Good morning Sisters.

It's time to get the Park Taylor RS Sisters blog up and rolling. Blogs are great ways to share news, post recipes, and inform everyone on upcoming events. I would love if we could get everyone involved. So please if you have anything you would like to share on our blog please email me @ snucums33@gmail.com and I will post it.

Some exciting news: Natalie Morris had a baby boy, and Jeremy Johnson had a baby girl last week. Congrats! Babies and moms are home and doing well. If anyone would like to take them a meal please contact Charity Pacino.

This weeks announcements.

For playgroup this Thursday, July 21st we will be meeting at 10 a.m. at the Ammon Elementary Playground – 2900 Central Ave. Directions: From Sunnyside turn North on Midway (street just east of Hillcrest High School) then turn east onto Owen. Front of school is off of Owen. Ammon Elementary has new playground equipment!!!! Very Fun! You may want to bring a chair to sit in because there are no benches.


Also this week a baby shower!
In honor of Morgan Krantz and Jennifer Catmull
Thursday July 21st
open house from 7-8pm
at Kassie Harris' house
(5634 S. Yellowstone, the house is connected to
South Town Storage and Sales next to Town and Country Gardens)
call Kassie at 522-3035 for directions.
*Morgan is having a girl and Jennifer is having a boy*
Everyone is welcome so spread the word!

On Friday the 22nd there will be a couples BBQ. Starts at 6:30 at the church. Come enjoy some good company and some good food. *There will be a class for children.

What an exciting week! Hope everyone is enjoying there summer.

Where are you going to be on

Saturday, October 16 @ 9:00 a.m.?

Look at your calendar and see a BIG red circle around the date,
saved for the Park Taylor Ward Relief Society "Gifts for Giving."

What is all the hulabaloo about, you ask? It's a morning of sharing, laughing, learning, teaching, serving, eating, and strengthening others.

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If you haven't stopped by the RS room to see the display table,
then what on earth are you waiting for? Do it this Sunday!

Here are some of the fun "going on's" for that day:

Fabric Flowers: The latest trend in dressing up headbands, your or hip hairstyle or even a handbag!
**There will also be a class on how to make crotchet flowers similar to the fabric flowers mentioned above if anyone is interested.**

Pillow Cases: What do our kids (even teenagers) love more than a personalized gift? Dinosaurs, frogs, flowers, pink ballerinas.....Idaho Falls Tigers, Skyline Grizzlies...it's all custom made by you!

Super Hero Capes: Now let's just face it...we all need more super heroes running around the house saving the galaxy!

These presentations will be at 11:00 a.m. for those sisters who already have their Christmas lists marked off..... (aka the over-achievers of the ward)

Strengthening Families through Family Traditions

- Marci Hurst

Inexpensive Gift Ideas and Creative Wrapping

- Cassie Harris

But wait! There's more!

Holiday Taster's Table
Bread demo - Danielle Hinkson

So be amongst the food, fun and fabulous!

Hope to see you Saturday, October 16!

Any questions can be answered by our awesome Enrichment committee:
Leslie Call (524-3951) general questions
Nancy Killpack (528-6722) pillowcases
Cassie Crystal (357-8522) Super Hero Capes
Jana Taylor (525-2529) Fabric & Crochet Flowers

"Gifts For Giving"

Want to get a jump start on your Christmas list this year?

Need new gift ideas for neighbors and visiting teaching sisters?

Want to start a new family Christmas tradition?

Like to eat yummy Christmas treats?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions then you'll want

to join the Relief Society sisters for "Gifts for Giving."

Saturday, October 16

9:00 12:00

More details to come!

Save the Date!

Mark your calendars for a morning session at the Idaho Falls Temple. We are planning to attend a 6:00 AM session on Tuesday, August 3. If time won't allow you do participate in an endowment session, another option is initiatory. We are so blessed to live so close to a temple where we can partake of the blessings that come into our lives through temple service.

More details to come!

"I promise that all who faithfully attend to temple work will be blessed beyond measure. Your family will draw closer to the Lord. Unseen angels will watch over your children when Satanic forces tempt them, the veil will be thin, and great spiritual experiences will distill upon this people."

