Dear Sisters

Dear Sisters
Highland 12th Ward Sisters

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Reminder...Angels in the Outfield!

Angels in the Outfield
 
This is a reminder that our Relief Society Birthday Celebration is tomorrow night!  I think the theme is an especially fun one...Angels in the Outfield.  It reminds me of that wonderful WWII era movie "A League of Their Own."  In order to continue our National Pastime of Baseball, a league of women players was formed.  The film follows the "Rockford Peaches" and the character growth of the women involved.  Isn't it wonderful that in times of trial, women can "step up to the plate" and show the world what they are made of.  We don't have the same challenges as our pioneer grandmothers, but the trials of women in wartime found them working in factories and on farms.  They wanted to do their part to keep things going on the homefront.  What are the challenges we face today? I don't know what aspect of baseball, our guest speaker Rich Harris will share with us, but I'm sure it will be a "Home Run."
 
 
Take me out to the Ballgame!
Cover all your bases...bring your neighbor or your VT sisters!
 
 
"There's no crying in Baseball!"
 



Monday, March 18, 2013

Sister Missionaries...and Modesty!

A modest and pretty girl is like a breath of Spring
 
Modesty and Missionary Dress
The changes in the missionary age requirements come with a new set of challenges.  Our daughters are leaving earlier on missions and in greater numbers than ever before.  A new challenge is how do we "raise the bar" in modesty and missionary dress before the girls enter the MTC.  Our sons have been dressed like little missionaries almost from birth...so cute in their white shirts and ties...and so proud to be like their dads and big brothers. 
 
Of course, the pamphlet For the Strength of Youth offers basic guidelines for modesty that are valuable for both youth and adults.  And as parents we seek the guidance of the Spirit to guide our children in their choices of modest apparel.  A 2009 article by Silvia H. Allred in the Liahona has a lot of wonderful insights on the principal of modesty.  In "Modesty: A Timeless Principle for All, " she points out that the way we dress demonstrates our understanding of and commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
 
 
Free Modesty and Missionary Dress classes
In order to assist new sister missionaries to raise the bar in modesty in missionary dress before entering the MTC, Patti Ellis, owner of the Fancy Slips company has come up with a monthly one hour class.  President Anderson has given approval for this information to passed along with a caveat: though the "Church has a policy of not endorsing or sponsoring for-profit businesses...that being said,  the classes could be beneficial in teachig about modesty and could be a good "Transition" activity for mothers and daughters. Her letter to the RS Presidency is as follows:
 
"We would like to inform you of a free one hour class being offered on Modesty and Missionary Dress.  There are many YW and mothers alike who can benefit from the instruction offered in this class.  With so many sisters deciding to serve a mission, this class offers, at a younger age, the opportunity to help guide her and her mother as they make choices in building a wardrobe conducive for mission and post temple endowed life.  This class will be held every second Tuesday of the month.  Apricot Lane at the Riverwoods in Provo has been kind enough to open their classroom to us and feed us refreshments.
 
"During the class we will cover (no pun intended:) What modesty looked like through time, how to incorporated it in today's styles, and then have a question and answer time at the end.  The class will be an hour.  It is encouraged to include the mothers, we feel modesty begins there.  There is no sales pitch, but we will supply a list with resources for modest clothing if they choose to pick it up.
 
"The schedule for the next three months is as follows: Tuesday, April 9th; Tuesday, May 14th: Tuesday, June 11th at 7 to 8 p.m.
 
"These monthly classes are open to the public, but if you would like a private class time with the girls/mothers of your ward because your group will be large, we will try to organize it.  Please call if you have any questions."
 
Patricia Ellis
Owner/Designer/Mother/Returned Missionary
Fancy Slips LLC
801-319-3010
 
Sisters, I hope this has been helpful.  It is so wonderful to see the enthusiasm of our young women.  I don't remember the last time I saw so many girls preparing for missions.  What a blessing this has been!
 
 

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Family History Training Day!

Were your ancestors Irish?
 
