LDSscrap

My Burdens Have Been Lifted

So you may have noticed that our e-mails were not very consistent in October. It was just a crazy time for us. The personal, professional, and family burdens placed on us were overwhelming. Much was required of us and it seemed to be happening all at the same time. During this hectic time hours seemed to last days. One day as I was thinking about things something I had recently read in the scriptures came to my mind. It is Mosiah 24:14

14 And I will also ease the ^aburdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as ^bwitnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their ^cafflictions.

The spirit confirmed to me that my burdens were being lifted and I realized that I was being helped with all of the daily tasks that had fallen to me. Instead of being curled up in bed from exhaustion I was accomplishing my required tasks with no sense of urgency, but a feeling of calm and peace. Those things that did fall to the way side (these e-mails for instance) did not weigh heavy on my mind. The Lord had placed the most important things in front of me and gave me the knowledge, skills, and spirit to accomplish those things.

Has this ever happened to you? Have your burdens ever been lifted in a time of great stress. Our challenge to you is to journal or scrap this experience and testify that the Lord, God does visit his people in their afflictions.

Should I Go Mommy?

  My nine year old daughter kept asking me that question a couple of months ago at fast and testimony meeting. She was feeling the spirit but was not sure what to do. She had the desire to bear her testimony, but was nervous and not sure if she should. I held her hand and asked her how she felt. She hesitated and hesitated and before we knew it the meeting came to a close. When she realized that she missed the opportunity she was crushed. We talked about acting upon the promptings we receive form the Holy Ghost when we receive them. Also that our testimonies will grow as we share them. The following fast and testimony meeting she was one of the first to stand. She was so excited.

Do you remember the first time you bore your testimony? I was six and I think I had said it in Primary (when Primary was held on Wednesday). But I clearly remember a few days later that in Mrs. Curtis' first grade class for show and tell I expressed that I had born my testimony for the first time. Mrs. Curtis' then asked me to share it and I did. Some how my mom found out and she talked about the right time to share our testimonies.

Our journal challenge to you is to scrapbook or journal the first time you shared your testimony.

Good...Better...Best

Remember that conference talk from Elder Oaks a couple of years ago?  I really needed to apply that in my life the last couple of weeks. General Conference is my favorite time of year, especially the fall one. It is a great time to cozy up with family, eat home cooked food and recharge my batteries by listening to the Prophets. This year however was nothing like that. Instead it was full of dance recitals, extended family dinners, canning jam, and birthday parties. When it was all said in done I maybe watched/listened to half a session. By the time we came home Sunday night I was so depressed and as I told my husband my worries his response was good, better, best. Those spouses have such great insight some times.

I have been thinking about that talk a lot, and also the holidays. I love the holidays!! However sometimes I am so busy doing everything, that I feel like I do not get the important things done. So this year I have made a goal to determine what is the "best" way to spend my time. What traditions are meaningless and what others bring my family closer to each other and the Lord. How do I find balance between the fun and the sacred.

I know most of us make holiday goals..."I am not going to eat so much this year, I will not steal the kids candy, I will not spend so much money, I will put up the tree before Christmas Eve."

Our challenge to you is two fold this time. Journal or scrapbook your holiday goals. Take a few moments to determine what is good, better, and best for the holidays.

Sister Sister

 

 

Tomorrow is General Women's Conference, and I have been thinking about my sisters.

There is my twin, Heather, who is my best friend. We are fraternal and very opposite. My Mom says we are the perfect Ying and Yang. What ever I enjoy and am good at she enjoys the opposite. Even our testimonies are like that, I don't struggle in my  faith and she does. I am so glad Heavenly Father put me on earth with a twin.

Then there is my heavenly sister Shawnell. She died after a premature birth when I was just one. She has a very strong presence in our family. She is often talked about and very much loved. The ties of an eternal gospel has made our reunion a very important and real thing.

The sisters I grew up with are still close to me, my childhood friends. We keep in touch and meet a few times a year. I love the past that I share with them. There are several groups, and people but I try to remain close to each of them.

My Sister companions of the mission field are ones I often think of but never talk to. I had great spiritual experiences with them and also very hard times. I often wonder where and how they are and am always hoping they are true to the faith.

Then there are my current Sisters in my ward and stake. I am blessed to be in a very good ward. We are small (it could qualify for a branch), but very hard working. We like to be together often, we have dinner invites, watch each others kids, and help each other out when needed.

I am blessed to have so many sisters. Our challenge to you this week is to journal or scrapbook about the special sisters in your life.

His Helmet Was Broken In Two...