Vaughn J. Featherstone, in Royden D. Derrick Temples in the Last Days, p. 103

Serving Our Sisters

Baked bread, babysitting, pencil sketching, vacuuming, quilting, even toe nail painting! These were just a few of the services that were shared amongst sisters last Thursday at the Relief Society meeting. Thank you sisters for sharing your talents! There are definitely talents hiding amongst our sisters that were discovered that night.

Thanks Nancy for sharing your beautiful yard with us too!










What Relief Society meeting isn't complete without yummy dessert?

Service With a Smile!

Thanks to all you sisters who joined us at the South Stake Center for a morning of service!








Yes...we start training them young!

". . .Ye Have Done it Unto Me"

“All about us there are many who are in need of help and who are deserving of rescue. Our mission in life, as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, must be a mission of saving. There are the homeless, the hungry, the destitute.”
President Gordon B. Hinckley, “Our Mission of Saving,” Ensign, Nov. 1991, 59



Join us in a morning of service on
Wednesday, June 2 @ 9:00-10:30 AM
We will meet first at the York Rd. church building before heading to the Humanitarian Service Center at the South Stake Center. This is a great opportunity to serve those in our community who are in need, while getting to know the sisters in our ward a little better. There are a variety of projects available to work on for all skill levels. Some projects include: quilt tying, sewing, fabric cutting, stuffing balls & dolls, and painting wooden toys. A lot of the items are donated to local hospitals and domestic violence centers as well as being shipped to countries worldwide.

So mark your calendars to be there!

A nursery will be provided for children ages 18 months and older.

A Night at Eagle Rock Nursery

I think we would all agree that a night at the nursery was just what we needed to give us hope that warmer weather is really coming! A big thank you to Jane and Ken Brown for providing a beautiful setting for our gardening class. We were surrounded by beautiful flowers & hanging baskets! Thank you, Jane for answering all our gardening questions and giving us a "hands on" experience in planting.

The Final Product . . . nice job sisters!

Our Gardening Gals

Did You Know?

• that by planting a garden you can SAVE up to $1,250 worth of groceries purchased at a supermarket?

• you can actually prevent weeds from growing in your garden?

• you can protect your garden plants & flowers from frost damage?

Park Taylor Ward Relief Society Meeting

Date: Thursday, May 6 @ 6:30

Place: meet @ the church, then carpool to Eagle Rock Nursery


*Jane Brown has offered to assist any sisters who are interested in planting flowers or vegetables in a container to take home that night. If you are interested please contact Leslie Call @ 524-3951.

It's that time of year.

Time to pull out those shovels and gardening gloves and dig in the dirt!

Learn tips that will make your garden & flowers look

their best this summer.

We will meet at the church before traveling to Eagle Rock Nursery, where our own ward member, Jane Brown, will answer your all gardening questions.

Topics to be discussed:

• container gardening for flowers and vegetables
• starting plants indoors
• organizing gardening tools

Meet at the church at 6:30

Don't forget to bring your own gardening tips and ideas to share!

"Love the work.
Don't do it grudgingly.
Smile about it.
Be happy in your duty.
Shape up and say your prayers.
Everything will be all right".
(President Gordon B. Hinckley)

This is a letter written by Sister Laylock.  President and Sister Laylock are serving as the Mission President in Chili.  This letter was published on Meridian Magazine.   I found this article very inspiring.

During the past few days, we have witnessed many events which serve to remind us that the Lord is in charge and that as missionaries and members of His church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are performing His work, and as President Monson teaches, "When we are on the Lord's errand, we are entitled to His help." I want to share with you a few miracles that will help you to understand our profound feelings of gratitude.

When we were set apart for this calling, Elder Scott of the Council of the Twelve Apostles taught us many important lessons. He spoke from personal experience when he was a mission president in Argentina. One message that he shared with us is this: "At times, during your mission, you will be awakened in the middle of the night or the early morning hours with thoughts of specific things you should do for certain missionaries. Do not ignore these thoughts. They are promptings from the Holy Ghost who will communicate with you in the stillness of the night or the peace of the early morning hours. He will speak to you then because that is when you are still enough to hear."

Elder Scott further instructed us to keep a notebook beside our bed so that we could record these precious promptings. He said that by the next morning, we would be likely to forget the promptings if we didn't write them down.

