thought I was lucky that anyone would want to wake up next to me every day. For the first time, I found myself feeling grateful to my husband for loving me. I examined myself with new eyes and thought about our marriage from his perspective. The revelation that followed had little to do with bad hair and no makeup but much to do with my behavior. I considered all the contention I had introduced into our home. For the first time, I felt real gratitude for my husband—he had continued to love me even though I had been critical and ungrateful.

"That simple moment changed my perspective as well as my relationship with my husband. Now, years later, we share the intimacies I once coveted in other marriages. My husband and I still retain our different backgrounds and our own preferences and mannerisms, but I stopped dwelling on issues I couldn’t change. The peace of the Spirit has returned to our home, and I am grateful for the witness I received to marry my husband."

What kind of reflection do we see in the mirror? Do we like what we see, or hate it? Do we agree with what we see of ourselves?

To see the Neighborhood News for Monday, 11 July, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Sharing

2011-07-08T05:00:00.004-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

The following poem was sent to us by Linda Garner. We wish you a great summer weekend.

Summer Witness

Ah,summer. Backyard barbecues. Fresh veggies from the garden. Colorful days and starlit nights. Children's laughter. Tangy lemonade. Rhubarb pie.

We spent a summer in Arkansas, where forest was everywhere. Even in the city we were surrounded by gracious trees. We walked daily near a friendly stream where fireflies and locusts entertained us and shy forest creatures sometimes said hello. It was a magic place, and one magic summer day I created this poem.

Summer Witness

What could be so pleasant as a peaceful summer day,
When life slows down a little bit and troubles melt away.
The sun’s a ball of butter and the earth is dressed in green,
While overhead the sky’s the bluest sea you’ve ever seen.
Now and then a puffy cloud floats across the sky,
And all around are buzzing things and things that flutter by.
The stream is just a trickle as it gurgles in its play.
The sleepy river lazily meanders on its way.
The heady smell of blossoms comes softly on the breeze
And all the woodland creatures take refuge in the trees.
Surrounded by this beauty and the joy that’s in the air,
Why do some folks wonder if God is really there?

What could be so pleasant as a starlit summer night,
Watching fireflies dance and flicker underneath the moon so bright,
Stepping in and out of shadows made by giants dressed in green,
Watching for the bashful creatures which by day are seldom seen,
Listening to the chicka chicka of the locust’s rhythmic song,
And the chirping of the crickets, as night birds sing along.
Though the earth is far from quiet, there’s a stillness in the air.
My heart is filled with gratitude. I bow my head in prayer.
I listen for the answer. It comes soft as summer rain.
It warms me and it softens me and fills my heart again.
As summer’s warmth enfolds me, I’m surrounded by His love,
And I know that He cares for me from His heavenly home above.

Linda Garner

To go to Linda's website, click here.

Don't forget to checkout our Free Download Friday.

To see the Neighborhood News for Friday, 8 July, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

The Fall and Grace

2011-07-06T05:00:00.010-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

It seems that we women sometimes feel discouraged about our purpose in life or have a hard time finding our worth.

We share the following excerpt from a BYU devotional address given by Elder M. Russell Ballard, Women of Righteousness:

“As President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972) explained, “The Lord offers to his daughters every spiritual gift and blessing that can be obtained by his sons” (in Conference Report, April 1970, 59). All of us, men and women alike, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and are entitled to personal revelation. We may all take upon us the Lord’s name, become sons and daughters of Christ, partake of the ordinances of the temple from which we emerge endowed with power, receive the fullness of the gospel, and achieve exaltation in the celestial kingdom. These spiritual blessings are available to men and women alike, according to their faithfulness and their effort to receive them.”

We have all been given the same promises. It’s up to us to make sure we receive them.

To see the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 6 July, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Time with Your Kids

2011-07-04T05:00:00.004-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

Let’s talk about parenting for a bit. Some of us have children to show for and some haven’t had the chance to bring spirits to this earth yet. Sometimes if the kids are acting up we may think it’s not all fun and games or we may believe that we’re at our wit’s end and can’t go on.

The following excerpt was taken from a talk written by Elder Robert D. Hales for the Friend to Friend: I am a Child of God, March 1978.

“Adam and Eve were the very first parents on earth. They used their agency to decide what laws they would obey. They chose to become parents and to have children come into their home where they could lovingly teach them the gospel. Your parents, too, chose to bring you and your brothers and sisters into the world so that other spirit children of our Father in heaven could also come to earth.

"Heavenly Father planned for our kind and dear earthly parents to also be with us in heaven where we will live together as eternal families. Just as we show love for our Father in heaven by obeying His laws and commandments, we honor our earthly parents by loving and obeying them."

So, whether we’re enjoying ourselves with the little ones, or not, as the case may be, we’ll receive blessings for doing what’s right in the eyes of the Lord.

Have a great 4th of July!

To see the Neighborhood News for Monday, 4 July, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Solutions for Sticky Situations

2011-07-01T05:00:00.007-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

Today's blog is a courtesy of Cami Checketts.

Book Donations for CAPSA and CFSC

When my boys are having a hard day I read them a funny book. When I'm feeling depressed I reach for a favorite novel. When we just need a break from reality we turn to books.

What if you were experiencing the toughest time of your life? Would you want to escape into a fantastic suspense or intriguing paranormal novel? Would you want to hold your child on your lap and laugh, cry, or teach them with a book?

CAPSA (Community Abuse Prevention Services Agency) and CFSC (Child and Family Support Center) help families through nightmarish experiences the rest of can't even imagine or understand.

The other night I sat thinking about the amazing people who run these agencies and wondering how I could help more. The families always need the basics: food, shelter, clothing, money. I know we all try to donate when we can. But it hit me that it would be very nice to provide these mothers, fathers, and children with books. Books might not be necessary for survival but they can comfort, teach, entertain, inspire, and bond.

How can you help?

Donate new or gently used books (they would appreciate children's, middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction and nonfiction) to one of these fabulous organizations or to your local family support or crisis center. If you want to donate to CFSC or CAPSA, email me camichecketts@yahoo.com. I can take the books in for you or give you the contact info you need.
Whether you donate to CFSC, CAPSA, or your local organization, post a comment on this blog and let us know how many books you donated. I'll add the number to the counter on the right.

Please help spread the word and share the number of donated books. I can't wait to see that number grow.

Thanks for caring about the children,
Cami

To go to Cami's website, click here.

Don't forget to checkout our Free Download Friday.

To see the Neighborhood News for Friday, 1 July, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Get It Done

2011-06-29T05:00:00.002-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

In May 2011 Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve visited Mexico. We'd like to share an excerpt of his teachings:

"Elder Oaks told the youth a story of two men who bought a truck, built a vegetable stand, and drove to the field on the other side of town to get a load of melons. They paid the farmer one dollar per melon. After driving back, they put the melons in their stand and sold them for one dollar each. The actions were repeated and on the third time, one partner said, 'We are not making much money. Should we buy a bigger truck?'

"The partners did not know that the melons were worth more in the stand than in the field, Elder Oaks pointed out. In the same way, youth need to decide the true value they place on the gospel, and measure their actions accordingly.

"He said all of God’s children are asked to develop holy habits such as prayer, scripture study, taking the sacrament, and serving in callings. And though all should establish such holy habits, what are called righteous routines may be different from person to person. The youth were asked to determine for themselves righteous routines that would protect them from temptations they know they have. He blessed them to have a clear vision and the strength to do what is right."

We are blessed to live in these times, when we can receive the visit of one appointed by the Lord to guide us. Let's help one another and strenghten the Church.

To see the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 29 June, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

True Happiness

2011-06-27T05:00:00.022-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. … It is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit”

C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses [1980]

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

We are supposed to be embarked in a good cause and doing good at all times, right?

It is so easy to get distracted by circumstances, other people, or extra drama in our lives. Some of us don’t need extra drama, and some of us are a walking example of drama. We like the attention people other than our spouse give us and we think we’re madly in love and want to start our lives anew. Is that right? Was there abuse or cheating from the ‘guilty’ party? Or was it all in our heads?