Last Friday I left work early to head up to Idaho. I was taking my children for their last summer visit with cousins, and also was going for my Uncle and Aunt who are about to leave on their first mission to England. My husband left work early to go down south to Boy Scout camp. He was going to join us on Sunday for my Aunt and Uncles mission farewell.

I was in the middle of Target in Idaho Falls when my husband called to "check in". After exchanging hellos he stated that "I am alive, but the bike isn't." My husband is an avid motorcycle enthusiast and takes the opportunity to ride every chance he gets. He had to go to camp late and decided to drive the bike down. He misjudged a corner and decided to pull off the road not noticing the ditch until it was to late. At the moment I think I was in a little bit of shock and asked a bunch of dumb questions. He had wrecked three hours before calling me. He was out in the middle of no where with no phone service. The police were just 20 minutes behind him. He had the police drive him to camp where our friends, and ward members aided him. One member drove him out to Hanksville where he could get cell service to call me. He said he did not feel hurt except for a pull in his back and he received a priesthood blessing that night in the camp.

I wondered if I should return home. At first I could not reach him again to ask all the questions I had forgotten to. The scouts pulled his motorcycle home and he called me after a visit to the doctor. He was fine and told me to stay in Idaho. We did return home Sunday evening. I sat in his lap and cried. When I saw his helmet I knew that we had truly been blessed. That a miracle had happened in our family. We still had a husband and father who was whole and safe. I thought of the prayer we said together as a family before we went our separate ways. We asked for safety, and that prayer was granted.

Have you ever been witness to a miracle? Has one happened to you? Big or small our journal challenge to you is to record a miracle that has touched your life.

 

I Don't Know What It Is...

I was looking through some old clippings from a scrapbook magazines and I came across, a page with 365 things to take pictures of. One that drew my attention was "your most prized possession". Hmmm... I do not know if I know what that is. Think of all the possibilities. Is it my most prized physical non living object, or my most prized living object (and I don't know if referring to a person as an object is a good thing). Is it  a spiritual object or my most prized craft object?  The possibilities are endless. It kind of reminds me about the song Count Your Blessings.

Once when I was on the tail end of my mission and feeling a little depressed I made a list of blessings. Not the "gospel, family, temple" list, but a list of things that made me happy. Some of those items were raisins, soda pop, and straws. I don't thing a picture of a straw would make a great scrapbook page or journal entry. However a picture of my children using straws while drinking root beer floats from Hires at Grandma Lingwall's house... well that just might work!

Journal Challenge

1. What is your most prized possession?

2. Who is your most prized possession?

3. List your top ten prized possessions from all areas of your life.

4. What was your most prized possession of your youth or childhood?

5. Have you inherited someone else's prized possession?

 

Family Reunion

 

How often do you see your family? Now a days it seems a struggle to get together with just my siblings and their children. As families grow we often drift apart as we start our own family units. Just fitting everyone in the same house becomes a little difficult to do.

But at those magical times when we do gather, when grown children laugh with their cousins and spill the secrets of their adventures during their youth. When we gather around our grandparents to hear stories of their lives and adventures. It sends us back to our youth and makes you feel safe to be in those family bonds. Not to mention the food (Aunt Karma's chocolate cherry cake..mmmmm).

I have those experiences and am so grateful for them. As reunions are getting farther and farther apart I am realizing it is up to the next generation to carry them forth.

Journal Challenge:

1. Share your reunion experiences.

2. Journal about a desired reunion. ( My father was raised in Ireland and most of his family is still there. I have never met them but long for that day to come.) Who do you want to see, what do you want to know?

3. What are the traditions behind your reunions? Where do you meet?

4. Who is your favorite relative. The person you just can't wait to see at the next reunion.

5. What traditions do you have regarding food? (mmmm Aunt Karma's chocolate cherry cake)

Please not in my yard

A brother in our ward used to bring in youths from other stakes to do service projects in the neighborhood. Last year there were so many youth and to few projects so we received a ward of youth at our home with leaders in tow. Now my home does need work. It is 100 years old. We do work on it too, when we aren't at some child's event, church activity, extended family happening, service project, school, the doctors or flat in bed sick. But the point is I am capable of working on my own home, so I felt embarrassed when leaders and youth came knocking. Was there not someone more deserving or needy than me?


It is hard to accept service sometimes. Our natural pride gets in the way. After the pride usually comes humility. You are humbled that complete strangers would pitch in to clean out your back yard, hose down your siding, and take out the old apple tree. Then comes gratitude. All those projects were done in a few hours. It would have taken me and my family a few months. How grateful I was for these people to sacrifice their time.

