Personal Touch

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

In our Personal Touch with Rebecca Cressman segment, she interviews John Waterbury, who was born in Guelph, Ontario, Canada and raised in Illinois. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Utah and a National Certified Counselor who has co-authored, with Lowell K. Oswald, a new book called Becometh as a Child: A Guide to Healing Emotionally, Growing Spiritually and Experiencing a Change of Heart. As a therapist, John has worked closely with child abuse victims and specializes in depression and anxiety disorders. He was nominated for the Marty Mann Award for a series of radio vignettes on alcoholism and wrote a popular weekly newspaper column that was widely read in the states of Kentucky, Texas, Utah, and Tennessee. John and his wife, Melinda, have been married for thirty-seven years. They have four children and eleven grandchildren. Here’s a link to his website: http://www.becomethasachild.com/authors/




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 Our dear friend and contributor Rachelle Christensen sent this article to us, entitled “Protecting Kids.” When her daughter came home and mentioned a classmate whose father was in jail because he had touched ‘her privates,’ a light went on inside her and she thought “After swallowing hard, I knew that I had to act on this opportunity to explain to my two daughters so that they could be safe.” Rachelle blogs at Rachelle’s Writing Spot.

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At LDS Blogs, contributor Cindy B sent her article called “Where Is Safety?” She’s concerned about all the distractions that are a concern in our world today, and she asks: “Where is safety for my children? For my family? For me?” We as parents are concerned, and worried, we look around for a place of safety. Sometimes I see myself holding my children around me, and I can clearly see the great and spacious building close by. I don’t want to fall prey of its enticements, and don’t want my children to do that either. It’s a great relief to know and see with greater clarity that the iron rod is there, strong and immovable. I know that I can hold on to it and be saved.

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Craft, anyone? This article comes from contributor Lanie at Scene of the Grime (cute name), and she calls it “Six Rules for an Easy(er) Life.” In reality, it is more than just directions to make a craft, she’s telling us how she feels and how she wants to simplify her life and put into effect her philosophy and strategies focusing on one thing: a simpler life.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Monday, 1 November, please click here.

Clueing Into Your Calling

As an active member in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and a wife, mother, teacher, author and editor, Lu Ann Staheli knows a lot about the necessities of simplifying. In today's newsletter, Lu Ann has focused her perspective on magnifying our callings in her article, "Simplify as You Magnify." She helps define what our leaders intended when they offered the counsel to magnify our callings. We certainly can hit a point of diminishing returns in our efforts to serve. In fact, the end results of our efforts may show we have failed to strengthen and serve those we are called to serve when we over embellish our callings. So take a sigh of relief and read four critical steps Lu Ann shares to simplify as you magnify your calling.

We each have purpose as a child of God. Sometimes when we are called to serve our purpose may not appear so clear to us. President Eyring in the November 2002 Liahona article, "Called to Serve" shares his understanding of how overwhelming and lost we may feel when we receive a new calling. He suggests that we look at our calling through spiritual eyes. In today's newsletter you can read President Eyring's encouraging words. You will learn what we need to know to go forth in confidence and fulfill our calling with the purpose the Lord has called us.

The last article Neighborhood News offers today is a shot in the arm by Annie at Segullah.com As a young and inexperienced, newly called Relief Society President, Annie learned a life long lesson in her first meeting with the Bishop. Read Annie's validating and honest approach in understanding and supporting those who are called to serve.

To view the Monday, January 25th issue of Neighborhood News, click here.

What have you learned in the areas you have been called to serve? What has been your favorite or most difficult calling?