Here’s a quotation from a talk given by Elder Neal A. Maxwell, The Pathway to Discipleship, 1998:

“As striving disciples, you and I must strategically focus on the interaction of immortal individuals and immortal principles as applied to life’s changing tactical situations. It is vital, therefore, for you and for me, in the words of Jacob, to see things ‘as they really are’ and things ‘as they really will be’ (Jacob 4:13). It’s interesting that those who have eyes single to the glory of God are those who see the most of reality.

“But this road of discipleship which we are considering here is not easy. It requires sturdy, all-weather souls who are constant in every season of life and who are not easily stalled or thrown off course. Likewise, even with this accurate view of the mortal experience we still need time and the wise use of our moral agency. We still need God’s long-suffering to help us. We need all of these combined in order to gain experience in life. Amid this ongoing process, you and I can actually come to know for ourselves, like Alma of old, who ‘fasted and prayed many days that I might know ‘ that these immortal principles are true (Alma 5:46).”

So, as ballplayers say, we need to keep our eyes on the ball, and don’t lose track of what’s really important. We have our agency to decide on what’s important, no one else can make that decision for us. Eternal happiness with those we love is so much more important than the vain and short-lived things of the world.

To see the Neighborhood News for Monday, 27 June, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Stop and Smell the Roses

2011-06-24T05:00:00.013-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

“Happiness is the object and design of our existence.”

Joseph Smith

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

Hello there. Are you all ready for the wonderful summer months? Is this something you prepare for every year? Whether you still have kiddos at home, or they’ve all flown the coop, summer brings its own challenges to some of us.

Let me share the following story. You can find it in its entirety in the article entitled The Purpose of Life:

“Sometimes the weaknesses the Lord uses to strengthen us are in ourselves. Other times, they are in others. Shauna Larsen of Orem, Utah, knows how faith and love—and joy—can grow out of such trials. Thirty-six years ago in Maryland her husband, Joseph, was paralyzed from the chest down in an auto accident. He spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair. In spite of his disability, Brother Larsen served as a university professor, a bishop, and a stake president. He was a remarkable man of many achievements. While he lived, Shauna says, ‘caring for him was a total commitment. I lived in his shadow, ministering to his daily needs. And that was a challenge, because he was very active. No grass grew under his wheels.’

“But through her selfless service, Shauna says, she grew closer to the Lord and ‘saw more clearly his hand in our lives. I gained a more submissive attitude than I would have otherwise. Without question, I learned the joy of love and sacrifice.’

“When Joseph and Shauna faced their final challenge together—the prospect of his imminent death—Shauna pled in prayer for Joseph’s life, offering to take care of him no matter what his condition. ‘But it was not to be,’ she says. ‘I felt as though the Lord said, ‘It’s his time to come home; it’s your time to get to know you.’ We need to get to know the Lord, and I think we know him better when we know ourselves. We need to discover our talents and use them in his service. That’s part of the joy we experience in this life.”

We may get overwhelmed from time to time, and think that we may not be able to make it through a hard time, whatever that may be (perhaps summer?), but we should slow down sometimes and enjoy what the Lord has given us.

Check out the following Mormon Messages video. It's perfect!

It’s time to smell the roses.

Don't forget to checkout our Free Download Friday.

To see the Neighborhood News for Friday, 24 June, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Cultivating Positive Words

2011-06-22T05:00:00.016-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

What do gossip and a feather pillow have in common? Let me share the following story with you:

"A parishioner went up to the priest to unload his guilt about the act of gossiping: what harm was done exactly, he asks. The priest asked the parishioner to go back home, take a feather pillow and a knife with him up onto the roof of a high building. Give it a slash and see what happens.

"The parishioner did as he was told, he took a pillow and a knife, went up onto the roof and slashed it with all his might. And lo and behold there were feathers and more feathers flying all over. The parishioner then returned to the priest to report the act was done. The priest proceeded to ask the parishioner to go back up to the roof, to RETRIEVE each and every feather that was released from the pillow.

"Of course none can do such thing. Once the feathers are free, they’ll go wherever they want to. It’s the same with words, once we utter mean statements we can’t retrieve them and put them back where they came from.

"The easier thing is to never say anything mean or hurtful in the first place."

To see the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 22 June, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Baskets and Books

2011-06-20T05:00:00.010-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Speaking of books, one of the most important books ever published is the Book of Mormon. It has influenced millions of people and generated plenty of press.

This is the account of one person, Jacob Hamblin, in 1842, and his feelings after he read it. You can find the full account in the article A Book That Transforms Lives, written by Brent L. Top.

“The evening after the Elder had preached I went in search of him, and found him quite late at night. I told him my purpose, and requested him to give me a ‘Mormon Bible.’ He handed me the Old and New Testament.

“I said, ‘I thought you had a new Bible.’ He then explained about the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, and handed me a copy of it.

“The impressions I received at the time cannot be forgotten. The spirit rested upon me and bore testimony of its truth, and I felt like opening my mouth and declaring it to be a revelation from God.

“On the 3rd of March, 1842, as soon as it was light in the morning, I started for a pool of water where I had arranged to meet with the Elder, to attend to the ordinance of baptism. On the way, the thought of the sacrifice I was making [by going against my family’s wishes] … caused my resolution to waver.

“As my pace slackened, some person appeared to come from above, who, I thought, was my grandfather. He seemed to say to me, ‘Go on, my son; your heart cannot conceive, neither has it entered into your mind to imagine the blessings that are in store for you, if you go on and continue in this work.’

“I lagged no more, but hurried to the pool, where I was baptized by Elder Lyman Stoddard” (in Stories from the Early Saints: Converted by the Book of Mormon, ed. Susan Easton Black [1992], 41–42).

Today, after 181 years, we still believe that this book was translated by the grace and power of God.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Monday 20 June, click here.

As always we welcome your comments, and you can comment by clicking the link below.

Making Plans

2011-06-17T05:00:00.014-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

Sometimes on a Friday, I just like to share a folk tale. This one is from ancient China, and it’s called Mend the Fold After the Sheep are Lost. (Shouldn’t it be ‘before’ they’re lost? I’m just saying).

“There once was a shepherd. One day he was checking his flock when he noticed a sheep was missing. Seeing that the gate was secured, he began to inspect the fence surrounding the pasture with help from his neighbor. In one of the corners sure enough he found a hole and a fresh pair of wolf prints.

“His neighbor worriedly warned him to fix the hole or else the wolves would come again. The shepherd upon hearing this advice thought, ‘The sheep has already been lost, what use is fixing the fence?’ With that he pushed the thought of wolves and fences to the back of his mind. The next day, whilst counting his sheep he found another missing, with fresh paw prints around the same hole in the fences.

“He was regretful for his foolishness and with the help of his neighbor fixed the fence, and hasn't lost another sheep.

“Often when one meets misfortune he can only learn from the experience and move on. What is important is that we should learn from our mistakes and immediately rectify the problem to avoid future loss.”

We welcome your comments, wish you a great weekend, and remind you to take advantage of our Free Download Friday.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Friday 17 June, click here.

Organize Yourselves

2011-06-15T05:00:00.008-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

"The difference between God and the Devil is that God creates and organizes, while the whole study of the Devil is to destroy"

(Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 69)

When we read the account that the Lord said to Joseph Smith that we should organize ourselves, we probably think that it refers only to Church matters. What if it goes beyond that? Remember that the Lord doesn’t give just temporal laws, they’re always spiritual. So maybe organization can be applied to our spiritual growth, not just to temporal matters.

David A. Whetten was a BYU professor of organizational behavior and served as director of the Center for the Study of Values in Organizations and of the BYU Faculty Center when he gave this devotional address, Enter to Learn: How to Organize According to God’s Laws, on 6 May 1997.

In 1835 Joseph Smith was giving instruction at his brother William’s home, when he taught something that William didn’t agree with. William became violent towards Joseph, who had to leave the house, and was hurting. After a few weeks, the whole Smith family go together to resolve this difference of opinion.