Journal Challenge:

1. Journal or scrapbook about a time you accepted service. Was it with a grateful heart or a little bit of swallowed pride.

2, Share a time when you should have asked for a little bit of help but did not.

3. Did you ever refuse service? Could you really have used the help? How did you feel?

4. Share your feeling about the ultimate act of service from our Savior Jesus Christ. Have you accepted all that He is willing to do for you?

Have you ever had to accept service? 

O Pioneer...

Our home is located just North of the First Encampment Park in Salt Lake City. It is on the corner of 17th South and 5th East and according to history the first place that the pioneers stayed upon arriving in the valley. It was a small group sent ahead to see what they could find. These first pioneers names are now engraved on the big boulders located in this tiny little park. My children like to call it the Rock Park and we often visit and wonder about the names on the rocks. We also live across the street from one of Wilford Woodruff's homes and an older farm home of his. The owners have restored these places beautifully. We are so lucky to be surrounded by pioneer history.

Everyone has pioneers in their family. Maybe they did not cross the plains, but they did sacrificed in their own way to be the first in their family to accept the gospel. My father is a pioneer. He converted in London, England after standing up for some missionaries who were being heckled. He met my Mom, a missionary form a small town in Idaho a few years later. He came to the States to marry her and start his family. He left behind his nine siblings, his extended family, his culture, and life, and pioneered forward for a new life.

We encourage you to discover the first pioneers in your family. Those who accepted the gospel and created a new life for themselves. Journal or scrapbook those experiences.

Dear Old Dad

My husband is at scout camp this week. My youngest is quite upset that there are "no bars" at scout camp. She attempts to call him several times a day. "I miss Dad", has become her new favorite thing to say. It has made me think about the relationships we have with our fathers. How as young children they are our first hero's, as teenagers they become the enforcers, and as adults equals and friends. Maybe that is not how it worked out for you; so we encourage you to scrap or journal those three phases of your relationship with your father. Maybe as a teenager he was your best friend and you were close. What ever your relationship write it down and record it. You can also apply this challenge to the relationships you have with other men who have influenced your life. Here are some to consider...

1. Our Heavenly Father

2. Grandpa

3. Brother

4. Uncle

No Disney...

 

Every year at Christmas my husbands family gives up the traditional Christmas gifts and donates $100.00 to a vacation pot. We then vote on three locations and at our Christmas party we "unwrap" where we are going. This year was Disneyland in CA. We were excited! We had never been there as a family.

But then life hit us with a bang. The economy affected my job, we had medical bills come up, and Scout camp and our Disney savings dwindled. We had struck Disney from the list and was hoping to make California and the beaches, but last week we set the kids down and informed them that we would not be going to Disney this year or the Lingwall family vacation. My husbands parents offered to help. But we felt it important to live with in our means and teach that lesson to our children.

Sacrifice...it is a powerful tool.

This week we encourage you to share a story about sacrifice.

Journal Challenge: Sacrifice

1. We know we don't like to talk about ourselves. But as women we know you have made sacrifices. Share one.

2. Those pioneers in your life who made sacrifices to accept the gospel.

3. Has someone sacrificed for you?

4. The ultimate sacrifice. The atonement of our Saviour.

5. A sacrifice that someone else made that touched you.

 

An Open Letter to Mrs. Douglas

Dear Mrs. Douglas,


   The first day of AP English you told a story of a man who had bragged about not reading a book since he had graduated. Then you said something to the effect of how sad. That obviously has stayed with me through the years. Every time I finish a book I say to myself Mrs. Douglas would be proud. You are a powerful teacher who still influences my actions today. You opened up great books to me and I thank you for it.

  I find it sad that a person young as you is retiring.

  I remember sitting in your class near graduation day, thinking that I had become myself. That, although there was much more life and experience to live, I would not change much. I had finally matured into the adult I was to be. HA! I wish you joy in this next phase and discovering the person you are about to be.

  With love.

Patty Casey Lingwall

 

Journal Challenge: Teachers

Mrs. Douglas was my high school English teacher. She is retiring this year and her son asked everyone he knew to write a letter to her which he is compiling in a book. There are many teachers who influenced my life. The challenge is to journal or scrapbook about a special teacher in your life and also to thank that teacher if possible. It does not have to be a school teacher either, think of all those who have taught you. Here are some other "teachers"...

Primary teacher
Youth leader
Coach
Friend
Mentor
Parent
Child
Scout leader

 

No Disney...

 

Every year at Christmas my husbands family gives up the traditional Christmas gifts and donates $100.00 to a vacation pot. We then vote on three locations and at our Christmas party we "unwrap" where we are going. This year was Disneyland in CA. We were excited! We had never been there as a family.

