Sunday notes

Hello Sisters, 

Great lesson today by the stake RS presidency they used “Finding Joy through Loving Service" by RUSSELL BALLARD from April 2011 conference talk. Elder Ballard talks about a young prospector during the gold rush looking for large nuggets of gold and not seeing all the tiny flecks he had. Sometimes we think we have to do something big to give service to others, but responding to the promptings of the holy ghost and making phone calls and sending cards may be exactly what is needed today. It can be very easy to overlook the small tender mercies our father gives us, I pray that we can all find and give little flecks of gold every day.

Announcements:

Aug. 29 at 7pm (Wednesday) - RS/YW activity combined with Rio Grande Ward - bring a favorite food and its recipe. If possible please email your recipes to Naomi Osterle  twix@nmsu.edu

September 7 at 6:30-8:30 ward game night. Bring your favorite game and a snack to share.

Sept. 22 - Ward temple trip - Baptistry scheduled at 4pm for the youth.

Johnny Smith is in ICU room 117. she would love visitors.

Please remember Christina Barela in your prayers as she has heart surgery tomorrow.

Love to you all, 

Diana, Becky, Jolene, and Dawn

We're back!!

Summer is so fun, but it's hard to keep a regular schedule!  But here we are again - beginning of a new school year, chile roasting going on all over town and just a couple weeks from Labor Day.  Wow!

We had a great lesson today about keeping the Sabbath day holy.  Thank you, Claire, for a wonderful lesson.  We were all reminded about the blessings we receive when we follow the commandments, and specifically, the commandments of attending sacrament meeting and keeping the Sabbath day holy.  President Smith's mother wouldn't tell him to not do something on the Sabbath when he was a child, instead she would say, "Son, you will be happier if you do not do that."  That's what it comes down to - we will be happier - more blessed, have the Spirit with us more, feel rejuvenated and refreshed more - if we choose to honor the Sabbath.

The announcements from today:
- If you do not have your ordinance summary, please get a copy from the ward clerk.  This will help you be able to work on Family History.

- Next Sunday, August 26, is ward conference.  It's always a great block of meetings where we are taught by our stake leaders.

- Also next Sunday, Aug. 26, there will be a youth fireside at the Osterle's home for our young men and women ages 12-18.

- Wednesday, August 29 at 7pm is our next activity.  It is sponsored by the Young Women and will be a combined activity with the YW and RS of the Rio Grande ward and our ward and is a pot luck food and recipe sharing activity.  Please bring a favorite dish (of any sort) and its recipe.  The Young Women are going to collect the recipes and assemble them into a cook book for themselves and for us as well.  If you would like to email your recipe, you can send it to Naomi Osterle at twix@nmsu.edu.

- Looking ahead - Saturday, Sept. 22 is our next ward temple trip with youth baptisms scheduled at 4pm at the Albuquerque temple.

- Thank you for being patient with Visiting Teaching.  With all of the movings in and out of people in our ward as well as summer travels, things have been very up in the air.  We anticipate having things revamped sometime in the next few weeks as we get the students coming back and things settle down.  So, please just continue as you have been doing - visit people on your most recent list if they are still around and feel free to visit others as the feeling moves you. 

- Health updates: Jean Hill is recovering well from her hip surgery and is now home from the rehab hospital.  She and Dean will be moving into Village at Northrise later this week.  And Johnnie Smith is recovering from her stroke and is now at the rehab hospital (in Jean's old room - # 604).  She loves visitors! :)

- A warm welcome to Dawn Jackson as our new secretary.  We are so glad to have her!

Thank you, sisters, for all you do.  We are so thankful for each of you.