“This story illustrates what I believe to be three of God's core organizing processes--sanctification, edification, and unification--which work together to harmonize individual, interpersonal, and group spiritual development. None of these processes can operate independent of the others. We cannot become personally sanctified if we are not edifying others, and God's process of unification naturally emerges out of the edifying actions of sanctified individuals.

“It is clear that when Joseph and William were out of sorts with one another, they were out of touch with the Lord. Furthermore, as their rancor impaired their motivation and ability to serve each other, their usefulness as servants of the Lord was diminished. William's confession letter suggests that although he had been ordained an apostle, he was still struggling to subdue his violent temper--and this lack of self-control made it difficult for him to edify others. Fearing that his lack of personal sanctification would foster disharmony and disunity among Church leaders and members, he requested a release from his church leadership responsibilities. Joseph's journal entries reflect similar concerns about the adversary's use of adversity to create disharmony in the Smith family. He despaired that the darkness and gloom of persecution were causing his siblings to lose sight of their spiritual goals, which prevented them from 'seeing things as they really are.' He was also concerned that jealousies and bickerings among Church members were delaying plans for their receiving the endowment, which is an essential step in the process of becoming one with God. It is instructive that the Spirit returned, and Joseph's despair about the effect of this incident on the spiritual welfare of his family and the Church dissipated when he and his brother forgave each other and promised to reconcile their differences directly, to not listen to evil reports about each other, and to edify each other in all circumstances.

“I propose that we examine each of these three key organizing processes separately and then explore their critical interdependencies.

“To sanctify means to make sacred and holy through purification. It is an intensely personal development process.

“To edify means to build up, especially in regards to moral development. Edification is what we do for others that supports and enables their personal sanctification process.

“To unify means to bring together into one, to organize properly.

“I propose that we make a commitment to organize and govern ourselves according to the principles contained in the covenant entered into by Joseph and William Smith on New Year's Day, 1836. These include:

1. Build each other up in righteousness in all things.

2. Do not listen to evil reports concerning each other.

3. Go to each other with our grievances in the spirit of meekness and reconciliation."

Is that something that we can possibly do? I think we can, if we leave our egos behind.

We welcome your comments.

To see the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 15 June, please click here.

Forgiveness and Healing

2011-06-13T05:00:00.004-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

We see too much evil on the world today. We hear so many tragic stories of abuse. How can we deal with them, and be of support to others who’ve experienced it?

In a General Conference address from 2008, Elder Richard G. Scott has said in his talk To Heal the Shattering Consequences of Abuse:

“Moral agency is a vital element in our Father in Heaven’s plan of happiness. He understood that some of His spirit children would use that agency improperly, causing serious problems to others. Some would even violate sacred trust, such as a father or family member abusing an innocent child. Since our Heavenly Father is completely just, there has to be a way of overcoming the tragic consequences of such damaging use of agency for both the victim and the perpetrator. That secure healing comes through the power of the Atonement of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to rectify that which is unjust. Faith in Jesus Christ and in His power to heal provides the abused with the means to overcome the terrible consequences of another’s unrighteous acts. When combined with complete repentance, the Atonement also affords the perpetrator a way to avoid the severe punishment the Lord has decreed for such acts.”

It is of comfort to us to know that our general authorities are in touch with what some of us are going through and are extending a needed, loving hand towards us. We should listen to their message to be healed.

As always we welcome your comments.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Monday 13 June, click here.

Father Knows

2011-06-10T05:00:00.004-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

On occasion we forget (or maybe never thought about it) that our Father in Heaven knows us very well.

From a BYU devotional given in November 2003, The Wind Beneath Your Wings, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf has said:

“Sometimes it is difficult to see what good will come out of your efforts and where the road you are on will lead to. You might even feel like Paul on his way to Rome. In the book of Acts we read that Paul was taken as a prisoner to the capital city of the world's number-one military power. It looked bleak for the Apostle Paul. En route to Rome the ship he was on was caught in a perfect storm, one not made in Hollywood but in the Mediterranean Sea. All their lives were endangered. We read, ‘And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away’ (Acts 27:20).

“How did Paul handle this hopeless situation? Amidst all this commotion, he stood up and said, ‘Be of good cheer: . . . For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not’ (Acts 27:22–24). Paul then gave concise instructions that appeared at the moment far removed from a logical problem-solving process. Among other things, he told them to lighten the ship, and they did so by throwing things they cherished overboard. Then ‘they committed themselves unto the sea . . . , and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore’ (Acts 27:40).

“Fortunately the guards who were prepared to kill Paul believed his words and followed his counsel. The scripture reports, 'And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land' (Acts 27:44).

“There will be times in your lives when you will not know the quick answers for your circumstances. Rely then on the word of God. Your Father in Heaven will always teach you to fear not, but to be of good cheer, to lighten your ship of clutter and focus on the spiritual matters, to commit yourselves to the covenants you made, and to put your sail of righteousness into the wind and head courageously toward the land of your eternal future.”

The Lord knows us, our thoughts, our desires, our temperaments and inclinations. He will bless us in His own time. We should continue in faith, and wait for His reward.

We welcome your comments, wish you a great weekend, and remind you to take advantage of our Free Download Friday.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Friday 10 June, click here.

Grace Helps

2011-06-08T05:00:00.005-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved.

2 Nephi 10:24

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

From the Gospel Study, we find the following under ‘Grace’:

“Grace is a gift from Heavenly Father given through His Son, Jesus Christ. The word grace, as used in the scriptures, refers primarily to enabling power and spiritual healing offered through the mercy and love of Jesus Christ.

“Everyone on earth experiences physical death. Through the grace of Jesus Christ, all will be resurrected and will live forever (see 1 Corinthians 15:20-22; 2 Nephi 9:6-13).

“Because of personal choices, everyone also experiences the effects of sin (see 1 John 1:8-10; Mosiah 16:4). These effects are called spiritual death. No one can return to the presence of God without divine grace. Through the Atonement, we all can be forgiven of our sins; we can become clean before God. To receive this enabling power, we must obey the gospel of Jesus Christ, which includes having faith in Him, repenting of our sins, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and trying to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ for the rest of our lives (see Ephesians 2:8-9; James 2:17-22; 2 Nephi 25:23; 31:20).

“The grace of God helps us every day. It strengthens us to do good works we could not do on our own. The Lord promised that if we humble ourselves before Him and have faith in Him, His grace will help us overcome all our personal weaknesses (see Ether 12:27).”

We can’t see in people’s hearts to know if they’ve repented or not. All we can do is hope that they have, and give second, third and more chances. We’re all dependant on the grace of God to keep going.

We welcome your comments.

To see the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 8 June, please click here.

It's About Love

2011-06-06T05:00:00.036-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

“Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity.”

The Family: A Proclamation to the World

When we hear a single young woman (not necessarily a teen girl) becomes pregnant, we also find out that there are many voices that surround her, giving their opinions about what to do. That young woman feels pressure from differing views: raise the baby on her own, expect the father to be involved, give the baby up for adoption, or even to have an abortion.

What’s the LDS Church’s position? From a January 2008 Ensign article, Why Adoption? we have Rebecca M. Taylor’s view:

“A primary reason the Church supports adoption is that children who are adopted by temple-worthy Latter-day Saint couples can be sealed to their adoptive parents. The sealing ordinance is the capstone ordinance in the Church, and its blessings are present in this life as well as in the next. As President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972) declared, children who are born in the covenant—and, by extension, those who are sealed to their parents in the temple—‘have claims upon the blessings of the gospel beyond what those not so born are entitled to receive. They may receive a greater guidance, a greater protection, a greater inspiration from the Spirit of the Lord; and then there is no power that can take them away from their parents.’

“Fred Riley, commissioner of LDS Family Services, says that although adoption is rarely discussed in Church meetings, it is a profound gospel principle. He points out that when the prophet Elijah restored the sealing keys, these keys encompassed adoption. And one of the ways in which Jesus Christ is our Father is through adoption, for we become His sons and His daughters when we are adopted into the family of Christ.”