But then life hit us with a bang. The economy affected my job, we had medical bills come up, and Scout camp and our Disney savings dwindled. We had struck Disney from the list and was hoping to make California and the beaches, but last week we set the kids down and informed them that we would not be going to Disney this year or the Lingwall family vacation. My husbands parents offered to help. But we felt it important to live with in our means and teach that lesson to our children.

Sacrifice...it is a powerful tool.

This week we encourage you to share a story about sacrifice.

Journal Challenge: Sacrifice

1. We know we don't like to talk about ourselves. But as women we know you have made sacrifices. Share one.

2. Those pioneers in your life who made sacrifices to accept the gospel.

3. Has someone sacrificed for you?

4. The ultimate sacrifice. The atonement of our Saviour.

5. A sacrifice that someone else made that touched you.

Sitting on the bench, smelling the lilacs.

 

I was in a small town in Idaho last week for a family funeral. It was a couple of days after Memorial Day and the graves still had all of their flowers and decorations. In this grave yard are generations of my mother's family. Including my grandparents whom I love so dearly. It was the first time I had seen their headstone. It really is not a headstone, it is a bench. A place to sit and reflect about them. I was early at the site and had a chance to sit on the bench. I could smell the fragrance of lilacs that someone had left. Grandma and Grandpa always had lilac bushes in their yard. It was beautiful to sit their smelling the flowers grateful for the Plan of Salvation that allowed us to be an eternal family.

 This week we challenge you to create a layout or journal about a core belief. The Plan of Salvation, the divinity of Jesus Christ, or faith and hope. Some times we do not share these things. It is either such a part of us that it seems natural, or it is something sacred and held in reverence, or we just cover the day to day aspects and forget to share our deepest feelings. Here are some ideas.

1. Make the title of the page "I Believe"..as a spring board.

2. Share a faith promoting, life changing experience.

3. Record the feelings you had at your baptism.

4. Write down your testimony.

I Bet You Didn't Know!

 

There are things about ourselves that we often don't share with others. They are not bad things or shameful, some times they are silly thing and in general just items we don't bring up in every day conversations. Here are a few of mine....

1. I love Honey Nut Cheerios with chocolate milk.

2. I have a twin.

3. I rather cross stitch than scrapbook (did I say that out loud?)

4. I am deeply afraid of heights.

5. I still keep in touch with the first boy I kissed.

6. I would eat steak every day if I could.

7. I am allergic to anything with fur and most things outside.

8. I have never been out of the U.S. (even though my Dad was born and raised in Ireland).

9. I once belonged to a dance group and wore a plumb one piece suit, hot pink leg warmers, and a "flash dance" hot pink top over my plumb suit. I was hot!! (and 10).

10. I took baton lessons and can still twirl.

What are 10 random facts about you?

Journal Challenge: Journal or Scrapbook 10 Random Facts

 

1. Ten random facts about you.

2. Ten random facts about someone else (husband, child, mother).

3. Ten random facts about your mission.

4. Ten random facts about your marriage.

5. Ten random facts about the LDS church.

Just dirst and rocks.

That is what is in my yard, just dirt and rocks. The rocks are landscaped and the dirt is in the garden bed, but it is still dirt and rocks. After getting after my husband for a couple of years to mow our very tiny front lawn, I decided to dig it up and cover it in rocks. I can not mow, but I can weed. I really like it and we get quite a few compliments. It is also nice because we have no water access in the front, so water is down to a minimal. All we have to do is water the pumpkin patch in the parking strip. We are known as the pumpkin house, but that is another story.

We celebrated earth day this week. Did you do anything special. When I take the time to slow down and enjoy the beauty of nature I am amazed at our Heavenly Father's creations. It also always makes me think of the hymn "For The Beauty of the Earth". Do you know that hymn, it is on page 92 of the current hymn book. The words are listed to the left.

I have a special challenge for you this week. Something that might make you stretch a little. I challenge you to use the words of this hymn or any other in your journaling and scrapbooking.

Mine is the cutest.

I am refering to my husband of coarse. He is the cutest. April 19th is Husband Appreciation Day. Do you have any scrapbook pages dedicated to your husband? There are numerous pages to create. How you met. What attracted you to him. For those of us who have been married for a while we can talk about how our love has changed. How we are settled and work as one. What are the kind things you husband does for you. Do you share a funny story. I am the first to admit I am not always happy with my husband (and if we are honest they are not always happy with us). But we encourage you to create a positive page or journal entry about your husband. Here are some other ideas.

