Getting to Know...

Carlene Adams can often be found with a child or two in her lap. Her passion is babies, and she still nannies five days a week! She loves to be with the children and her favorite church calling of all time is the nursery. Carlene was born in California, but grew up in Bellingham. She loves it here.

She has six grown children and eleven grandchildren, who are her pride and joy! Currently, Carlene lives with her husband Jerry on a peaceful five acres. They have three dogs and a cute little bunny. They enjoy boating, picking berries, and going for car rides together.

Some things you may not know about Carlene: she is a lover of nature, her favorite color is green because it is very calming. She loves the trees, grasses, moss, and outdoors. She collects knives and owns about 100 of them! She belongs to the Bellingham Haiku Group (see one of her published haikus here). Carlene also loves dumplings of every kind. Her favorite place she has been is the Bahamas with her husband. Currently, she serves as our ward music director and very much enjoys music, especially the hymns, which give her much peace.

One of the things that stands out to me about Carlene is how truly sweet and giving she is. The first to hold your baby when he is crying, the first to bring someone a plate of food, or to leave pleasant surprises on your doorstep. I recall voicing that I would be interested in reading the Help, and the very same Sunday, Carlene walked up to me in church and planted the book in my hands. What a wonderful example she is to all of us! Please get to know Carlene if you have not been touched by her already! She is awesome!

Monday Minutes

LAST WEEK'S LESSON HIGHLIGHTS: "The standard for temple recommend holders is
not too high for us to achieve. It is simply to faithfully live the gospel
and follow the prophets. ....God so loves each one of us that he gave his
only begotten Son to atone for our sins. He knows us and waits for us, even
when we are a great way off. As we act on our desires and come to ourselves,
we will be encircled about eternally in the arms of his love and welcomed
home." -Elder Robert D.
Hales

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK:
 June 25: Alysha Brown, Jill Jensen, Laurene Rusing
 June 26: Michelle King-Ethridge
 June 27: Julie Creager
 June 28: Cynthia Brown
 July 1: Clara Hamilton

LESSON THIS WEEK: To prepare for the lesson think about how others have
helped or influenced you as you strive to live the gospel.

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES:
 July 10: Daytime R.S. Activity, 11am
 July 19: Evening R.S. Activity, 7pm

PRESIDENCY NOTE: Check out our blog at bham2sisters.blogspot.com. We will be
posting pictures from our activities on this blog. If you would rather not
have your picture posted please contact Mimi Saunders at 360-224-6717.

Getting To Know...

Debbie Ho has been a preschool teacher at St. Paul's for fifteen years! She loves her job. Born in Oregon, she has lived all over the world as her dad was a construction worker. Debbie has lived in Pakistan, India, Singapore, Borneo, Idaho, Malaysia, and of course Bellingham. In Pakistan, Debbie was caught right in the middle of their civil war, her dad was trapped for five days before he could get to safety. They were scary times, but we are so glad she made it through. She met her husband John at a dance in Malaysia. He was the bass guitarist and lead singer--and the rest is history!

Debbie has two boys. She spends a lot of her time watching younger son, Eric, play baseball. Eric just recently graduated and will attend WSU. Her older son lives in California and is a musician. She has two grandchildren. Debbie likes to spend time with her family, hiking, and doing various fun things like indoor skydiving! Her favorite food is spaghetti--however, due to her health, she is on the Paleo Diet and has to get creative. Debbie is currently serving as one of our Teaching For Our Times teachers in Relief Society and will be teaching this coming Sunday. Please go out of your way to get to know her, she is a wonderful lady!

Monday Minutes

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK:
 June 21 Emily Pool
 June 23 Janice Draper

NEXT WEEK'S LESSON:
 TFOT:  General Conference 2012, "Coming to Ourselves: The Sacrament, the
Temple, and Sacrifice in Service" By Robert D. Hales

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES:
 June 21: Ward Temple Cleaning

Getting to Know...

Dorothy Shiley has 12 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren! Oh, yes, she is also mother to four children. Born in Spokane, WA, she grew up in Colville and then graduated from Amity in Oregon. Upon graduation, Dorothy hoped to be hired on to Boeing. The War had started in December and on her 18th birthday, she was hired on at Boeing and worked there as a mechanic for three years. Afterwards, she came home to Tigard, Oregon where she met the boy next door, Bill, and the rest, as they say, is history!