Despite the emotional pain that’s involved in adoption, one thing is certain: it is about love.

The love of that giving birth mother, willing to give up her precious newborn to give the baby what’s needed-a family. And the love of brand new parents, willing to bring to that new bundle all that they have, including a temple sealing.

That’s true love.

As always we welcome your comments.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Monday 6 June, click here.

Try and Try Again

2011-06-03T05:00:00.009-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

Success: Definition

1. achievement of intention: the achievement of something planned or attempted

2. attainment of fame, wealth, or power: impressive achievement, especially the attainment of fame, wealth, or power

3. something that turns out well: something that turns out as planned or intended

(Source: Encarta® World English Dictionary[North American Edition])

That seems to be the world’s definition of success. Let’s hear it for the religious side. From a July 1973 Ensign article, Success—A Journey or a Destination?, President Hartman Rector Jr of the Seventy has said:

“The Lord doesn’t seem to measure success in terms of attainment of position or power or wealth. A prophet in the Book of Mormon (where, by the way, the most succinct and unvarnished truths can be found) said, 'But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.' (2 Ne. 2:24–25.) If man is that he might have joy, then success to the Lord must include the attainment of real joy. On the basis of this definition, then, no one is really successful who is not happy.

“If this be the Lord’s definition, then there is precious little success in this world. Success in its practical application seems to be more a state of mind than anything else. Obviously, many people never make it because they are ungrateful. They are not thankful for what they have; therefore, they are unhappy and thus are not successful. I have never seen a happy person who was not thankful for what he had, to paraphrase the Prophet Joseph Smith, who stated that 'doubt and faith cannot exist in the same person at the same time.' (6th Lecture on Faith.) It is also doubtful that success and unhappiness can exist in the same person at the same time.”

In either case, achievement of a goal seems to bring success, right? So if we make it to the celestial kingdom to show our Father obedience, wouldn’t that make us successful?

We welcome your comments, wish you a great weekend, and remind you to take advantage of our Free Download Friday.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Friday 3 June, click here.

Be Prepared

2011-06-01T05:00:00.022-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

We have been warned again and again to be prepared.
In an Ensign article from August 2007, Are You Prepared? we take the following excerpt:

"A natural disaster is only one of many challenges that can cause us to rely on our home storage. Loss of income is another, whether it comes from the loss of the job, health, or life of the wage earner.

"Our prophets have counseled and encouraged us since the days of President Brigham Young to 'lay the foundation to feed and clothe and shelter ourselves.' This encouragement has continued and become more explicit. It is still firmly in place."

Some of us spend a lot of time getting prepared, following the counsel of our church leaders. What kind of preparations are we getting? We should make sure that our thoughts involve more than just temporal possessions.

The Lord has said:

"Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal." (D&C 29:34)

Let's be prepared for the disasters that are natural and those that cannot be predicted easily.

We welcome your comments.

To see the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 1 June, please click here.

Sticking It Out

2011-05-30T05:00:00.002-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

Sometimes something (anything) will bring up to mind a well of memories and emotions. It could be a smell, a sight or sound. In the following story, Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve is reminiscing about an outing with his young son, when they went to a baseball game. Years later, Elder Perry’s son gifted him with a signed bat. This story is taken from Making Memories, printed in the Ensign, August 1993:

"We arrived home at 2:30 A.M. I wasn’t at my best in the meetings the following day, but I had a lasting memory to cherish. Now a piece of wood, a baseball bat, stands in the corner of my office to remind me of a father-son relationship filled with so many great memories.

"I remember taking a little child from his mother’s arms and carrying him to the front of the congregation of Saints and there giving him a name and a father’s blessing. …. I remember how important it was on his eighth birthday when I could take him into the waters of baptism and then bring him out, again exercising the priesthood, allowing me to confirm him a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Four years later came another memory, for then I was serving as a member of the bishopric, and I was empowered to use my priesthood to place my hands on his head and confer the Aaronic Priesthood upon him and ordain him to the office of a deacon.

"So it went, on through the priesthood offices of teacher and priest. He reached the great age of nineteen, and now I found myself holding the office of a stake president. I was now able to assign myself to confer the Melchizedek Priesthood upon my son and ordain him to the office of an elder. Then came the thrill of setting him apart as a full-time missionary and sending him off to Japan to serve the Lord.

"Shortly after he returned from a successful mission, I was called to be a General Authority. With that call, the sealing power was conferred, and some five years later my son and a beautiful young lady were kneeling before me in the holy temple, and I was sealing them together as husband and wife for time and for all eternity.

"It doesn’t stop there. The two of them were soon on their way east to New Haven, Connecticut, to attend school. One night I received a telephone call from my son. He said, 'Dad, how fast can you make it to New Haven?' I asked him what the problem was. He said, 'No problem. I’m being called into the bishopric on Sunday, and I want you to ordain me to the office of high priest.' So I went to New Haven to make another unique memory.

"A few years later I returned from a stake conference assignment and received another telephone call. My son told me, 'Elder Marvin J. Ashton of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has just called me to be a stake president. He knows our history. He said he would not dare put his hands on my head to set me apart to the new office. Can you drive to Provo and set me apart?' What great memories of a father-son relationship this piece of wood holds for me!”

Memories are worth making and having. We should spend our time making lasting memories. We wish you a good time with your family on this Memorial Day.

As always we welcome your comments.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Monday 30 May, click here.

Learn to Be Tactful

2011-05-27T05:00:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

Matthew 15:11

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

On occasion we open our mouths out of turn or say something which may surprise or offend people.

In Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s renowned talk ‘The Tongue of Angels,’ he says:

“Husbands, you have been entrusted with the most sacred gift God can give you—a wife, a daughter of God, the mother of your children who has voluntarily given herself to you for love and joyful companionship. … Today, I speak against verbal and emotional abuse of anyone against anyone, but especially of husbands against wives. Brethren, these things ought not to be.

“In that same spirit we speak to the sisters as well, for the sin of verbal abuse knows no gender. Wives, what of the unbridled tongue in your mouth, of the power for good or ill in your words? … Sisters, there is no place in that magnificent spirit of yours for acerbic or abrasive expression of any kind, including gossip or backbiting or catty remarks.

“May I expand this counsel to make it a full family matter. … Be constructive in your comments to a child—always. Never tell them, even in whimsy, that they are fat or dumb or lazy or homely. Praise each child individually for what that child is, and help him or her escape our culture’s obsession with comparing, competing, and never feeling we are 'enough.'

“In all of this, I suppose it goes without saying that negative speaking so often flows from negative thinking, including negative thinking about ourselves. We see our own faults, we speak—or at least think—critically of ourselves, and before long that is how we see everyone and everything. No sunshine, no roses, no promise of hope or happiness. Before long we and everybody around us are miserable.”

If we are in the process of perfecting ourselves, training (or muzzling) our tongues may be something we should work at.

We welcome your comments, wish you a great weekend, and remind you to take advantage of our Free Download Friday.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Friday 27 May, click here.

Believe in Yourself

2011-05-25T05:00:00.012-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

On occasion we find doubt within ourselves. We feel we don’t accomplish much, or that what we do is not enough. We think less of ourselves.

Let’s share a thought from Sister Elaine S. Dalton. Her talk was given in the general conference of 2004, Young Women session, entitled Believe!

“The Lord has promised us that as we “search diligently, pray always, and be believing, … all things [will] work together for [our] good” (D&C 90:24; emphasis added). That doesn’t mean that everything will be perfect or that we will not have any trials, but it does mean that everything will be okay if we just “hang in there.” Ours is the opportunity to “be … an example of the believers” (1 Tim. 4:12), and the Savior has promised that “all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark 9:23). So believe in yourselves. Believe that you are never alone. Believe that you will always be guided.”

The Enemy may be able to instill doubt in our souls, but let’s believe that we can triumph over the Adversary.

We welcome your comments.
To see the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 25 May, please click here.

Befriending Others

2011-05-23T05:00:00.003-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.sugardoodle.net/

How do we know when we find a true friend? I read a lot of blogs (there are all kinds) for this job, and I once found one where the blogger talked about making new friends in a new city, and how hard it was to ‘couple date.’

