Kenya Service Project

This past Wednesday the Relief Society along with our Young Women worked together to make Menstruation Hygiene Kits for our RS President to take to Kenya and give to the women and young women.  The link if you would like more information is HERE.

We cut out fabric...

and cut some more...

Then passed it off to the women at the sewing machines...

Preparing the envelopes for the machines.

The Young Women helping out too.

It was so amazing to sit as women together and enjoy our time together as we serve others.  It made us all really grateful for how blessed we are and grateful for the opportunity to help others.  Please feel free to leave comments about your experience at this activity...

April 10th Lesson Recap

Honesty

Chapter 31

Bishop Edgely shared a story during a previous conference talk. He had been working for the season away from home about 370 miles and he drove home and his father noticed 3 towels form the resort he was working for (the kind you cannot buy) in the back of his truck.  His father simply said that he expected more of his son.  Bishop Edgely drove the 370 miles there and 370 miles back to return the towels and his father did not need to ask why he was doing it.  

What is honesty?

(definitions shared by the sisters)

• integrity
• truth
• sincere and truthful without deceit in all of our dealings

We must be honest in our thoughts and to ourselves. One sister made the comment about not being honest about something and how sometimes you are "waiting for the other shoe to drop" or rather waiting for you to be caught in your dishonesty or deceit.  

How are we tempted to be dishonest?

D&C 10:25-26

Satans goal to destroy our souls. Lying just a little is still lying.

Read paragraphs in the chapter:

To Lie is Dishonest

Lying is intentionally deceiving others. Bearing false witness is one form of lying. The Lord gave this commandment to the children of Israel: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour” (Exodus 20:16). Jesus also taught this when He was on earth (see Matthew 19:18). There are many other forms of lying. When we speak untruths, we are guilty of lying. We can also intentionally deceive others by a gesture or a look, by silence, or by telling only part of the truth. Whenever we lead people in any way to believe something that is not true, we are not being honest.

The Lord is not pleased with such dishonesty, and we will have to account for our lies. Satan would have us believe it is all right to lie. He says, “Yea, lie a little; … there is no harm in this” (2 Nephi 28:8). Satan encourages us to justify our lies to ourselves. Honest people will recognize Satan’s temptations and will speak the whole truth, even if it seems to be to their disadvantage.

To Steal is Dishonest

Jesus taught, “Thou shalt not steal” (Matthew 19:18). Stealing is taking something that does not belong to us. When we take what belongs to someone else or to a store or to the community without permission, we are stealing. Taking merchandise or supplies from an employer is stealing. Copying music, movies, pictures, or written text without the permission of the copyright owners is dishonest and is a form of theft. Accepting more change or goods than one should is dishonest. Taking more than our share of anything is stealing.

To Cheat is Dishonest

We cheat when we give less than we owe, or when we get something we do not deserve. Some employees cheat their employers by not working their full time; yet they accept full pay. Some employers are not fair to their employees; they pay them less than they should. Satan says, “Take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor” (2 Nephi 28:8). Taking unfair advantage is a form of dishonesty. Providing inferior service or merchandise is cheating.

Why should we be honest? We may have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost when we are completely honest.

A Chance Meeting in Manhattan...does it exist?

Yes! 

    Christy a guru of many things--food being one of them heard that I (Lyida) had never had bubble tea, something had to be done. She did her research to find a top-rated bubble tea place, and one that offered fruit juice options (us being non tea drinkers) and we went to check it out.  Bubble tea is essentially a drink with black tapioca balls in it. Which are really delicious and delightfully chewy. 

We went to a place in Chinatown called Teado. Christy got hers hot with lime & kumquat. And I had mine cold with aloe vera & grapefruit. 

Chrisy was on her way to school and happened to know a great Vietnamese sandwich place on the way, so we added a phase 2 to our outing! Saigon Vietnamese Sandwich is a place that Christy says is well rated and a frequent stop for her. And yes, the sandwiches were good. I loved the cilantro and that unique Vietnamese flavor. 

On the walk over we saw a bike cozy, cheap chinatown produce (oh I love the price of produce in Chinatown!), and one of the women we visit teach. Isn't it amazing that you run into friends in New York City? One would think it would be statistically impossible. 

2 big sandwiches & 2 bubble teas for $9 and a chance meeting with a friend in one of the biggest cities in the world...not a bad day!!

Relief Society Activity for April

Our Relief Society activity for April 13, 2011 will be to assemble menstruation hygiene kits to be delivered to women in Kenya. Young women in Kenya often miss a week of school or other activities due to their monthly menstruation.  In an effort serve them and help them to go on with their lives we will be making hygiene kits that will be re-usable.  

We need fabric (flannel, terry cloth, wool, broadcloth or other absorbent material), cotton briefs (size youth through young adult) and Velcro. 

If you have a community board at work, perhaps you can post the notice there as well.

 

Please e-mail if you believe you will be able to contribute any of these items. Also, please advise which items you believe you will be able to contribute so we know which items we will need to purchase.

What: Making menstruation kits to take to girls/women in Kenya - combined activity with YW

When: Wednesday, April 13th, 7pm

Where: Church

Here is a link to the kits we will be making.  Hope to see you there.

http://www.reachandunite.com/p/reusable-menstrual-kit.html

 

New Beginnings...The Amazing Young Women

(Retold by a member of the YW Presidency)


New Beginnings was a WONDERFUL experience!  It was one of the highlights of our lives to be there and to see our lovely YW so full of the spirit.  

It was very special this year to have the room FULL!  In attendance were our four YW, parents, the Relief Society sisters, the Bishop, and the Young Women (YW) leaders.   We thank each and every one of you from the bottom of our hearts for being there. There was so much love in that room!  Everyone there was united with love for our YW and the YW program.   And it was really wonderful and powerful to stand united with the YW and so many RS sisters as we recited the YW theme.   

The overall YM/YW theme for the world this year is "WE BELIEVE",  taken from the 13th Article of Faith.  We made our New Beginnings theme "Black and White".  The focus was on our beliefs and how important it is to have  a strong testimony opposed to one that is full of too many blurred lines.  To make it memorable, we all wore black and white, had black and white decorations in the room and also served black and white cookies with hot chocolate. 

The highlights of the night were the spiritual messages that were heard.  We had wonderful talks by the YW leaders, a member of the Relief Society Presidency , and the Bishop.  One of our very talented  young women performed a beautiful musical number on the flute which added so much to the meeting.   And we were all blessed to hear our girls each stand and share their testimonies.  They each have a beautiful light and we are so proud of them for sharing it with us! 

Goal Setting Forum 2011

In January our activity was to meet at a group with a panel of women with experience/expertise in particular areas of interest.  

We had a runner/blogger, health coach, working mom of 2, and a woman working on religious improvement.

 

After introductions and descriptions of what they do, work on or strive for, we had a question and answer portion.

And then of course...Healthy Snacks.

 Protein Peanut Butter Balls and others not pictured but eaten.

Serving a Friend

A woman in our RS is in the hospital and would love a visit.  She also requested a haircut and this very stylish sister got a new "do" and a little pampering from some of her friends in the Park Slope Ward.  Here are a few photos from the "spa day."

 Hair stylist at work.

 Ahhhh....a foot rub too!

You look fabulous!

For information on how to visit this sister please contact us at pscharityneverfaileth@gmail.com.