1. What good traits do you admire about him?

2. Has he taught you anything?

3. What are his hobbies, likes, and interests?

4. What sacrifices has he made for you and your family?

We realize this project may not apply to you. We encourage you to journal or scrapbook a page about a man that is important in your life.

We had no eggs.

Years ago my husband and I decided not to have the Easter Bunny visit our home. Our children were still quite young. We came to the conclusion that one of our holidays should be a little more religious than commercial. Since Christmas was way out of the question we settled on Easter. Now that was a personal decision and not one for everyone, it is just what we do.
   We usually hide a few eggs for fun. This year how ever we had no eggs, no new dresses or ties, not even a special dinner. I sat my children down at the kitchen table, feeling slightly guilty that I was depriving them, and bore my testimony as to why this day was so special. I have to say it went over quite well. No fits or questions as to why, just nods of heads and smiles.
   It definitely was out of the norm. I missed the new dresses and ham. I definitely could have used the chocolate. But because it was different I think it is something my children will remember.

  Journal Challenge: Is there a holiday that was special because it was different. The year everyone made Christmas gifts instead of buying them. The year you served the homeless at Thanksgiving instead of hosting a dinner at home? Maybe you just broke a tradition and had the 4th of July picnic at home instead of the park. Journal or scrapbook that experience and the feelings you had (note I mentioned guilt), and the things you learned.

Church on TV

Church on TV is how we used to refer to General Conference when our children were young. It was a little confusing to be missing a regular Sunday event. My youngest still is trying to figure out why we get to watch church on TV. We know that is not the case around the globe. On my mission I went to the church house to watch General Conference. Now I listen to it on the computer while I catch up on my family items in the office on Saturday. We sit down and watch the sessions on Sunday or take a drive together and listen to it on the radio.

I LOVE General Conference!! It is the "most wonderful time of the year." To meet as one large group is one of the things I enjoy. To know that there are thousands of people listening along with me, that I belong to a great community of Saints. The other thing I love is the lack of other Sunday obligations. There are no extra meeting for my husband or myself. I can cook whatever kind of meal I want with no need to worry about a time schedule. It is just our little family holed up together, listening to our leaders, feeling the spirit and the strength of home.

What do you enjoy about General Conference? Check out our die cuts of the Conference Center, Christus, and prophets at LDSscrap.

Journal: General Conference

1. Journal your General Conference traditions.

   What do you do? What do you eat? (There is that food again.) Who do you attend General Conference with? 
   Where do you attend?

2. Journal an important talk. One that made a change in your life or taught you something.

3. Journal any goals you make because of General Conference.

4. Journal about listening to the Prophet and Twelve Apostles. Also your feelings about revelation today.

It Was Worth The Price

A couple of weeks ago we attended Scrapbook USA in Sandy, Utah. Now I don't get out of the booth much, but from shoppers comments I could tell that it was a scrapbook paradise. With that experience, the state of the economy, and my Relief Society Birthday party, (we heard from Brother Goodrich  the head of Welfare Square) I have been thinking about shopping. What we buy, why we buy, the changes in our habits. I realize that may sound boring...scrapbooking our grocery receipts. But think of the generations who will look at it one day. I found a hand written receipt for a leather belt from ZCMI in my Grandparents papers that I inherited. It was fascinating. I also was talking with some neighbors about a ward cook book. There were ingredients that no one could figure out. Food and spices that were once common and are now unheard of. It is also good to scrapbook our "hard" times. As a little girl our family struggled through the 80's. My father lost his business, and we lost our house. During that time I babysat on a regular basis. My parents created a jar called the "kitty". If I so desired I could put some or all of my money in the jar. My mother then used it to buy groceries or what was needed. It may seem harsh, but for me it was a great learning and growth experience. I enjoyed helping my family and I learned the value of hard work and a dollar. So I did get out of the booth for about five minutes. I found something perfect too! It wasn't on sale, but was a fair price. I know the owners of the company and I realize all the hard work they put in to their product. I do not mind paying a fair price when I know it is supporting someones lively hood. It was well worth the price. Journal: Shopping   1. Journal or scrapbook a time where you scrimped , saved, and sacrificed for something you desired. Was it worth it? Do you still treasure the item or event. 2. Save a week or months worth of receipts to show your shopping habits. Explain why you shop where you do and what you needed. Was it essential or a splurge? 3. Journal or scrapbook about a hard time when money was short. What sacrifices were made. Did it feel like a sacrifice. Have you gotten over it? 4. Journal about money goals. What do you want your money to do? Where do you want to go? Forward this newsletter! Contact: LDSscrap | www.ldsscrap.com | Salt Lake City | UT | 84105 customerservice@ldsscrap.com  |   Unsubscribe from this newsletter. This email was sent to {$email}, by customerservice@ldsscrap.com Don't miss out! Make sure our emails end up in your inbox, not your bulk or junk folders. Simply add customerservice@ldsscrap.com to your email address book or trusted-sender list.

