Ways to Love Watermelon

Greetings sisters, Mimi here! This blog has not been kept up, and I apologize! Summertime sure gets in the way around these parts! Speaking of summer, I hope you are enjoying this lovely weather we are having and taking full advantage of the sunny, dry days! You know we will all be water-logged soon enough!

One of my most favorite aspects of summertime is WATERMELON! YUM YUM! My most favorite way to eat it is just plain. It is so mouthwatering and delicious. My mom puts salt on hers, and that is fantastic as well. 

However, if you are getting tired of having the same plain watermelon at every barbecue or dinner, and want to "WOW" your crowd, here are two recipes I have tried this summer, that I just fell in love with:

First is simple, watermelon with lime and salt. Just squeeze the lime straight onto the watermelon and then sprinkle some salt. It's delectable and a wonderful after dinner delight.

The second recipe is a watermelon salad, I know it sounds so weird, but trust me, it is scrumptious and satisfying:

I

• 3/4 - 1 cup of cold watermelon, cubed
• 1/4 cup of feta cheese, crumbled or cubed
• 1/4 medium red onion, cut in paper-thin slices
• 1/4 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar or balsamic vinaigrette
• (I would add some cilantro or basil, I also wouldn't cube it, just serve it in wedges)

ENJOY!! 
PS, how many of us are reading this blog. If you are the first to leave a comment, I will bring you your personal watermelon salad to sample!

Monday Minutes

HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST WEEKS LESSON:
Since it was the fifth Sunday of the month, the Priesthood and the
Relief Society meet together and the Bishop taught the lesson. We
watched the talk given by Bishop Edgley at last April's conference.
The talk was entitled, "The Rescue for Real Growth". We discussed some
of the things Bishop Edgley had learned from an experience he had with
a less active member. Some of those ideas were; 1. It is not easy for
a less active member to walk back into the Church. They need help and
fellowship. 2. We have less active members who are willing to find the
path back to activity. We can help them if we know who they are.
3.Less active members deserve to be treated as an equal and be viewed
as a son or daughter of God.

UPCOMING EVENTS:
August 11: Ward BBQ at Cornwall Park, 4-6pm, the Ward will provide the
meat, If you are able, people with a last name beginning with A - L
please bring either a salad or side dish to share. M - Z please bring
a dessert to share. We are going to have water gun fight after dinner
so if you want to participate please bring either a water gun or
squirt bottle.

August 14: Daytime R.S. Activity, 11am, followed by a potluck lunch
August 16: Evening R.S. Activity, 7pm
September 8: Day of Service Blood Drive at the James St. Bldg. (Don't
give blood before this date)
September 22: Primary Program Practice, 10-11:30am

NEXT WEEKS LESSON:
R.S. Presidency Message given by Mimi

Monday Minutes

HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST WEEKS LESSON:
 Sister Barlow taught the lesson entitled "An Enthusiastic Desire to
Share the Gospel". Here are a few thoughts shared by sisters who
attended the meeting; 1. As we exercise our faith, we will be given
power to do more than we could do on our own. 2. We need to have faith
to act on our promptings to share the gospel. 3. There are people on
the other side of the veil waiting for us to share the gospel with
their descendants so that their temple work can be completed.
"My understanding is that the most important mission that I have in
this life is: first, to keep the commandments of God, as they have
been taught to me; and next, to teach them to my Father's children who
do not understand them."-George Albert Smith

UPCOMING EVENTS:
July 19 Evening RS Activity Homemade jams and detergents, 7pm

Evening Relief Society will be this Thursday at 7:00 PM.  The Ward Grandpas will be in the nursery while we are taught how to make homemade liquid and dry laundry detergent AND frozen strawberry jam.  If you want to take home a sample of the liquid soap, please bring a small container with a lid.  We'll have baggies for the powdered soap. 

July 22 Stake Pioneer Commemoration Concert, 7pm
July 23 - August 6 BC Temple Closed

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK:
July 19: Cheri Wagar, Deborah Royal, Krista Griffiths

NEXT WEEKS LESSON: TFOT, April Conference, p.106, Elder David Evans,
"Was It Worth It?"