We have been astonished at the fulfillment of Elder Scott's prophetic words. We have received many promptings in the exact manner that Elder Scott described. We are so thankful that Elder Scott taught us how to recognize and act upon these precious promptings. Had he not taught us, we may not have given these promptings the attention they require.

Nearly two-and-one-half weeks ago, I was awakened at around 4:00 AM by just such a prompting. I did not hear a voice, but the thought was as clear as if it had been in the form of spoken words: "There is going to be an earthquake. Prepare your missionaries." I sat up in bed and immediately remembered Elder Scott's counsel. That morning I told Larry what had happened. He immediately set to work organizing our missionaries to prepare for an earthquake.

In talking with our office missionaries to arrange for them to put together a list of everything we would need to prepare...in both Spanish and English...we discovered that the Lord had also let two of our office missionaries know of the possibility of an earthquake (in the form of dreams) and the need to prepare our mission.

We set a goal and arranged our schedule so that we could visit every apartment in the mission to check for safety and to review with our missionaries what to do in case of an earth quake. What a wonderful experience we have had as we have met with them and shared scriptures with them about being spiritually and physically prepared. "...if ye are prepared, ye shall not fear" (D&C 38:30).

We instructed every missionary to have a "go-bag" (36 hour kit). We reviewed our emergency action plan with them of where to go and what to do if they had phone service and in case they did not. We gave everyone a paper with all instructions in English and Spanish, and we reminded them that "this life is the time to prepare to meet God" (Alma 34:32-34). We shared with them our thoughts and feelings about the need for spiritual and physical safety.

Some of them became frightened and asked us if we knew something they didn't know. We smiled and repeated "...if ye are prepared, ye shall not fear." We didn't want to unduly alarm them, but we did want to impress upon them the need to be prepared. We tearfully reminded them of our recent transfer conference where we had shared our feelings about our dear Elder McKay Burrows who was unexpectedly called home in January while serving his mission in Romania...how he was prepared in every way to meet God. We reissued our challenge to "be prepared" in every way. Then we knelt with them in their apartment and dedicated each apartment, asking for a blessing of safety and security to be upon every apartment.

When the earthquake came, we were prepared. We did not experience the panic that many felt. We knew we were prepared. Because of the words of the Lord's chosen Apostle, Elder Scott, we had listened and heeded the quiet, but clear promptings of the Holy Ghost. We were blessed with peace in the midst of chaos. We learned an important lesson: our preparation helped us to avoid panic and fear, but the Lord, in His wisdom, allowed us to experience enough discomfort to know that He has all power. He is in charge. We are nothing without Him. We are dependent upon Him for every breath we take. Only He can save us from death and destruction. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He is our perfect example. If we follow Him, we will be saved through obedience to the laws and ordinances of His Gospel.

As the earthquake became more violent, the mission home groaned and wailed. The power died, so the whole city was black. The windows made a hideous screeching sound, and flying objects banged against swaying walls. The printer/fax machine, books, book ends, and fifty-pound television burst from the entertainment center and crashed to the floor, cabinets emptied, drawers flew open, the refrigerator moved, water sloshed out of the toilets, the floor jolted up and down as we ran across it trying to hold onto the walls to keep from falling down, and the piano toppled over like a small toy. As we made our way to the back yard, I remember thinking, "God is all-powerful. He is our only refuge from this horrible mess." I prayed and prayed for Him to still the earth.

When we reached the back yard, we watched in terror. By the light of the moon we could see the swimming pool water form giant waves and crash out onto the rocks. House and car alarms screamed into the night...some from being crushed by falling debris and others, I guess, from the bizarre movement of the earth. I am not sure if the intense rumbling sounds came from the earth itself or from everything else that was shaking so violently. Finally, it stopped.

When the calm came, we had to sit down because our legs were weak and unstable. My legs stayed wobbly all day and night yesterday. Today the muscles in my legs hurt like I ran a marathon. The aftershocks have been extremely unsettling. Each one begins like the one last night started. We just close our eyes and wait to see if it escalates or dies down. .I have never experienced anything like this!

We were awakened this morning by a very strong after shock. Larry jumped out of bed and yelled, "Welcome to another glorious day in Chile!" We just had to laugh. We moved a mattress into the floor in our bedroom and made Landon sleep in our room. He was in his room with the door locked the night before and we couldn't wake him up. He never locks his door, but he was playing a joke on Larry because every morning Larry wakes him at 5:30 AM for seminary by tickling him unmercifully. So Landon had decided to stop him.