Let me share this story from October 1992 FYE: True Friends,True to the Faith, by Ron R. Munns:

“It was the boy’s first week in high school—a new school, a new town, far from friends in the large ward where he had spent the past six years.

Who would be the friends he so desperately wanted and needed? Would they include the easygoing guy who had offered him a ride home—and shown him the cache of lurid pictures hidden in the door of the beat-up old car? Or the popular group of athletes in his history class who were waiting to see if he would share what he knew during the upcoming test? Or maybe the guy and gal in his language class who quietly did their best—and encouraged others to do the same?

That Sunday in the small branch he attended, the boy found a handful of young people from high schools throughout the area. One, a priest who was two years older than he, became a friend immediately. The friendship grew through weeks and months until the younger boy eventually found himself with an example to follow as his older friend accepted a mission call.

Looking back, the man who was that lonely boy in a new high school now understands that his true friends were the ones who encouraged him to be and do his best. They included that priest who was his example, the high school classmates whose goal was growth, and two adult home teaching companions who drove many miles to serve.

Young people often drift into friendships with peers who are simply available, either in the neighborhood or in school. But they can be taught the importance of carefully choosing good friends—friends who are good for them, who help strengthen and encourage them. Sometimes, when young people don’t understand what real friendship is, parents are able to help them see that a true friend is one who makes it easier to live the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

It’s great to be one who can encourage and guide others to do their best. That’s true friendship.

As always we welcome your comments.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Monday 23 May, click here.

Get Creative

2011-05-20T09:00:00.010-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.”

~ Mary Lou Cook

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

I’ve heard ‘she’s so creative’ many times. Other times someone would say ‘I don’t have a creative bone in my body.’ Creativity is a driving force in some of us. Why more people aren’t creative is a mystery.

“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.” ~George Bernard Shaw

Elder Robert D. Hales said the following in his article Every Good Gift, published in an August 1983 New Era:

“To many, the word creativity simply refers to the cultural, performing, or visual arts. This is a very limiting definition. There are endless ways of applying creative reasoning. …

Too often, however, those who possess great talents are selfish and do not use their gifts for the benefit of others. And more importantly, they do not acknowledge that these gifts are God-given. If we properly understood the source of our creative talents, there would be no application of writing, dancing, music, or photography for Satan’s purposes. The prophet Moroni wisely counsels us about using our talents for evil. He exhorts us to “come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing” (Moroni 10:30).”

We’re all children of a loving Heavenly Father. We have purpose and talents. I believe that we all came with our own box of individual talents. We should invest time in finding out which ones we have hidden.

We welcome your comments, wish you a great weekend, and remind you to take advantage of our Free Download Friday.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Friday 20 May, click here.

Find Balance

2011-05-18T05:00:00.006-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

See that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength”

(Mosiah 4:27).

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

If we’re pursuing excellence in our lives, we’ll be able to find balance. If we’re too busy doing things perfectly, we’ll find some areas lacking, because as much as many people consider themselves great multi-taskers, we can’t do everything well and something will have to give.

If we’re juggling careers, family, church callings and community volunteerism our plates might be too full. Which one will have to give?

From A Balanced Life, Brent L. Top said in 2005:

“It is easy to feel that to magnify our callings we need to be continually serving, leading, or counseling. However, it may be that we render more significant service and develop more substantive spirituality by having fewer meetings and activities. President Spencer W. Kimball urged the Saints to return to what he characterized as ‘quiet, sane living.’

In striking a temporal balance, we are often forced to make hard choices between many good and desirable things. For example, varied educational and cultural experiences can be valuable in promoting talents and growth in our children. Church and community service opportunities may provide us with rich and rewarding experiences. But even when considering such noble causes and activities, we must, as Elder Ballard counseled, ‘remember [that] too much of anything in life can throw us off balance. At the same time, too little of the important things can do the same thing.’ … Teaching our children how to live ‘quiet, sane,’ and balanced lives may be one of the most vital things we can do for them in these frenzied last days.”

We’re the only ones who can put our lives in order. We can get counsel from other people, but in the end we’re the ones who know what our limits are. We need to find that which gives us peace.

As always, we welcome your comments.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Wednesday 18 May, click here.

Grounded in the Gospel

2011-05-16T05:00:00.005-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you

(D&C 68:6).

In the scripture above, Jesus asks us to have no fear. I believe that if we allow fear to guide us and direct us, we’ll have no room to exercise our faith.

Let’s share the following story from the Friend, Friend to Friend: “Be of Good Cheer,” by Elder Athos M. Amorim of the Seventy.

“Let me tell you how I got my unusual first name. In my family, there were three boys. My parents wanted their children to be unified, so they named us for the three main characters in a famous book, The Three Musketeers. My older brother’s name is Aramis, my younger brother’s name is Dartagnan, and my name is Athos. Each of us is very different, yet we have always been very close.

When I was about ten, my older brother had a serious health problem. The blood in his hands was not circulating properly, and they hurt very badly. At that time, my family lived in a small town on the border of Brazil and Argentina. The medical facilities there were not very good, so my mother and my brother traveled to the big city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to see the doctor. Because my father had to work during the day, my baby brother had to stay with another family. So every day I went to visit him. And every day I prayed for my older brother.

The doctors told my mother that they needed to amputate (cut off) my brother’s hands. Mother refused. “No, I know that the Lord will take care of my son,” she said. One night after my mother and brother had returned home, he was in great pain. I shared a room with him, and I remember him crying because his hands hurt so much. While he cried, Mother knelt by his bed, praying. The next morning, I saw him sleeping peacefully. Mother was also asleep, still kneeling at his bedside. We were not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but Mother had great faith. Eventually my brother’s hands did get better. He lost the tips of some of his fingers, but he did not have to have his hands amputated.

Mother also had great courage. And she taught us to be of good cheer. She told my brother that even though he had lost part of some fingers, he still had everything else. So my brother did not get discouraged. When he got older, his first job was as a typist. Today he is an attorney.”

We all go through different challenges in life. Not everyone will lose the tips of their fingers, or be without family in the world. The challenge is to find that place where we can have joy and be of good cheer, an ‘example to the believers.’

As always we welcome your comments.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Monday 9 May, click here.

Find Your Talents

2011-05-13T12:00:00.002-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has plenty of websites for us to be edified. One of them is LDS Youth, in which you can find articles, testimonies, videos, music and more. The Church has revamped the site and if you have teens at home, take a look.

The following video was taken from that site. Enjoy.

We welcome your comments, wish you a great weekend, and remind you to take advantage of our Free Download Friday.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Friday 13 May, click here.

Gifts from the Heart

2011-05-11T05:00:00.003-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

The following excerpt was taken from a 1980 talk given by then Elder Joseph B. Eyring, entitled Gifts of Love:

“I’ve always had a daydream of being a great gift giver. I can picture someone opening my gift with tears of joy and a smile showing that the giving, not just the gift, had touched a heart. …I’ve been building a theory.

My theory comes from thinking about many gifts and many holidays. But one day and one gift can illustrate it. It was a summer day. My mother died in the early afternoon. My father, my brother, and I had gone from the hospital to our family home, just the three of us. Friends and family came to the house, and went. In a lull, we fixed ourselves a snack.

Dad answered the door bell. It was Aunt Catherine and Uncle Bill. When they’d walked just a few feet past the vestibule, Uncle Bill extended his hand and I could see that he was holding a bottle of cherries. I can still see the deep red, almost purple, cherries and the shining gold cap on the mason jar. He said, “You might enjoy these. You probably haven’t had dessert.”

We hadn’t. The three of us sat around the kitchen table and put some cherries in bowls and ate them as Uncle Bill and Aunt Catherine cleared some dishes. ... And then Aunt Catherine and Uncle Bill were gone. They could not have been with us more than 20 minutes.

Now, you can understand my theory best if you focus on one gift: the bottle of cherries. As nearly as I can tell, the giving and receiving of a great gift always has three parts. Here they are, illustrated by that gift on a summer evening.

