Smart Choices

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

President James E. Faust

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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.

Research Your Family's History

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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

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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.

Baskets and Books

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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.

Give It Your Best

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"By small and simple things

are great things

brought to pass."

 Alma 37:6

I just discovered a new place to help the Church. You know how they have different links for different places: preparedness, twelve step programs, genealogy?

Well, the new place is called The Vineyard. This web site provides access to volunteer service opportunities for the LDS Church.  You sign up as a volunteer to help with anything to do with the Church publications. You get a login name, the same one you use for Church business will do. If you don’t have a Church login, just get in touch with your membership clerk in your ward and then follow instructions.

The Vineyard offers plenty to do. The opportunities found there are comprised of hundreds of thousands of very small tasks. Collaborating as a group to complete these tasks, anyone can help further the work of the Church.

One is to prepare Church content to share with the world. The Church has thousands of documents that need to be evaluated before they can be sent to people worldwide. Your participation will allow many more people to find and enjoy the gospel messages that God has provided to Church leaders.

Another activity to choose is to tag videos or pictures sent by contributors.

I just signed up to do some translating. I’ll be part of a team and given pieces to translate that then I’ll present to the rest of the group, and they’ll make corrections or allow it to go on.

I think is very interesting and exhilarating to be able to help in a way I can.

So go ahead and check out this new website, and share it with your friends and neighbors.

As always, we welcome your comments.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 9 March, please click here.
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Being Resolute

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We usually think of resolutions, and what we want to accomplish in our lives at the beginning of a new year.

A few years ago I was lucky (or well organized with my time) enough to attend a mini-class in Relief Society where the presenter focused on goals and how we should plan our goals. He said, among other things, that:

1- Goals should be written, so we could remember them later

2- There should be big goals, and small goals. Maybe the latter could be included in the former

3- We should put a quantifier in them. Ex: ‘I’m going to lose 20 lbs this year;’ as opposed to ‘I should lose some weight this year.’

4- There should be a deadline. Ex: ‘I’ll finish my canning by the end of October.’

So, let me share with you how we do it at my home. We get together the first Monday (Family Home evening) of the New Year, and have paper and pencil ready. After prayer and song, we take a few minutes to put our thoughts together and decide on our goals for the year. It helps to have the paper where the goals for the previous year were written, to make our list for the year ahead.

We also put our heads together to come up with goals for the whole family, such us: Are we taking a family vacation? Where? How are we going to pay for it? What kind of sacrifices are we willing to make? Or, Are we growing a garden this year? Are we going to get together faithfully to help with the weeding? Are we willing to sacrifice our time, to get a plentiful reward?

After we share our own personal goals, Dad prints them on a piece of paper that we stick to the refrigerator. Throughout the year we check our goals and cross off the ones that we’ve accomplished. It gives us a sense of fulfillment and ownership of our decisions.

How do you do it at your home? Please share your comments with us.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 12 January, please click here.

Personal Touch

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This month Personal Touch celebrates Christmas with a special series on the Life and Miracles of Jesus Christ. To gain a deeper understanding of the miracle of the Savior's birth, we begin with an interview with gospel scholar Paul Thomas Smith. Paul wrote the text in the new book, This Is The Christ: Art by Carl Heinrich Bloch. Within its pages, readers see the Danish artist's masterpieces depicting the life of Christ and find Smith's explanations of the events, their history, and scriptural background. This Is The Christ coincides with Brigham Young University's Museum of Art exhibit of Bloch's artwork, The Master's Hand, which runs through May 7, 2011. Paul Thomas Smith has taught for the Church Educational System and served on the Institute curriculum writing committee; he was also a faculty member at the Joseph Smith Academy at Nauvoo, Illinois, and arranged for tours to Church historic sites in seven states. A charter member of the Florida Mission, he has served on several Church writing committees and in various callings. He and his wife, Gail, currently serve as ordinance workers at the Bountiful Utah Temple. Paul is a service missionary for the Historic Sites Division of the Historical Department, is a docent for the Museum of Church History, and records for the Utah State Library for the Blind.

Web: http://moa.byu.edu/index.php?id=1809

 

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We all know of Santa Claus and that he brings presents to children on Christmas. No matter how you feel about his involvement with the holiday, he’s here to stay, and he’s been a staple for a very long time. Let me share his story with you today.


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 Nicholas lived in a village in a country that today is Turkey. He was the son of a wealthy family, and became a monk at a young age. One of the stories told of him says: “In the not too distant city of Myra, the Bishop of the church passed away. As the authorities of the church assembled to consider his replacement, Nicholas was there. The man considered wisest amongst the authorities had a dream and was visited by a heavenly messenger. He inquired of the angel "Who should the new Bishop be?" The angel said that if the gathered authorities would just wait by the door of the church they should select the first person named Nicholas to walk through the doors. The church authorities had their answer, and Nicholas had his miracle and was named the youngest bishop of the church ever on record.”
 