 (Bill, Dorothy, and three of their grandsons)

They joined the church in 1953. Dorothy has lived many places, but her favorite was in a Ranger Station in the Mount Hood Forest, where her nearest neighbor were the deer. Bill worked as a logging engineer. Not much has changed! Dorothy also loves Bellingham as they retired here in 1975. They loved skiing and swimming, but Dorothy prefers the mountains. They were a camping family and have camped all over the west. Dorothy loves salmon, bake, broiled or grilled!

Throughout her life, Dorothy has served as a primary teacher, den leader, Relief Society President, in Young Women's and is currently our ward librarian. Her all time favorite calling was being secretary to her husband Bill when he was the Stake Patriarch. You won't be sorry if you get to know this lady. She is one of my all time favorite sisters, hands down. Everyone should know Dorothy, and her cute dog--MeiMei!!!

Monday Minutes

LAST WEEKS LESSON HIGHLIGHTS:
"All  that God has revealed and published to the children of men that
is necessary to prepare them for a place in the celestial kingdom is
contained within the covers of these sacred books."
 -President George Albert Smith

THIS WEEK'S BIRTHDAYS:
 June 11: Kimberly Marlowe
 June 12: Karen Remick & Rosa Reyes
 June 15: Vera Pool
 June 16: Sally Overby
 June 17: Kristen Holman

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES:
 June 12: Daytime R.S. & Potluck, 11am, "Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes!"
 June 14: R.S. BBQ at the Ellis Home (1944 Discovery Heights Drive), 6:30pm
 June 16: Adult Stake Conference 7pm
 June 17: Stake Conference 10am
 June 21: Ward Temple Cleaning Night

NOTE FROM THE R.S. PRESIDENCY: Check out our new blog at
bham2sisters.blogspot.com

VT Guidelines

With updated routes coming out, now would be a great time to revisit some Visiting Teaching guidelines.

• Do your best to visit in pairs. If your partner cannot go, you can ask your supervisor or the president (I will go with you!). Please don't go alone into dicey neighborhoods.
• Pray about your visits, your sisters, and with your companion before you go out.
• Be respectful of everyone's time, make visits brief (15 min -30 min). Sometimes rules can be broken, go by the Spirit.
• The optimum is to visit each month, with more contact as needed or inspired. The minimum is to contact each sister--phone is preferred. The important part is that they feel you care about them. 
• Bring the Spirit into your sister's home by bringing a message each month. And a prayer if possible.
• If you have a letter route, please write personal notes as well as send a lesson each month. There is a real person on the other side, and she needs to know there is a real person on your side.
• At the end of the month, it is your responsibility to contact your supervisor whether you have made visits or not.
• If you learn something critical about a sister or family call the supervisor or president right away, not at the end of the month. Remember everything is CONFIDENTIAL.
• As a teachee, please let your visiting teachers come. If you don't know who they are, contact the visiting teaching coordinator (Myrna Parker) or the president (Mimi Saunders).
• If you have any problems or concerns contact the President.
• Remember visiting teaching is about PEOPLE not percentages and should not be a task, but rather a way of life.
• THANK YOU for all you do. We, the presidency, cannot visit every sister each month, even though we would love to. You are our hands, and we together, are the Lord's.

A Haiku...

I'll return to earth

graceful as spent Irises

bid farewell to June.

--By Carlene Adams


Published in the award winning death awareness anthology, 'Dreams Wander On' by Robert Epstein.

Comfort Food

From April Loveland--

This is one of my favorite recipes. Summer is upon us and most people aren't thinking about cooking a warm pot of chili when it is hot outside but it hasn't been hot here and this is what I have been craving. Enjoy...