First, I knew that Uncle Bill and Aunt Catherine …must have felt we’d be too tired to fix much food. Just knowing that someone had understood meant far more than the cherries themselves. I can’t remember the taste of the cherries, but I remember that someone knew my heart and cared.

Second, I felt the gift was free. I knew Uncle Bill and Aunt Catherine had chosen freely to bring a gift. And I knew they weren’t doing it to compel a response from me. The gift seemed to provide them joy in the giving.

And third, there was sacrifice. I knew that from the cherries being home bottled. That meant Aunt Catherine had made them for her family. They must have liked cherries. But she took that possible pleasure for them and gave it to me. There was sacrifice, but it was made for a greater return to them—my happiness.

Well, there is a simple theory. When you’re on the receiving end, you will discover three things in the great gift giver: he felt what you felt and was touched; he gave freely; and he counted sacrifice a bargain.”

How simple and elementary. When we give gifts we go all out trying to have a great find, and make the receiver full of joy. In reality, any gift that comes from the heart will have a great impact.

The thought that drives me most of the time is SIMPLIFY. A gift from the heart will be thoughtful and simple, and will delight anyone who’s getting it, right?

As always we welcome your comments.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Wednesday 11 May, click here.

Offering Comfort

2011-05-09T05:00:00.002-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

“For when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men”

2 Nephi 33:1

We sometimes wonder how it feels to really ‘hear’ the voice of the Holy Ghost. President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve gave us an ideal understanding of that moment in his 1991 talk ‘How Does the Spirit Speak to Us? He said:

“We do not have the words—even the scriptures do not have the words—which perfectly describe the Spirit. The scriptures usually use the word voice. That does not exactly fit—it does, but it doesn’t. These very delicate, fine spiritual communications are not seen with our eyes nor heard with our ears; it is a voice that one feels more than hears.

When we experience a spiritual communication, we are wont to say within ourselves, “This is it. Now I understand.” That is what is meant by those words in the revelations. Nephi explained it this way:

“Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do” (2 Nephi 32:3)"

A spiritual communication should be a very important part of our day. It should be something we actively pursue. We came from Heavenly parents, it’s in us to be able to find that communication that saves spiritually.

As always we welcome your comments.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Monday 9 May, click here.

Unearthing Treasures

2011-05-06T05:00:00.002-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

We have been counseled to grow gardens by one of our prophets. Life started in the garden of Eden. Jesus shed blood through His pores in the garden of Gethsemane. Gardens appear to be important.

In the April 1978 Ensign, Richard M. Romney published his article ‘Grow YourOwn Soup.’ In it he says:

"In a Bohemian folk tale, a vagrant soldier surprises an entire town when he plunks two polished rocks into a caldron and says he’s going to make “stone soup.” The curious villagers are eager to have a taste, so they gladly bring a few carrots, onions, turnips, and other vegetables to spice up the broth, and everyone ends up with a good meal, even the soldier.

Church members, heeding President Spencer W. Kimball’s call to plant gardens, won’t likely be contributing their vegetables to someone’s stone soup. But they may, in cultivating their gardens, discover a delightful secret—they can grow many of the ingredients of a hearty soup, including spices, right in their own backyards."

We welcome your comments, wish you a great weekend, and remind you to take advantage of our Free Download Friday.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Friday 29 April, click here.

Bless Your Nest

2011-05-04T05:00:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Ere you left your room this morning,

Did you think to pray?...

When your soul was full of sorrow,

Balm of Gilead did you borrow

At the gates of day?

O how praying rest the weary!

Pray will change the night to day;

So when life gets dark and dreary

Don't forget to pray.

Hymns, # 31

The first commandment says: “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” (Mark 12:28–30; see Matt. 22:37; Luke 10:27; Deut. 6:4–5.)

We are at times overwhelmed by our bodies, and our bodies determine how we’re going to act or react to different situations.

PresidentBoyd K. Packer has said the following: “There is another part of us, not so tangible, but quite as real as our physical body. This intangible part of us is described as mind, emotion, intellect, temperament, and many other things. Very seldom is it described as spiritual.” In the world we live in, most people don’t want to acknowledge the presence of a spirit, or talk about a soul. Isn’t that interesting?

Another thought from the same talk: “All of us experience some temporary physical sickness. All of us now and again may be spiritually ill as well. Too many of us, however, are chronically spiritually sick.”

Have you ever been down with the ‘blues’ and didn’t know how to let go of those feelings? It happens to the best of us. We all, at some point in our lives will go through our own version of Gethsemane. How we manage to shake those feelings will say a lot about our character.

President Packer said: “Obedience is a powerful spiritual medicine. It comes close to being a cure-all.” (same)

So, what are things that we can use to get through a harsh trial, and show obedience at the same time:

1- Attend Church. The fact that you’re trying and participating in the Sacrament will help you get through the week.

2- Say Your Prayers. Even if you don’t feel like it, as soon as you get on your knees, the Spirit will come to you and guide you on how to talk to your Father.

3- Read Your Scriptures. Even if it is one verse a day, you’re showing Heavenly Father that you’re obedient. The blessing of understanding will come over you.

4- Fast For Yourself. Use the principle of fasting to your advantage, you will be blessed. I have.

5- Attend the Temple. This is a big one. I remember going through a heart break a few years ago. I was a spiritual vegetable, I was just going through the motions; I couldn’t function. My calling at the time was just as an organist, and that was a blessing in itself, because I don’t know if I could have been able to prepare, teach and share testimony during a lesson: it was beyond me. My loving husband would take me to the temple and that’s where I found my own Balm of Gilead. The promptings, the love bestowed on me by the Spirit and the many tender mercies I received there of the Most High is something that will carry me for a long time. If for any reason I allow myself to feel down again, I remember those precious moments of quiet contemplation sitting in the Celestial room, enveloped by the soft reassurance that I am loved.

6- Forgive. It will do wonders for you. Miracles happen when people forgive one another. Even if it’s one-sided, forgive and move on, you will notice your load seems lighter.

My question is: isn’t your soul important enough to save? Some of us take very good care of our bodies, but we somehow forget about our spirits and spiritual lives. Absence of proof is not proof of absence.

I hope we all take better care of our immortal souls.

As always we welcome your comments.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Wednesday 4 May, click here.

About Mothers

2011-05-02T05:00:00.004-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

We’re coming up on that all important day of the year: Mother’s Day. The day that if you don’t remember, you’re certainly in big trouble.

I’d like to share something that President Thomas S. Monson (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint) said in his talk Behold Thy Mother. He mentioned four different mothers:

1- “‘Mother forgotten’ is observed all too frequently. The nursing homes are crowded, the hospital beds are full, the days come and go—often the weeks and months pass—but mother is not visited. Can we not appreciate the pangs of loneliness, the yearnings of mother’s heart when hour after hour, alone in her age, she gazes out the window for the loved one who does not visit, the letter the postman does not bring?

2- Men turn from evil and yield to their better natures when mother is remembered. A famed officer from the Civil War period, Colonel Higginson, when asked to name an incident that he considered remarkable, said that there was ... a man whom everybody like, ... absolutely free of dissipations. One night at a champagne supper, when many were becoming intoxicated, someone in jest called for a toast from this young man. The man arose and declared: 'Gentlemen, I will give you a toast which you may drink as you will, but which I will drink in water. The toast is 'Our Mothers.' Instantly a strange spell seemed to come over all the tipsy men. They drank the toast in silence. The lamp of memory had begun to burn, and the name of Mother touched every man's heart.

3- Let us turn to 'mother blessed.' For one of the most beautiful and reverent examples, I refer to the Holy Scriptures. In the New Testament of our Lord, perhaps we have no more moving account than the tender regard of the Master for the grieving widow at Nain.

4- Finally, let us contemplate 'mother loved.' One certain way each can demostrate genuine love for mother is to live the truths mother so patiently taught. Such a lofty goal is not new to our present generation. In the times described in the Book of Mormon, we read of a brave leader named Helaman who did march in righteous battle at the head of 2,000 young men."