When we couldn't open his door, in the middle of the quake, we thought he was trapped, so we screamed and banged. Landon thought that everything was falling off the walls because we were banging so hard on the door. I think we scared him more than the earthquake did!

Today, we attended a strong ward where Larry was invited to speak. The entire chapel and beyond was filled. People were so humble and so teachable. Larry taught the importance of doing the small things. He taught about Jesus Christ and the opportunity we have to love one another and to share what we have with others.

It was a great blessing for us to be with these beautiful Chilean people. Some have lost their homes...or at least parts of their homes. But they are strong and they want to serve the Lord. He taught of the scripture in Luke 21:11,13 which says, "and great earthquakes shall be in divers places...and it shall turn to you for a testimony." He also welcomed the sweet young woman who was in the congregation with the missionaries...her first time attending church...and then he invited her to be baptized from the pulpit. He asked her to please invite us to her baptism, and she said, "I will." The Lord always knows what His people need.

Landon was reading in Alma 15:17 today. He said, Mom listen to this. This is what is happening here in Chile just like in happened in Ammonihah. The people were humbled and "checked as to the pride of their hearts and began to humble themselves before God, watching and praying continually that they might be delivered from Satan, and from death, and from destruction."

Our hearts are filled to the brim with gratitude for all of the blessings we have received in the Chile Santiago East Mission. We see miracles every day. In the midst of great pain and suffering, we can always find our Savior. He stands with His arms open, pleading for all of us to humble ourselves and come unto Him. He loves us. He invites us to accept His gift...the atonement. He invites us to repent. He wants us to love one another and to serve one another. He wants us to bring our families and those we love to Him. We can do it. We can do all that He asks, no matter how difficult it may seem. "With God all things are possible"

We are having a devotional tomorrow for all of our missionaries to talk about the last week of Christ's life in preparation for Easter. We want to remind our missionaries to teach and preach with increased vigor of Christ. Last Monday in our office meeting, Larry suddenly stopped in the middle, and said, "During the prayer, I had a very strong impression that March 2010 is going to be our best baptizing month we have ever had in this mission."

Now we know why he received that feeling. We are going to prepare to bring many souls to the waters of baptism in March. Please continue to pray for us and for the people of Chile. Please pray for the missionaries to have strength and courage to do all that is being required of them, even in difficult times.

We are so thankful that the tsunami did not turn out badly in Hawaii. Who would ever think that an earthquake in Chile could threaten the shores of Hawaii? Thankfully, the Lord is in charge. He is the one to whom we must turn for refuge from every storm. He has the power to save us.

Because I have been given much...

Stake Relief Society Humanitarian Kick-off
Saturday March 20th
10am-12 noon
South Stake Cultural Hall
Humanitarian projects... Light lunch... Casual Dress

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2AibapAJfE

Developing Christlike Attributes

Elder Uchtdorf:

"Developing Christlike attributes in our lives is not an easy task, especially when we move away from generalities and abstractions and begin to deal with real life. The test comes in practicing what we proclaim. The reality check comes when Christlike attributes need to become visible in our lives—as husband or wife, as father or mother, as son or daughter, in our friendships, in our employment, in our business, and in our recreation. We can recognize our growth, as can those around us, as we gradually increase our capacity to 'act in all holiness before [Him]' (D&C 43:9)."

"Christlike Attributes—the Wind beneath Our Wings," Ensign, Nov. 2005, 102

Stake Recipes

If you missed the Stake Relief Society Conference you can download the recipe book at www.ldspioneer.com. There are some great recipes including Karleen's delicious orange brownies. What a way to tempt us Karleen!

Stake Relief Society Conference

Sisters, Please don't forget to put the Stake Relief Society Conference on your calendar.  It is this Saturday, 9:30 A.M., at the Stake Center.  Darla Barlow is the keynote speaker!! I love to hear Darla speak!  Then there will 3 speakers to choose from after Darla speaks. Margaret Meacham, Bryan Call, and
Elizabeth Later. Lunch will be served after the speakers.  What a great opportunity to support Darla and Margaret, and our stake.