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 As a bishop, he continued to help others, and was known for defending those who could not defend themselves.
During the Middle Ages, life was hard and dreary, so people tried to mitigate their existence by celebrating with feast days named after popular saints. The word holiday comes from holy day, which were days set aside by the Catholic church to honor their saints. With time, the feasts came to be a combination of secular and religious activities.


One story is worth mentioning: there was a father with three daughters. They were so poor that he couldn’t afford a dowry for any of them. In the middle of the night, Nicholas came to their help and left a small bag of gold coins (some people say through an open window, others down a chimney). In any case, he did it three times for each one of the girls.

Nicholas died in 342 AD. He was very popular for his acts of kindness, was canonized and became the patron saint of children.



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From those times, Saint Nicholas, “SaintNiclaus”, Santa Claus, was seen as a fatherly figure dressed in bishop’s clothes. It wasn’t until the late 19th or early 20th century that he was transformed into the jolly old elf that we all know now.

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Some of us can bring up the fact that Santa is part of a very commercial holiday. Some of us can say that it’s fun for the kids. I like the story that depicts Santa kneeling in front of the baby Jesus. I think that brings it more into perspective. Yes, we can go out and buy presents, in moderation, since baby Jesus was given presents, and we all love to show our appreciation for others. But shouldn’t we hold in our hearts the spirit of giving throughout the year?

I’ll leave you with the quote from Dickens: “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”

Sources here, here and here.

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

Personal Touch

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In our Personal Touch with Rebecca Cressman segment, she interviews Shaun Barrowes, who is an internationally acclaimed, award winning singer-songwriter who has toured the world, received major radio airplay, and written music for major video games and movies. He’s also an American Idol finalist who believes he and his band members have benefited tremendously from their own High School music and arts programs, so he envisioned a way to give back. Shaun Barrowes and his band members are traveling the country with the “Live For Music Tour”, performing at high schools, with school Choirs, Bands, and Dance teams to raise funds for local school music and arts programs.




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 Annette Lyon, from Out of the Best Books, wrote this article called “Forgiveness and Gratitude.” She mentions a time in her life when it was hard for her to forgive. She tells us: “Grudges are painfully easy to hold onto and are hard to let go. A cloud descends, blocking out the spirit and making other things—like feeling genuine gratitude during the Thanksgiving season—almost impossible.” She then lets us know how she dealt with those feelings, and how she let go of them. A lesson for all of us.



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 Laurie D. at LDS Blogs talks to teens in her article “Teens: Who Do You Think You Are?” In it, she alludes to a movie that led many teens to wonder about just that a while ago. She says: “I immediately appreciated the message this movie portrays, that we are so much more than our obvious talents make us out to be. If this weren’t truth I would never have tried out for Pep Club my junior year of high school, as my obvious talents lay in the fields of music and writing. Yet I made it and had a wonderful time.”

http://lds.org/

President Benson gave this talk “Following The Prophet - 14 Fundamentals by Ezra Taft Benson” at a BYU devotional on 26 February, 1980. Just recently, two General Authorities quoted from it. Maybe we should watch this video, and take notes.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Monday, 8 November, please click here.

Personal Touch

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In our Personal Touch with Rebecca Cressman segment, she interviews Trent Howell. He and his family believe that every family should spend more time together playing games. Like most families, Trent and his wife try to find balance among all the activities pulling family members in different directions. By making it a priority to sit down and play games together, they're able to reconnect with one another in a fun way that strengthens everyone involved. And to encourage other families around the world to enjoy the benefits of spending more face-to-face time with their families, they created The Board Game Family, where they review card and board games. But unlike other reviewers, the reviews come mostly from the children. It's the kids that describe in the video reviews why they like to play the game. So check out
http://www.theboardgamefamily.com/ to see what games might be good for your family's game table.

Have you ever read the scriptures looking for more than solace or an answer to a spiritual question? How about enjoying them, as part of a ‘feast’ to the soul? Annette Lyon brings to us “Feasting on the Word,” and she mentions the feast that Aslan (from the C.S. Lewis books) had prepared for his friends, which is reminiscent of the feast the Lord has promised all of us. She says: “In the scriptures, we have a glorious feast provided for us. Do we see and taste little more than damp hay and turnips?” I think we should see the scriptures as something more than just a guide for our lives. They’re an invitation to something better: a feast fit for kings and queens. Let’s enjoy them as such. Annette blogs at ‘Out of the Best Books,’ and her latest book Band of Sisters is out in bookstores now.