I've been taken by the story of the stripling warrior mothers for a very long time. I remember reading it again and again, thinking that I wanted them to be a model to me. In fact, my son knows that if someone were to ask me what my favorite scripture in the Book of Mormon is, there's no doubt which one I'd choose.

Of course we all want to be in the last group. Do you think the Lamanite mothers just sat around and waited for their sons to grow up to be righteous men, or maybe they taught them from the time they were very young?

As always we welcome your comments.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Monday 2 May, click here.

A Fairy Tale Life

2011-04-29T05:00:00.005-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

Since we have a ~~tall~~ tale by Cindy Beck, I thought I could just bring a cute joke told by Elder M. Russell Ballard to a group of young adults. It goes like this:

"A judge was interviewing a woman regarding her pending divorce and asked:

“What are the grounds for your divorce?”

“About four acres with a nice little home in the middle of the property with a little stream running by.”

“No,” he said, “I mean what is the foundation of this case?”

“It is made of concrete, brick, and mortar,” she responded.

“I mean,” he continued, “what are your relations like?”

She answered that they were fine. “I have an aunt and uncle living here in town as do my husband’s parents.”

He said, “No, do you have a real grudge?”

“No,” she replied, “we have a two-car carport and have never really needed a garage.”

“Please,” he tried again, “is there any infidelity in your marriage?”

“Yes, both my son and daughter have hi-fi sets. We don’t necessarily like the music, but the answer to your question is yes.”

“No. Does your husband ever beat you up?”

“Yes,” she responded, “about twice a week he gets up earlier than I do.”

Finally the judge asked, “Why do you want a divorce?”

“Oh, I don’t want a divorce. I’ve never wanted a divorce. My husband does. He says that he can’t seem to communicate with me.”

Here's hoping that you have a great weekend, enjoy the cool mornings, do something great with your family and take advantage of our Free Download Friday.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Friday 29 April, click here.

Tips for You

2011-04-27T05:00:00.009-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Since we’re talking about ‘tips’ today, I found tips for an array of different topics.

Wheat Storage Tips

Plastic trash bags should not be used to store wheat. According to reports, some chemical residues migrate from this type of plastic into the wheat. If you’ve already stored in this manner, probably you do not need to discard the wheat; simply transfer it to other appropriate containers.—ClaytonS. Huber, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Brigham Young University.

Moving Day Tips

Because our family has moved 12 times in 16 years of marriage, I have greatly appreciated service rendered by Church members during our various moves. Here are some suggestions for helping make someone’s moving day go smoothly.

· Help pack.

· Provide food.

· Offer child care.

· Help load trucks.

· Clean Up.

· Address sleeping needs.

· Welcome move-ins.—Lydie Strasburg, Warner Robins, Georgia

Tips forTalks

Every now and then, you’re going to be asked to speak in a Church meeting. It’s inevitable. But do you feel a bit uncomfortable about your ability to prepare and present interesting talks? Following are several simple steps that can help you prepare for a successful experience.

· Select a subject.

· Identify your purpose.

· Research the subject.

· Organize your material simply and logically.

· Introduce the subject with a scripture, story, example, question, or other attention-getting method.

· State the purpose of your remarks.

· Develop each idea that supports your purpose with an analogy, illustration, or explanation.

· Conclude by repeating the point simply and directly.

Practice your presentation. Get someone to listen to you, or practice in front of a mirror. As you rehearse, anticipate the reactions of the congregation.

Are there any tips you’d like to share with us? We’re always looking for good writers who’d like to share with the rest of us. It may be you.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Wednesday 27 April, click here.

Battling Depression

2011-04-25T05:00:00.012-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

I didn't know my mother had it. I think a lot of women don't know their mothers had it; that's the sad thing about depression. You know, you don't function anymore. You shut down.

You feel like you are in a void.

~Marie Osmond

Sometimes we may be depressed, and we don't even know it. I feel it in the winter months, it's known as SAD (seasonal affective disorder). I think I have it because I was born in a temperate climate and was transplanted to an area that has cold and snow six months out of the year. I feel the sadness settling in, and there's nothing I can do about it, until spring comes. Exercise helps a lot and I'm thankful for a modern luxury like a treadmill.

In the April 2002 Ensign, Shanna Ghaznavi wrote the article "Rising Above the Blues." The following is a short excerpt from it:

"Some of the symptoms of depression are persistent sadness, lack of energy, and suicidal thoughts. You might not enjoy many of the things you used to, and daily tasks might seem overwhelming. Although the same factors cause depression in both sexes, boys and girls tend to react differently to the same problems. Boys often act out in many cases, through violence, substance abuse, or getting into other kinds of trouble. Girls tend to become sad and withdraw socially, emotionally, or both. Each person will have a different combination of symptoms."

We see people who are depressed and have no actual skills to help them. Anybody can be depressed: children (it's so sad to see them like that-no pun intended), teenagers, new moms, adults and the aging.

Another excerpt from the same article:

"When people told Melissa to snap out of it, it only made her feel worse. She would try but would still wake up the next day feeling awful. ‘I didn’t even realize I was depressed,’ she says, ‘I didn’t even think to turn to my Heavenly Father for help.’ She also didn’t want to talk to her mom about what she was feeling. ‘But once I talked to her she was really supportive, and I needed that.’

When Melissa was 14, her mom took her to a doctor. ‘At first I thought, No way! I don’t need a counselor. I’m fine! But I guess I wasn’t fine. When you’re depressed you don’t really realize there’s something wrong with you. And when you finally do recognize it, you’re so immune to it that it’s hard to deal with.’

Melissa has been in counseling for more than a year, and she looks forward to her once-a-week therapy sessions now. She’s glad she decided to get help. ‘I didn’t think I would ever need help. After a while I finally realized I needed to get down on my knees and ask for help. And that help came. I turned to my scriptures more often, and there would always be something there I needed to hear.”

With charity in our hearts and actions, even if we’re not qualified to aid someone with depression, we should still be able to be of help.

As always we welcome your comments.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Monday 25 April, click here

Feel the Savior's Love

2011-04-22T05:00:00.005-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

John 19:30

At this time, just two days before Easter, we want to remember our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by showing this Mormon Messages video.

We want to share our strong belief that He is the one who was crucified, the one who atoned for our sins, the one who left the tomb and is resurrected.

We welcome your comments, wish you a great Easter weekend, and remind you to take advantage of our Free Download Friday.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Friday 22 April, click here.

Spring Planning

2011-04-20T07:00:00.005-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Awake, thou wintry earth -
Fling off thy sadness!
Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth
Your ancient gladness!

~Thomas Blackburn, "An Easter Hymn"

We seem to wait for things to happen to us. For example: we wait to get married, or to start a family, or for the right opportunity to come our way. We wait for the right moment to make a proposal (of any kind).

We also can’t wait for spring to come. And this year it gives the impression that Mother Nature is holding on to spring and wants to keep Old Man Winter out a bit longer.

What are your plans for the next few weeks of enjoyment before we get the full blast of summer?

I’ve been so involved with our remodel, which is finally over by the way, that I haven’t gone outside to start any plantings yet. But I’m ready now.

There’s so much to do: weeding, turning soil over, planting, and then more weeding.

I’m also getting ready for all those beautiful spring weddings coming our way. I love to see all those young couples starting their lives together. They seem so alive and fresh, so new.

Let’s see, what else is out there? Oh yes: going to the park, getting out for a run or bicycle ride, and don’t forget the yard/garage sales where you can get great finds. And the kids start their outdoor sports again.

Spring is a great time of the year, a renewal of sorts. Let’s enjoy it while we can.

As always we welcome your comments.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Wednesday 20 April, click here.

Celebrate Goodness

2011-04-18T05:00:00.004-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

Psalms 33:5

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

It’s spring, and the whole earth seems renewed in all that’s good for us: green lawns, clean homes, more sunshine, and a desire to go and do good deeds.