Thanks for your support

Thanks for all your support with the Valentine Dinner!!  It was a blast to look at your Wedding Pictures. I feel like I know you all a little better ( mullets, mustaches, and all). What a great time of year to celebrate marriage and all that brings to our life's.

Along with all the wonderful food you all jumped in to bring, I wanted to say Thank-You to the women who worked so hard on this night.  Carissa Staker and Morgan Crantz decorated for the party. These are two talented women. I thought it turned out BEAUTIFUL.  Angela Maddock and Jana Taylor worked on the food and set up. That was alot of calling! Both so positive and helpful!  Katie Hildreth and Mary Ellen Guard took care of the games. Were they a hit or what?!!  We had so much fun.  Last but not least, Nancy Killpack who made invitations and picked up all the pieces and pulled everything together. I feel very lucky to be working with Nancy.  She truly leads me by example.  I  feel very blessed to be surrounded by such great women in our Ward Relief Society.

Valentine Dinner

Come enjoy a night out with your Sweetheart! Sisters, don't miss the Valentines Dinner  Thursday, February 04, 6:30 p.m. at the Church!  Please Bring your Wedding Picture to Church this Sunday to be displayed at the party.  A nursery for children 1-8 years old will be provided by the YW, but we do need a child count. Please RSVP as soon as possible.  We will have a super fun night! This is one you won't want to miss.

Come to the Temple

The bishopric has invited the ward to join them in the temple. The first Saturday after the first Sunday every month at the 7:00 am session. So fast Sunday will remind you that the temple is next Saturday. That means Feb. 13th at the 7:00 Session.

http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/58427/Visiting-teaching-is-a-way-of-life.html

Sisters click on this link for a great article on visiting teaching.
http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/58427/Visiting-teaching-is-a-way-of-life.html

Visiting Teaching

A Sister in this Church has no other responsibility outside of her family that has the potential to do as much good as visiting teaching. Julie Beck

Look for J'leneStoddard passing out new and revised visiting teaching schedules.
The Schedules start in February.

"Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity."

Margaret Nadauld, "The Joy of Womanhood," Ensign, Nov. 2000,

Stake Relief Society Cookbook

The long awaited edition
of the
Taylor Mountain Stake Cookbook
will be Published in conjunction with our Stake Relief Society Meeting. The goal is to have one recipe from every sister in the stake.

Please send your favorite recipe to sallyahart@gmail.com with the subject: Recipe, or give it to a member of the ward Relief Society Presidency. Only one recipe per person please! Questions? call Sister Hart at 529-2909.

Relief Society Meeting Jan. 7

We had a really fun Relief Society Meeting. ( It sounds kinda funny to call it that. I just got use to calling it Enrichment, but think it is great that we are always progressing. ) Margaret Meacham started the night off with the challege to keep reading and learning as mothers. She mentioned as she reared her children that she tried to read the books they were reading at school. That gave her something to discuss with them, and gave her a heads up to the content of the books. What great ideas! There was also a plug for the book club. The book we are reading this month is "Wild Swans" by Jung Chang.  We will meet February 17, at Darla Barlow's home to discuss the book and pick a new one.

Bonnie Bailey talked to us next about Family History.  She told a personal story of finding a great grandfather's information after much effort and how the Lord influence will guide and direct us in our Family History efforts.

We learned alot about blogging from Chelsea Johnson and Crystal Carlson.  Chelsea showed us her darling blog that highlights the men in her life. Chelsea uses her blog as a journal. Then after a period of time she takes the entries and has books made.  Beautiful books that she gives to love ones and become family keepsakes.  Crystal is a relative of Kathy Heningers.  Crystal showed us her blog and also her recipe blog.
She then helped us set up our own recipe blog (ptrsrecipes.blogspot.com) We also talked about internet safety and how to be smart bloggers.  We appreciate the time these ladies took to come teach us.

The best cookbooks I have are ward cookbooks.  I can't wait to get our recipe blog off the ground and have a place to go to find something new and yummy to make for dinner. 

Welcome to the kickoff of the PTRS Sister Blog! There are so many fun things that can be done on a blog. We hope this can become a place that you can rely on for information, friendship and service opportunities. We want you to see this blog as your blog, so if you have fun ideas please feel free to help us out. We would like sisters to volunteer to run the blog for a month, so if you are interested please let us know.