Free Family History Training
The Family History Department will hold free family history training for priesthood leaders and Church members, including youth, on March 21-23 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City.  This training will take palce in conjunction with RootsTech, a family history and technology conference sponsored by the Church.
 
Saturday will be Family History Training Day with free training classes for priesthood and Church members.  The schedule includes General Authority speakers Elder Allan F. Packer, Elder Paul E. Koellike, and Elder Bradley D. Foster of the Seventy.  Additionally, as part of the special youth and youth leader program, Brother David L. Beck, the Young Men general president, and sister Elaine S. Dalton, the Young Women general president, will be speaking.
 
 
 
Help Spread the Word!

The family history training classes are free, but seating is limited.  Simple registration is required at http://www.rootstech.org/FHcallings.  You should have received a schedule of classes from Tracy in the Relief Society email.
 
On a related note:  I believe I heard an advertisement on KSL that Ancestry.com will have free acess to immigration records this four-day weekend.
 
Your family is waiting for you to find them.
 
Happy Saint Patrick's Day!
 
 
 


Monday, March 4, 2013

Bread and Miscellany!

 
Crusty Goodness!

European Peasant Bread
From the Stake Newsletter 

Ingredients:
3 cups lukewarm water
tablespoons granulated yeast
tablespoons salt
½ cup rye flour
1 cup wheat flour
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour Cornmeal for the pizza peel (when you bake)
Mix the yeast and salt with the water in a 5-quart bowl. Mix in the remaining ingredients, except cornmeal, without kneading. Mix until all the flour is incorporated into the dough but do not knead the dough.
Cover dough and allow to rise at room temperature until it rises and collapses,  about 2 hours, or chill overnight.  Dust the surface of the dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound piece (grapefruit size). Dust with more flour and shape into a ball. Allow to rest on a cornmealcovered pizza peel for 40 minutes.
 
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees with a baking stone placed on the middle rack.  Place an empty broiler tray on a different rack with 1 cup hot water inside.

Sprinkle the loaf with flour and using aserrated knife, slash with a lines pattern on the top of the bread. Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone. Bake for about 35 minutes or until the top is deeply brown and very firm.
Cool bread before eating. Enjoy!
 
Visiting Teaching Message...
 
Do we befriend our sisters and "lift them to the higher road?"
 
March..."Activation "
Our prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, has encouraged us to “reach out to rescue those who need our help and lift them to the higher road and the better way. … It is the Lord’s work, and when we are on the Lord’s errand, … we are entitled to the Lord’s help.”
 
 
Preparedness...
Stake Communication Demonstration
By Scott and Kristine Oldroyd...Stake Preparedness Leaders
The Stake is having a preparedness communications demonstration on March 9th from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m at the Stake Center, room 20.  We'll cover different emergency communication methods and their pros and cons.  This will help us prepare for our next Stake Communications Drill on Sat. April 6th between General Conference sessions.  We would like to be able to use these different radios during this next drill.  Anyone and everyone is invited, but there is a special invitation for the block captains from each ward to attend to learn these different methods.
 
The Want Ads...
"Dear Sisters..." is a blog for the sisters of the Highland 12th Ward.  Although it is not to be a forum for promoting a personal business, if you have something to share, or sell, or give away...like you would on a neighborhood bulletin board...try posting it here.  If you have clothes for Trek, or too many zucchinis, or a bicycle to sell...you get the drift.  My daughter-in-law gives away or sells things to her neighbors by posting about it on Facebook.  Soooo...let's give it a go!
 
Christy Kane has a couple of items that she wants to offer for sale to her neighbors before putting an ad on KSL.com.
1. Pearl Drum set...never been used.
2. Two very nice mountain bikes.
Contact Christy at christykane2012@gmail.com
I have added Kristy's blog to the list on the sidebar...please visit the sisters' blogs when you can.

Thanks for visiting here today, Sisters!
 
 
 
 
Hippity, Hoppity, Easter's on its Way!