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I am sorry.

We have been saying that a lot lately. Not that anyone is complaining. But we are (obviously) behind. Behind in shipping orders, behind in getting out our journal e-mails, behind in our blog. We have good excuses, but I am not one for excuses.
   It has led me to think about the things we do. If you look at my personal blog Patty's Peculiar Platter, you will see that my platter was overflowing in March. I started to think about what I could turn down. Nothing. Because even though it was hectic and crazy, I think I would be feeling more sorry if I had backed out of anything. I would regret the experience to serve my children and their teachers, also the women in my ward. I would regret not doing the shows where I have the chance to meet fantastic women like you. Maybe I could have done without the two weeks of cough and cold. The trees falling in the back yard knocking out the power and phone lines however have taught my children a great lesson in preparedness.
   I have this article I tore out of a magazine when I was a new mother. The title is "Just Say Yes". It was about a woman who accepted the opportunities placed in front of her. It is kind of opposite to the just say NO attitude the world puts in front of us. Do not do anything unless there is a benefit to you. Do not make any sacrifices of your time because it is precious. Think about what you miss when you just say no.

Journal Ideas:

1. What opportunity did you not take and now regret?

    Once I went on a date instead of filling out a scholarship application. I knew I was very qualified for that scholarship and often think what if...

2. What service have you performed that required great sacrifice, but was worth it?

    Mission anyone? What about a calling?

My Hair Is Not Blue!

I was reading someone's blog. It is quite a popular LDS blog and a friend suggested I try to search it out. On this particular entry the husband was answering questions posed by others. One question was about his wife being a Relief Society President. He said (and I quote here) "She will be Young Women's President long before she ever gets stuck with the blue hairs in Relief Society."

WHAT?!?

I typed a quick hasty note informing him that Relief Society is not full of blue hairs and is an excellent place for any woman in the church to be. Besides those "blue hairs" are the perfect example for any of us with other color of hair. I was a little offended and not very kind. I racked it up to his age and inexperience in the gospel and did not send the note.

I admit I am biased. I love Relief Society. Teaching in Relief Society is my favorite calling. (I am currently struggling with being one of the counselors). It is a wonderful organization that encourages women in every aspect of their lives.

Here are some ideas to journal/scrapbook-

1. A moving lesson that changed your life in RS.

2. Service provided by or to you.

3. Your feelings about RS.

4. Your favorite (or worst) Visiting Teacher or Visiting Teaching Companion.

There are ants in my sugar!!

 Did you know February is national canning month? Kind of an odd month, since it is really not the season to can. I am wondering if it is because we eat so much canned soup in the winter.

Do you can? Have you ever had home canned food? Jams, jellies, peaches, pears? (Have you noticed we are talking about food again?) I am still stretching my canning wings, but I do make one thing rather well...jam. I have only ever had one batch fail. Of course it was the time I was teaching my sister in law Jen how to make jam. We started a batch then realized there were ants in the sugar, so we dumped it. We started the next batch, then realized that the recipe was low sugar and it ended up runny and very pink. Usually however my jam turns out well enough for me to pass it off as a Christmas present to my neighbors.

One other cool thing about canning is my canning tools. They were once my great grandmother's, then my grandma's, mom, and now me. I taught a class for RS once and someone asked me where to get a specific tool. The RS Pres. piped up and said "those are just one of the things you inherit, they do not make them anymore."

Here are some ideas to journal or scrapbook.....

1.  Have you done prep work before? Pitted cherries, shucked corn, split peas? Did you do it as an adult or child. What memories does it bring back.

2. Are there traditions around your canning? Is it a family event or a one man job? Do you always can the same things or go out on a limb once in a while.

3. Share the memories of eating home canned food. One of the sweet ladies I visit teach almost wept as she talked about her mother's chillin sauce.

4. Share that secret recipe!! I am really against secret recipes. If  it is good shouldn't we share it?

5. How did you gather your canning supplies? What else do you do with them? (Those canning jars make good embellishment/ribbon holders!!)

   

I need some pasta!!