If we believe what we read in the scriptures, and have a good relationship with Heavenly Father, we’ll have a testimony that prayers are answered. C. S. Bezas, from ‘Bella Online,’ wrote her article “Find Rest in the Word of God.” She tells us the following: “…when we truly seek Him we grow in confidence--absolute awareness--that the Lord hears us.” She mentions the words in the book of Alma (Book of Mormon) where the word of God is likened to a seed, and how we should let it grow and allow it to influence our lives. Since we mentioned feasts before, remember what Jesus said: "...he that cometh to me shall never hunger..."John 6:35). Let’s have the desire to go to Him of our own free will and choice.

Just before summer is completely gone, how about making a delicious slushy with the fruits available out there? From ‘CraziBeautifulWomen,’ we have contributor’s Laura “Strawberry Watermelon Slush.” All you need is some seedless watermelon, fresh strawberries, sugar, lemon, and ice. Make it for your next family night or get together.


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

Green is 'In'

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Hello everyone. Our Friday newsletter cannot possibly be any 'greener.'

Our first article comes from author Annette Lyon. She tells us that we can teach children to be more ‘green’, but there’s also something else to gain from teaching them, she says: “Your children may well rise to the “green” challenge—and even pass off some Cub Scout or Activity Day requirements along the way.” Annette’s latest book, “Band of Sisters” is out in bookstores now.

Our next entry is from “Latter-day Sustainability.” The contributor named the article ‘Commentary: Is being "green" too expensive? I don't buy it. (Pun intended)’, and gives us a few points on what to do, namely: reduce, reuse and recycle. He also gives us tips on things that can save us some money. Read it, it might change the way you look at things.

The last article is from “Chocolate on My Cranium”, and the blogger, Cocoa, calls it ‘Au Naturale.’ It’s mainly about the products that we use daily at home, and she just wonders what kind of ingredients the manufacturers put in them. She mentions the following: “We've been using homemade soap for the last year, wear homemade chapstick, and just recently started using homemade laundry detergent.” And she even provides links to websites that have recipes for such items. Fantastic!



As usual, on Fridays Positive Music and Downloads offers Free Download Friday. Please enjoy the music of Colors, and their song "Soledad."


Have a great time this weekend, and go ahead and drop off a few words in the comments section, we'll certainly appreciate that.


To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Friday, 9 July's, please click here.

Father's Day Special

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Good morning everyone, the weekend is upon us. And it so happens, it's Father's day on Sunday. So take time to go visit your dad, bring a sweet --or sugar-free desert, and enjoy a good time with extended family. Let your kids see how you get along with their grandfather. Make some memories together. Growing up, I only had my maternal grandfather to relate to. My dad's father was alive, but out of the picture; I never even saw him. He drove trucks, so sometimes we'd be outside in the front yard, and I'd hear my mom say "It's your grandpa!", and I'd look and all I'd see was an arm waving out of a fast moving truck. That's my memory of my grandpa Silvano. Of course I idolized my grandpa Americo, he was the best.

Our first entry comes from Annette Lyon, and her article "Letter to the Almost Man in my Life." Annette is a published author, her latest book "Band of Sisters" is out in stores now. Her letter to her son is so sweet, tender and almost nostalgic, you want to do the same and start writing letters: to parents, your children, your siblings, anyone. Go ahead, read it, I promise you'll be inspired.

Next, we have a cute article "The Best Father's Day Gift." It comes from "Whiffs of the Bread of Life", and the author, The Door Fanner, is telling us that giving thanks is the best present we can give to Him who has everything. So, go ahead, give thanks, I think He will appreciate it.

Our last article comes from Cheri at "I am Momma Hear me Roar." She is so talented, you should check out all the items she makes, great ideas to craft and give away. This one is a "Father's Day Inspiration", and easy to make, you can change it to add your own design, if your hubby is into golf, grilling or something else. Kudos to her craftiness.

As usual, on Fridays Positive Music and Downloads offers Free Download Friday. Please enjoy the Alston sisters "Daddy's Little Girl."

Have a great weekend, spend it with family, and if you have time, drop off a few words in the comments section, we'll certainly appreciate that.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Friday, 18 June's, please click here.

Have a Good Reading Time

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Ahhh summer. There's nothing like taking a short (or long) vacation, having backyard barbecues, reading a book, drinking a glass of cold, satisfying glass of lemonade, going to the pool.

Let's hit the books. To start, we have author Annette Lyon's contribution "Book of Mormon Marathon." Annette blogs at "Out of the Best Books", and her book "Band of Sisters" is out. She's telling us about this read-a-thon she and her family had over President's Day weekend, and what they learned from the experience. Have you ever had a read-a-thon with your family, or as part of  a young man/woman class? They're exciting, and thank goodness don't come around often. I remember one in our ward a few years ago. The Young Women president had planned one with the girls, but a third of the way into it they ran out of steam, so she invited members of the ward to come and join them to read to the girls. A lot of the members did go and help, which helped the girls pick up steam again, and they did finish it. Sometimes it takes more people than you think to accomplish one of these things.