This last weekend our stake was split. My family and I ended up in the new stake, the Utah Layton Legacy stake. We had two visitors from the Seventy: elder Golden and elder Porter, who were assigned to our stake to come interview the prospective new stake presidencies, since both were getting a new set of leaders.

At the same time, I was preparing myself to host a group of six teenagers at my house for a Senior prom dinner. I was too worried about all the preparations that were going on at home to think about the changes that were taking place in the local church.

You may wonder why is any of this good. Well, a few days earlier, I was asked to come and take a group picture of the Stake presidency and the High council members, for the purpose of archiving at the stake records.

When I walked in that room the Spirit testified to me so strongly that those are good men, that their desires to do good outweigh any other concern. The priesthood power in that room was considerable. The whispers of the spirit made me realize that the priesthood is real, that if wielded in righteousness, it’s a resource for good. I want to be protected by it and honor it the best I can.

If something as simple as a chance meeting makes us feel good about ourselves, shouldn’t we be looking for more opportunities to feel this way and actually affect change in ourselves that will bring this to pass?

My hope is that we will find goodness in all those things that were put on the earth for our benefit.

As always we welcome your comments.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Monday 18 April, click here.

Just Do it

2011-04-15T05:00:00.008-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

"Any excuse for non-performance, no matter how valid, weakens character." — Spencer W. Kimball

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

President Kimball encouraged us to be active, to do what’s right, to keep journals, plant gardens, do missionary work, work on our genealogy, be faithful to our spouses, enjoy family life and respect each other.

There are so many activities we could be involved in, the list above I took from just one talk President Kimball gave back in May of 1978, ‘The True Way of Life and Salvation.'

All we need to do is make a decision about what we want to do with our lives and just go for it. If a prophet of the Lord in these last days tells us that we should plant a garden or keep a journal, shouldn’t we do it? There may be skeptics who probably think we don’t have to do everything is asked of us in the scriptures. Or that we may be given a few stripes and then we'll be saved in the Kingdom of Heaven with our Father.

I wonder how many of us are willing to gamble their eternal lives on an assumption.

We welcome your comments, wish you a great weekend, and remind you to take advantage of our Free Download Friday.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Friday 14 April, click here.

Mourning a Loss

2011-04-13T05:00:00.034-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Matthew 6:21; 3 Nephi 13:21

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

I was watching the news and they showed a bit about Japan. They showed people going through the rubble among the destruction of buildings and homes and looking for things they can salvage. They clean them and itemize them, so they can eventually bring the owner and his pictures or other items together again. The gentleman that was giving the interview seemed choked up at some point, while trying to explain why he and his crew (all volunteers) are doing this.

Then they showed a refugee in another area. She’s been displaced from her home, having to leave everything behind to save her life. She said that she hopes that there would be something for her to pass on to future generations when she leaves this life.

We all experience loss at some point in our lives. Sometimes it is very close, like when we lose parents or siblings. Sometimes it is very personal, as when we lose a close friend. Sometimes it is shocking, like when we see others go through a tragedy. In any case, we as people experience mourning.

What makes some people cope better than others?

I believe that in most cases, regardless of our personal religious beliefs, the gospel of Jesus Christ will bring comfort and peace to our souls. He even promised:

"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4

What strikes me the most about the story I mentioned above is the fact that those people interviewed were talking about things lost. Do we give more importance to the things that will perish, no matter how much we spend trying to make them permanent?

Let me give you an example: I love scrapbooking. I have been doing it for nearly 16 years now. I love the way those books I made for my kids look, showing how wonderfully I manipulated the paper and pictures to showcase a cohesive look.

However, just recently (about a year or so ago) I picked up digital scrapbooking. I learned to use Photoshop, I have a digital camera, and I can do wonders. Do you know what convinced me to make the change? The fact that the companies that sell photographic paper affirm that their paper can hold the images for close to 200 years. Who wouldn’t want that? It’s for posterity, right?

My kids tease me a lot about my pictures and ask to choose between something (whatever) and my pictures. I always pick my pictures. They know how important they are to me. They’ve never asked if I’d choose between them and the pictures.

I hope they know that my family takes priority over anything else in my life.

As always we welcome your comments.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Wednesday 13 April, click here.

Think of Christ

2011-04-11T05:00:00.030-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

(Matthew 7:1, 2)

Gustave Doré (1832-1883), Woman Taken in Adultery (detail).

We all remember these words from Jesus. He taught that we shouldn’t judge less we be judged.

However, we can’t go through life without making decisions. We have to make judgments to move ahead: what kind of friends should I have, how to keep my body clean (or not), what lifestyle do I choose to live, they are all judgment choices.

These same verses are written a bit differently in the JST:

“Judge not unrighteously, that ye be not judged; but judge righteous judgment.”

Now the question is what is righteous judgment? How do we make a righteous judgment? Can we as mere mortals make such determination?

The best way we can provide righteous judgment is by assessing the situation without judging the individual.

The Lord has told us:

“Thou hypocrite, first cast the beam out of thine own eye; and then shall thou see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5)

If I put someone down, without call, showing bad feelings, that’s probably not a righteous judgment. If someone comes to me asking for an opinion about a life matter, and I talk to this person with love and compassion, weighing in pros and cons, presenting the gospel in the conversation, that would be considered righteous judgment, because I didn’t demean the person’s bad choices (if there were any).

Something comes to mind about this. May I remind you of the situation between the Pharisees, Christ and the adulterous woman? I just love the part where Jesus says:

“Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” (John 8:11)

Christ showed compassion on her situation. He didn’t say ‘I forgive you’ to her as He’d said to other people, simply because she hadn’t shown remorse or repentance yet. By telling her ‘sin no more’ He was giving her a chance for repentance. In this instance, He showed us how to judge righteously.

My prayer is that we may all have enough charity in our hearts to judge the way the Lord has taught us.

As always, we welcome your comments.

Reduce Use and Get More

2011-04-08T05:00:00.008-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, …but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake: but the LORD was not in the earthquake:And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

1 Kings 19:11, 12

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

I think this is one of the most poetic scriptures in the Old Testament.

How can we claim that we don’t receive answers to our prayers, when our Father in Heaven is just waiting to have communication with us?

I just had a conversation with a person that claims the Lord doesn’t answer prayers, this person affirms that the heavens are closed. So I asked how the prayers are directed: is there only ask, ask, ask, or is there something more? Is there a sense of love towards our Father, or do we just expect Him to give us what we want?

When the Lord speaks to us, it is in a soft and loving manner. I have prayed a few times, without much thinking about what I was saying. There have been times when I received an answer right away, but the answer was not at all what I was expecting. There are so many layers within an answer that comes from the Lord, that I’d like to share my insight with you:

a- My Father knows me

b- He listens to me

c- He answers my prayers

d- I am His daughter

Up until this personal experience, praying was a habit, and if I got an answer, was either through someone else, or as a tender mercy. There have been times when I felt I was away from the presence of my Father, and how lonely that felt. So I used repentance and the power of the Atonement to fix that little problem we were having, and restored our good relationship.

So, what do you say to someone who says they don’t get any answers? Just keep trying.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5,6).

We should trust the Lord that the Plan of Happiness is real, that the Atonement of Jesus Christ did happen and that there's a reason for us to be here.

We welcome your comments, wish you a great weekend, and remind you to take advantage of our Free Download Friday.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Friday 8 April, click here.

Chasing Perfection

2011-04-06T05:00:00.013-06:00

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 5:48

Our Savior’s words from the Sermon on the Mount are of some concern to most of us, right?

In my opinion, it’s a tall order. Who can be perfect? I think we all can strive to achieve perfection, but it’s a difficult thing to do, since we are not gods yet.

I believe that’s better to aim at excellence. It’s achievable, and doable. There has only been one perfect being on this earth, and that was Jesus Christ.

"The more perfect we are the gentler and quiet we become towards the defects of others." Anonymous

The Prophet Joseph has taught:

“When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the Gospel—you must begin with the first and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned them. It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1977, p. 348; italics added.)

I love this saying:

Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

My question is, what are we willing to give up, in order to become perfect?

As always, we welcome your comments.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Monday, 6 April, please click here.