Yes, we already talked about food. No this journal challenge is not about food. It is about the winter colds, flus, and blahs, we get each year. My areas seems to have it particularly bad this year. I had one child home for three days two weeks ago, another child home for three days last week. My husband was on the couch all day Saturday, Sunday, and Monday missing church and work in between the kids. I have now been battling it for almost a week. One more kid to go!
  But it is not just being sick. It is also the winter blahs. I was with a group of sisters in my ward kitchen on Sunday making cookie platters for the Linger Longer/Meet and Greet/Grab and Gab after church. We had just asked a sister to accept a duty, for lack of a better word, to be our ward representative for a stake RS activity. She broke down. She really wanted to say no, but she had never said no to anything in her life, and she was torn. We started talking about our duties and responsibilities and how we feel like we are doing so much, but only getting it half way done. How we are struggling to get off the couch, which never used to be a struggle. She was so relieved to know she was not alone.
  My calling in my ward is Enrichment Counselor for the Relief Society. We have had three activities so far this year, small gatherings...super small...not one, one person has come to any activity! Lucky for me the sisters who hosted the activity felt like they did their calling and have not been put off or offended by lack of participation. I also have to note that I do not live in a very big ward. Even though it is downtown Salt Lake it is  the size of some of the branches I served in on my mission. But I think that also attests to our winter blahs. 

  So tonight I exclaimed to my husband "I need some pasta!" It must be the carbs, because when I am feeling down or sick, I want pasta and potatoes. It makes me fell better for some reason.

Weekly Challenge
Winter colds, flu, and the blahs!!

1. Do you get a yearly bug? What is it, how do you know it is coming?

2. What are you like when you are sick? My Mom said that is the only time I would seek her out for hugs. So when my husband told me last week that I was soft and kind when I was ill , I knew my cold was not a mental state.

3. How do you beat the winter blahs? Or do you just give into them? If you give into them how are your habits different in winter nights from fall and spring nights?

Six Word Love Story

First we apologize for the delay. Do not be surprised if next weeks topic is winter colds.

Have you heard of six word biographies? They have been talked about on NPR, The New Yorker, and are all over the interent. We are putting a twist on the six word biography, we instead are making six word love stories. Here is mine...

High-school friends, love letters, eternal companion.

That sums up the love story I share with my husband. But you can see how it poses so many more questions than it answers. That is where the journaling can come in. Describe your six word love stories with words and pictures. For example the love letters were written while we were on our missions. My husband served and came home, and I left two weeks later. It also leads to other six word love stories.....

two missions, two engagements, finally married

My husband and I also got engaged to different people while the other was serving a mission.

Hear are some other six word ideas...

1. Six words for dream husband/boyfriend/wife girlfriend.
2. Six words to describe your wedding day.
3. Six word list of things you love most.
4. Six words to describe your significant other.

Remember six words is just the beginning! We would love to hear your six words. E-mail them to customerservice@ldsscrap.com.

Forward this newsletter!

Journal: Name

 

My wedding announcement looked something like this

 

Patrick G. Casey and B. Eileen Casey
daughter
Patricia M. Casey
 married to
Jon Patrick Lingwall
son of
Jon E. Lingwall and A. Patricia Lingwall

If you caught it basically my husband and I have the same names as my in-laws, and my husband shares a name with my father. We were named after our parents, Patricia being the feminine for Patrick and vice versa. We were going to name out first son Patrick Jon, so we could just cover parents and grandparents names in one swoop. We did not. We did pick up family names for our children though. The most interesting being Kathryn Axl Lingwall. Kathryn is my husbands great aunt who died at the age of three. Her father Axl had not joined the church. He liked the church, his wife and children belonged, but he just could not believe in heavenly visitors, thus in Joseph Smith and the first vision. Grandpa Axl always sat on the front porch and read the newspaper after work. One day, he had what he thought was a dream, and his little deceased daughter Kathryn came and sat on his lap. It happened again the next day, except he wasn't so sure it was a dream. The third day he was aware that he was awake and yet here was his daughter on his lap. If Kathryn could visit him, then of course God the Father and Jesus Christ could visit Joseph Smith. Shortly after this experience he joined the church.

Are names usually have a special meaning and frequently represent someone close to us (or at least our parents). Here are a few ideas for journaling and scrapbooking.

1. Namesake- Who are you named after or your children or spouse. What does that mean. what responsibility does that hold.

2. Children's names- Why did you pick them? How hard was it to  pick them? It is a story your children will want to know.

3. Nickname- I am a big fan of nicknames. I have several and have handed out several. Who gave you your nickname and why?