Our next entry comes from Jennifer, who blogs at "Adventures in McQuill-land." Her article is entitled "Summer Reading: Encouraging a Reluctant Reader." In each family it seems there's always the one that likes to read and then there's the one that cannot be convinced to grab a book. Which one were you? Jennifer says: "Parenting a reluctant reader is particularly difficult if you, the parent, are a reader! How could my child NOT enjoy reading? What is there not to enjoy?" Then she gives us a few ideas on how to make a reluctant reader have a good experience reading.

Our last entry comes from a Random Sampler at LDS.org. Since we're dedicating some space to family reunions, we found this article with good ideas for your next family reunion planning time. I'm sure some of you have heard of some of these ideas, but overall, they're different and fun.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 9 June's, please click here.

Personal Touch

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In today’s Personal Touch interview, Rebecca Cressman talks to Terri Ferran who finds comedy in the drama of life. The mother of six children balanced a full-time professional career as a CPA while raising her family. She’s written down her motherly wisdom in her new book called Life’s Alphabet Soup: When Your Children Make You Eat Your Words and says with a little bit of faith and a little laughter, stressed-out moms can rediscover how rewarding motherhood can be. Terri and her husband, Tod, are the parents of six children; three boys and three girls. When she’s not busy writing or doing mom things, Terri still loves to read, but can usually be found doing laundry, dishes, running errands, napping, eating chocolate or exercising (not necessarily in that order).

Our contributor Annette Lyon, published author of “Band of Sisters” talks about mothers, since Mother’s Day is just around the corner. However, she puts a spin on it, and calls it “Learning to Celebrate ME on Mother's Day”. She mentions her childhood like this: “Now that I’m a mother, I get it. My mom didn’t think she measured up to the mythical idea of the Ideal Mother—the mother that does not and has never existed. I’ve spent too many Mother’s Days thinking the same thing.”


President Thomas S. Monson remembers mothers in his charming way in his talk “Behold Thy Mother”. He mentions four different kinds of mothers. Read on and you’ll find who they are.


And finally, Emily a contributor to “Not So Idle Hands” gives us this simple craft to make and take to our mothers. A simple, yet timely present, that can be used as a necklace or a decoration in a book of remembrance.


To view a copy of Wednesday, 5 May's Neighborhood News, click here.

Easter Time is Here

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As we reflect on the events that happened 2,000 years ago, and look within ourselves to find and strengthen our testimonies on the Divinity of our Savior, and the reality of the Atonement, let’s make an effort to live His gospel the best way we can.


Annette Lyon took a trip to the Holy Land some time ago, and visited a few special places. In her article “The Real Message of Easter” she tells us how she felt while being there, and what we should treasure in our hearts. While you're reading her account, you can almost see the places that she saw, and wish you could go and see them yourself.


Who hasn’t felt deeply touched by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s talk “None Were with Him”? He says: “I speak of the Savior’s solitary task of shouldering alone the burden of our salvation.” Please enjoy a short version of this talk, given in the video provided by Mormon Messages. The Spirit will testify to you that Elder Holland’s testimony bears truth.


If you haven’t tried this activity with your family, you should do it at least once. It’s fun! I’m referring to the ‘Resurrection Eggs’ activity. In this case, it’s a Family Home Evening. It takes time to prepare, but it’s well worth the effort. I’ve done it with my children and children of our extended family; we did it all in one evening, not throughout the course of several days, as sometimes it’s done. It turned out well, and even the adults enjoyed it. In any case, try it.


To view a copy of Monday, 29 March's Neighborhood News, click here.

Dating, Courting and Marriage

Today's Neighborhood News brings Annette Lyon's Beyond the Wedding: What About Marriage?: "Like so many brides with stars in their eyes, I was young and naïve. I think back and wonder if we could have gotten a better start if we had prepared for our marriage as much as we prepared for the wedding."

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We can keep our marriages healthy in many different ways. That's why Rachel Brunner, from About.com, brings to us "12 Ways to Have a Happy, Healthy Marriage": "Everyone in this life is affected by marriage, either that of their parents, their own, or their children's. Keeping a marriage strong while surviving life's trials can be a huge struggle, but learning from other's experiences can help us through these times."

Feel Great! It's Your Radio. Have you listened to yourLDSradio.com? It offers music that makes you feel great! Founded by father of five, Gaylen Rust, in 2008, yourLDSradio began operating with a commitment to serve audiences and artists alike.

To view a copy of Friday, February 26th's, Neighborhood News, click here