NOTE FROM THE R.S. PRESIDENCY:
Please report your visiting teaching to your V.T. Supervisor. It would
be extremely helpful if you could include one or two lines about how
each of the sisters you visit are doing. Thank you!

MONDAY MINUTES

HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST WEEK'S LESSON: Melanie Masterson taught about revelation. She reminded us that while the Church is guided by revelation, each of us is entitled to receive the personal revelation we need to guide our lives. Many sisters bore testimony of experiences they have had where they felt the spirit of revelation guiding them.

UPCOMING EVENTS:
July 10 Daytime RS Activity (Nursery Provided) 11am followed by Potluck lunch
July 19 Evening RS Activity Homemade jams and detergents 7pm
July 21 Stake Pioneer Activity
July 23-Aug 6 BC Temple Closed

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK:
  July 9: Alicia Freshwater, Doreen Nichols, Rachael Sibley
  July 10: Brittany Wankasky, Wendy Wynne
  July 11: Cherry Wilson, Samantha Richardson
  July 12: Becky Summers
  July 14: Vala Curruthers
  July 15: Colleen Saal

NEXT WEEK'S LESSON: Chapter 12 "An Enthusiastic Desire to Share the Gospel"

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Helpers are needed this month on Saturdays from 9:00-1100 to help clean the building. If you are available please contact Brother Masterson (305-5014) or Sister Masterson (220-2171) or just show up on Saturday morning.

NOTE FROM THE R.S. PRESIDENCY:  Please report your visiting teaching
to your V.T. Supervisor. It would be extremely helpful if you could
include one or two lines about how each of the sisters you visit are
doing. Thank you!

Getting to Know...

Christen Hogsett can be found back in primary teaching our energetic Valiant 8-9 class. Born in Salt Lake City, she spent six years in Texas before her family settled in Moses Lake, WA where she graduated from high school. Christen went on to BYU and earned a degree in International Politics focusing on Northeast Asian studies. When Christen's mom was sick, she moved back to Moses Lake to take care of her, and received a call to work with the Mia Maids in Young Womens. She enjoyed it so much that she decided to obtain her Masters in Education and graduated from Western Washington University in 2011. Aside from her job in apartment management, Christen is currently teaching summer school for the Nooksack School district and is looking for a teaching job!

In her spare time, she enjoys reading and spending time with her nieces and nephews in Bothell. She loves Thai food. One of her most favorite experiences is the time she spent in London, England while studying abroad for one semester. Some of Christen's callings in the church have been in the nursery, Sunday School teacher, Relief Society teacher, Young Women's, Primary teacher, Relief Society counselor and RS president in the single's ward. Obviously, she is a multi-talented lady whose services are needed everywhere! I love how well spoken and and eloquent Christen is, I really enjoy listening to what she has to say. If you haven't had a chance to converse with Christen, please go out of your way to do so, you will not regret it!

Summer Kick Off BBQ

In June, we kicked off "summer" with a backyard barbecue

Thanks Julie for hosting, what a wonderful view and location

There was a really good group of us there, the sun did grace us for a little while!

Our fearless griller!

She had a good time

The youngest RS member:)

New meaning to talking about someone behind their back!

We wrote words of affirmation to one another.

Thanks everyone for helping us kick off summer, I think we are just about to enjoy it now...!

Monday Minutes

HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST WEEKS LESSON: As part of the lesson, sisters in
Relief Society shared  how others had helped or influenced them.
Sister Chumley had a long string and she handed a section of it to
each sister as they shared their experience. By the time the lesson
ended the string had traveled from one side of the room to the other a
number of times wrapping around those in the room. The take home
message was that the more we love and serve one another the more
closely we are bound together.

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK:
  July 2: Janell Sutherland
  July 3: Jennifer Morrison
  July 5: Beverly Snow
  July 6: Rhonda Allen
  July 7: Carole Galloway & Tran Miner
  July 8: Bonnie Alson

NEXT WEEKS LESSON: Chapter 11 "Revelation from God to His Children"

VISITING TEACHING ANNOUNCEMENT: Sisters, when you report to your supervisor about your visiting teaching for the month, please give us a one/two liner about how your sisters are doing. Thanks for all you do for your sisters!

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