5 Bean Chili

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chuck
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 cup diced green bell pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder, preferably Mexican style
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, broken up with your hands
• 3 cups beef stock or canned, low-sodium beef broth
• 1 1/2 cups great northern beans
• 1 1/2 cups cooked and drained pinto beans
• 1 1/2 cups cooked and drained kidney beans
• 1 1/2 cups cooked and drained black beans
• 1 1/2 cups cooked and drained navy beans
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
• Sour cream, grated Cheddar and chopped green onions, for garnishing, optional

Directions

In a cast iron pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the meat until well browned, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, salt, cumin, black pepper, cayenne pepper, coriander, and cinnamon, and cook until vegetables are soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the bay leaves, tomatoes, and stock; bring the mixture to a simmer, partially cover, and cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add all of the beans, stir to combine, and continue to cook another 20 to 30 minutes, or until the flavors have come together and the chili has a nice, thick consistency. Add the cilantro, taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.

Serve hot, garnished with sour cream, grated cheese, and chopped green onions, if desired.

Getting To Know...

The only expectant mother in our ward at the moment...Trista Sherwood was born and raised in Lake Stevens, WA. She has two brothers and three sisters. She graduated from BYU-Provo in Speech and Hearing. Upon returning from Utah, Trista was set up on a blind date by her husband, Trevor's mom who happened to know her mom. The blind date happened to be Trevor.. It was love at first sight, a definite connection and the rest is history! Trevor graduated from Western and is employed as an accountant at VSH in Barkley Village.

(Trista, Trevor, and Charlie)

Trista is mother to an adorable one year old named Charlie. He is certainly full of life and keeps her busy. In her free time, she likes to read, play the piano, and being outdoors. She enjoys Whatcom Falls Park, which is just across the street from where they currently live with Trevor's grandmother.

Trista's favorite place she has visited is Disneyland, she is a big fan. However, her honeymoon, an Alaskan Cruise in July is also a favorite memory. Currently, she is a lover of chocolate ice cream, double fudge brownie to be exact.

We hope you get to know this wonderful lady!

Monday Minutes

LESSON HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST WEEK: “Filled with His love, we can endure pain, quell fear, forgive freely, avoid contention, renew strength, and bless and help others.” –John H. Groberg            

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK:

  June 5^th:  Jennifer Dunham & Kanai Callow

  June 6^th:  Stephanie Fowler

  June 8^th:  Cathy Knutson

  June 10^th: Christie Madsen

NEXT WEEK’S LESSON: Chapter 10, “The Scriptures, the Most Valuable Library in the World”

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES:

  June 9: Stake Day of Service at BC Temple, 9am-12

  June 10: Ward Fireside, 7pm

  June 12: Day Time RS Activity, “Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes”, 11am

  June 14: RS BBQ at Ellis Home, 6:30pm

  June 16 & 17: Stake Conference

The Power of the Love of God

Here is a wonderful conference talk that went with Sunday's presidency message:

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2004/10/the-power-of-gods-love?lang=eng&media=video

Getting to Know...

Carole Galloway has led quite a full life! Born and raised in Tacoma, WA, she is the youngest of four girls and is a fraternal twin! She and her sister Cecelia weighed a total of 8 pounds 7 ounces. Carole enjoyed growing up in Tacoma around many relatives and neighborhood friends. She has spent most of her life working in various restaurants, resorts, and a nursing home. Her first job was at the Goofy Goose Drive-In.

Carole has been across the entire United States and back on a motorcycle. A "fun" memory was sleeping on the concrete in Death Valley while waiting for the gas station to open up to fill up the same motorcycle. She has lived in many places. She met her husband Karl at a Square Dance. He had just returned from a patrol in a Navy submarine. He asked her to dance at "Phase 3 Round Dance class" and they have been together ever since. They lived for some time in Ketchikan, Alaska.

 (Carole, lower right, with her three sisters)

This amazing lady has survived cervical as well as stage 1 breast cancer. After chemotherapy and radiation for breast cancer, she and Karl married in Calgary. In 2002, they moved back to Washington so Karl could go to graduate school for computer programming. Carole owns her own Bookkeeping business for small companies. She was baptized in October 2011.

Besides her love for dance, Carole loves to read, sew and crochet.  She and Karl own over 10,000 books. Her favorite treat is chocolate/mint/peanut butter ice cream, which she can find at Coldstone.

Carole is hoping to move back to Tacoma to take care of her mom and dad. Please get to know this awe-inspiring lady before she leaves us!