Namesake

This is what came out of last weeks project on Grandma. Isn't it amazing how one project inspires ideas for more. The picture on the left is my Grandmother at 9 mo. old and the one at the left is my daughter at about 16 months old. Bea (Barbara Elizabeth) is named after my Grandma Barbara. The namesake embellishment is actually a flap and has a story about how we picked Bea's name. (She was born and I was in recovery and I looked at my husband and said the time has come to pick a name. Barbara was not even on the list.)

We have made this into a kit. It features Pebble's Heritage paper line. You can find it at www.ldsscrap.com in the shopping section Journaling  for $4.99.

Journal: Grandma

 

This was not what we had planned. Snow was on the schedule for journaling this week. It all started with last weeks challenge about food. I was going to scrapbook a page about Ebelskivers (filled pancakes) that my Grandma always made for us when we visited. Every time I sat down to do it I just felt so overwhelmed with all of the emotions tied to my Grandmother. It has been over a year, but part of me, sometimes, thinks she is still at home in Idaho. Since I did not see her daily, and some times did not see her for very long lengths of time, it feels like nothing has changed. It is only on our trips to Idaho that I realize there is no longer a Grandma's house to go to. So last night in my last ditch effort to force a page.. I realized that I should be making a page about Grandma herself..then maybe the Ebelskivers. It is a work in progress, but we plan to have it posted to the blog this week.

Here are some ideas....

1. What are the special things you did with your Grandma? Bake bread, play dolls, go shopping?

2. What were your visits like with Grandma? Could you run to her house whenever you wanted? Did you come for long visit since you lived far away?

3. Is there a special mentor in your life who took the place of a Grandma? Someone else's Grandma, a kind older lady in your ward?

4. What did your Grandma teach you?

I am sure your ideas are endless. Don't forget, we would love to see your work!

Journal- Did anyone say funeral potatoes?

Some times we think our journaling needs to be about something "important". You know those life altering events. While I agree we need to record important events, I strongly believe the day to day is just as fascinating. I eat lunch every Tuesday with my husband's grandmother Phyllis. She has lived in the Liberty Park area of Salt Lake all of her life. She celebrated her 92nd birthday last week. Her day to day life of when she was a little girl is so interesting to me. Her Mom made fish and chips every Friday (she was a convert from England). One of her favorite things for me to bring is fish and chips from a local shop.

January is National Soup month. I provided a great recipe from a recent Souper Saturday to those who signed up for weekly e-mails. Maybe soup is not your thing. Here are a few suggestions of what you can scrapbook about or journal for this week....

1. The role a certain food plays in your life... your comfort food.

2. The role food plays in our Mormon culture. If you do not know what funeral potatoes are or have never made a jell-o salad let us know, we have some great recipes.

3. The favorite dish your Mother makes (Grandmother or spouse).

4. The food you ate on your mission. (Even though I stayed in the US I never ate collared greens until my mission or had a Buckeye Chocolate).

If you would like to receive weekly e-mails, let us know. E-mail us and put journal in the subject line. 

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Journaling Challenge- Letters

Letters or mail. Something that isdeclining with the use of the internet. Something I love. Who does not love to get mail?! I received a piece of missionary mail this week. It is the first missionary mail I have seen in nine years. The letter was short and sweet. I cried like a baby, cried because Imissed my mission, cried because this mail was from a person who I love dearly, and cried because I missed my Granparenst who served two missions and always sent letters (well at least Grandma did).

It also happens to be National Letter Writing Week.

So this week we are journaling about the mail we have received. Did you have a pen pal as a youth, do you share love letters with a spouse? Also those missionaries, there always seems to be mail when there are missionaries. Here are a few ideas...

1. Journal/Scrapbook the "secret code words"- When my husband and I  were on our missions we tried to keep the sappy stuff out of our letters. Our focus needed to be on the work not on the longing we felt for each other. So we made up this code word "Mush". It stood for all those things we wanted to say to each other, but held back for that special time.

2. Journal/Scrapbook the joy of getting mail or even the dread of those Dear John letters.

3. Journal/Scrapbook about the person who used to send you mail.

4. Journal/Scrapbook about your e-mail buddy now.

5. Write a letter to someone.

Remember to keep your letters. My Father's Mom died when he was nine. He was the youngest of nine children. He had an Aunt Maggie who lived a short distance away, but not close enough to visit daily. She would send a letter every day instructing this motherless family what they needed to accomplish that day. How I wish I had those letters.

Even if you e-mail, print those out once in a while. A Sister in my Relief Society lost her mother a few years ago. When she died she realized that she had e-mailed her mother almost daily and had all that correspondence. She also realized that she had just cleaned the files in her computer. When she went to retrieve the e-mails they were gone.

Share your ideas with us!