March Visiting Teaching Message

Ladies-

This month I was watching a church video online called Flecks of Gold. In it, Elder M. Russell Ballard tells the story of a man who travels west to seek his fortune in the California Gold Rush. He has heard that there are gold nuggets so big a man can hardly carry them. He goes and pans for days, and finds none of what he thinks he will find. Frustrated he is ready to give up. An old prospector happens along the way. The prospector tells the man he is missing what is there, there are flecks of gold in the rocks. The man thinks the flecks are hardly worth his time. Then the prospector shows him a pouch of thousands of precious tiny flecks of gold. The old prospector says "The patient accumulation of these flecks has brought me great wealth."
 I thought of visiting teaching and the great opportunity we have to do small and simple things for each of the precious sisters we have been assigned. A heart felt letter of concern. A phone call of friendship and cheer, a dinner brought in for congratulations or even in times of sorrow, are small flecks of gold, which can make our experience with visiting teaching as the prospector said, one of great wealth. You may feel that the ladies you are assigned to watch over, are quite perfect, and that there is nothing that you could possibly offer to them. You may feel that they are not actively attending church, so they do not wish for a message, or even for a friend. You may feel that you are simply too busy to fit one more thing into your schedule.  Please know that the sisters you have been assigned, are beloved daughters of our Heavenly Father. He has chosen you to spend but a small moment each month checking on them, becoming their friend, loving them as He would. Please know that you were assigned together for a special purpose. You have something to give each other, that no one else may be able to give at this particular time in your lives. Know that our Heavenly Father who sees the big picture of all that is to come for each child of His, matched you together. When you wonder what you could possibly give to that sister, just know that He knows, and go and find out for yourself. Elder M Russell Ballard finishes this little video with this "Our small and simple acts of service, over time, will accumulate into a life filled with love for Heavenly Father, devotion to the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and a sense of peace and joy."
May you feel peace and joy as you become friends with the women you visit this month is my wish for each of you wonderful women!

Love ya-
Crystal Erickson

January Relief Society Activity

 

We had a fabulous January R.S. Activity !  A special thanks to the committee for their hard work in putting it together.  Also thanks to Candice Issacson, Julie Bree, and Chante Hammond for their willingness to share their knowledge and expertise with us.  They shared great information and helpful tips and tricks in relation to home organization, healthy eating, and money management.  We have included some photos, information, handouts and recipes from the evening.  (Not every recipe was collected, so if you made something and your recipe isn't here, please send to Casey Roberts, and she will add it to the blog.)

RECIPES

Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins (Julie Bree)

(Modified to increase whole grains and decrease fat and sugar)

Muffins:

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. sugar

1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice (or 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 3/4 tsp. ginger, 3/4 tsp. allspice, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg)

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 c. canned pumpkin

1/2 c. applesauce

2 c. peeled, cored, and chopped apples

Streusel:

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1/4 c. white sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

4 tsp. margarine or butter

1. Preheat oven to 350⁰ F. Lightly grease or spray 18-24 muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, mix flours, sugar, spices, soda and salt. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin and applesauce.  Combine and stir until just moistened. Fold in apples. Spoon into greased muffin tins.
3. To prepare streusel, stir together flour, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in margarine until resembles small crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over muffin batter.
4. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Healthy Ginger Cookies (Kim Broadhead)
1 1/2 cups shortening
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
1 1/2 TBSP vanilla
1 1/2 TBSP soda
5 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 TBSP ginger
2 tsp cinnamon

Mix in order of ingredients, scoop and roll in sugar
Bake 9-10 minutes.  Makes 5 dozen.  Calories: 102  Total fat: 4 grams  Carbs: 16 grams

Cucumber Yogurt Dip with Dill
1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 cucumber, chopped
1 TBSP fresh dill, chopped
garlic powder
1 TBSP olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

In a serving bowl place yogurt.  Add  cucumber,  dill, garlic powder to taste, olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.  Whisk to combine.  Chill for up to four hours, and serve with vegetables like carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers and squash or with pita bread cut into triangles.

Granola  (Casey Roberts)

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup corn syrup 

1/2 cup brown sugar
4 cup regular oats
2 cup coconut
2 cups nuts: 2/3 cup    
    slivered almonds, 2/3
    cup chopped walnuts,
    2/3 cup chopped
    pecans
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 cup wheat germ
2 cup raisins
1 or 2 cup dried
    cranberries, peaches
    or dates

Combine butter, maple syrup, corn syrup, brown sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Add sugar mixture to the oats, coconut, nuts, seeds and wheat germ.  Spread onto 2 cookie sheets.  Bake at 300° for 30 minutes, stirring every 7-8 minutes.  Add fruit to mixture and bake 20 more minutes until fruit expand.  Remove from oven and cool, stirring every few minutes.  (For the activity, I made this without the sesame seeds, wheat germ, raisins, and dried fruit) 

ORGANIZATION

Organizing Tips Handout:

 Rotating Cleaning Chore Cards Handout:

43 Cleaning Tips for Kids Handout:

HEALTHY EATING 

 

MONEY MATTERS

Helpful tips and links for finances:

Some of the ideas for teaching children include:  Play "show and tell" while you manage your own money. practice what you preach and explain why you buy and don’t buy certain things. Help your child start a savings or investment account. Coincidentally the government recommends starting this around age 8. Give an allowance. If used as a teaching tool and not a giveaway, an allowance can be one of the best ways to teach kids, even as young as five or six, about money management. Consider gifts that encourage saving. Examples include U.S. Savings Bonds and books that reinforce financial responsibility.  Encourage older children to get work experience. Summer or part-time jobs can teach young people good business skills and how to be responsible. They also may enjoy earning and saving money.

For more help or information for parents: The FDIC has a new financial education program for youths between the ages of 12 and 20 that is primarily for use by teachers but also can help parents explain the basics of good money-management to their children. You can order a free CD of the FDIC's "Money Smart for Young Adults" at www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/moneysmart/young.html.

Find other resources on money management for youths from the Jump$tart Coalition® for Personal Financial Literacy, which consists of more than 180 national partners, including the FDIC (go to www.jumpstart.org), and the money pages at www.kids.gov, a federal government Web site for children and educators.

Budget links:

www.mvelopes.com

www.mint.com