Merry Christmas

Watch this short message from our first presidency.

Wishing you peace and joy this season and in the New Year.
Christmas is... Joyful Filled with light
Sacred...Warm and bright
Exciting! Colorful!
A time to give
Grateful for our Savior
whose Birth and Life
and Atoning Sacrifice
bids us to ever live.--Carlene Adams

Monday Minutes

**If you no longer live in the ward, have changed your email address or do not want to receive the Monday Minutes please email Julie Ellis and let her know which email address to delete.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST WEEKS LESSON:

Sister Saunders taught our lesson on Sunday. We talked about making room for the Savior in our life during this Christmas season and throughout the year. We talked about what it is we do and how it feels to have a closer relationship with the Savior. We ended the meeting with sisters bearing their testimonies. 

"What will you and I give for Christmas this year? Let us in our lives give to our Lord and Savior the Gift of Gratitude by living His teachings and following in His footsteps. It was said of Him that He went about doing good. As we do likewise, the Christmas spirit will be ours."-President Thomas S. Monson

 

The women were asked to write down what Christmas meant to them. Carlene Adams shared this beautiful impromptu poem she created:

 

Christmas is... Joyful Filled with light
Sacred...Warm and bright
Exciting! Colorful!
A time to give
Grateful for our Savior
whose Birth and Life
and Atoning Sacrifice
bids us to ever live.

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK:

24th- Julie Ellis & Amanda Padilla

25th- Sue Walker & Christine Miles

26th- Jeanette Erickson & Laurie Rippon

27th- Kim Vanderveen

29th- Kathryn Brown

30th- Megan Hunt

NEXT WEEKS LESSON:

TFOT, Pres. Uchtdorf, "Of Regrets & Resolutions", p.21

Monday Minutes

HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST WEEKS LESSON:

In our meeting we talked about righteous living in perilous times. We talked about inviting the Spirit into our homes by doing the simple "primary things" (praying & reading the scriptures). As we strengthen our homes and fill our lamps we will be able to be a positive influence in the world. President George Albert Smith said, "I want to plead with you,...be as anchors in the community in which you live that others may be drawn to you and feel secure. Let your light so shine that others seeing your good works will have a desire in their hearts to be like you."

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK:

19th- Debbie Wentz

21st- Jennifer McCleve

23rd- Katie Williams

NEXT WEEKS LESSON:

Presidency lesson taught by Mimi Saunders

Martha’s Scalloped Potatoes

by Martha Stewart

This is a to die for recipe we sampled at the ward Christmas dinner. If you want to wow yourself or your family/guests, these are the potatoes to make with any Christmas dinner. Thank Julie for sharing with us.

• 3 pound yellow potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
• 1 clove garlic
• 3 cups milk
• 5 ounces Gruyere cheese
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream

1. Heat oven to 325. In a large saucepan, combine sliced potatoes and milk, and place over
high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low; cover, and simmer until potatoes just
begin to get tender, about 3 minutes. (it seems to take my potatoes a little longer)

2. Meanwhile, grate cheese and set aside. Place a colander over a large bowl, and drain
potatoes, reserving milk. (You should have 2 cups of thick, starchy milk. If the potatoes
have absorbed more than 1 cup of milk, you must add enough milk to bring the reserved
milk volume to 2 cups.)

3. Rub a 3 ½ quart oval casserole with garlic and butter. Arrange sliced potatoes in the
casserole in two layers, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Dot remaining butter and
pour in the reserved cooking milk and cream. Scatter grated cheese over the top. (I have
about 4 or 5 layers in my casserole dish and between each layer I put a little bit of the
grated cheese. The remaining cheese goes on the top.)

4. Place casserole in the lower third of the oven and bake until the cheese has turned deep
golden brown and the milk has reduced and thickened, 80 to 90 minutes. Remove from
oven and serve immediately.

Monday Minutes

HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST WEEKS LESSON:

In our meeting we talked about the power of kindness and how a simple act of smiling or giving a genuine compliment can brighten a person's day. George Albert Smith said, " I plead with you my brethren and sisters, let us be generous with one another. Let us be patient with one another as we would like others to be with us. Let us see the virtues of our neighbors and our friends and speak of those virtues, not find fault and criticize."

UPCOMING EVENTS:

11th- R.S. Daytime Activity, 11 am

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK:

10th- Phimpha Simongkhonh

11th- Jessica Swenson

NEXT WEEKS LESSON:

Lesson 24 (NOT #23), "Righteous Living in Perilous Times"

Monday Minutes

HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST WEEKS LESSON:

The Bishop taught a combined lesson about family history. He encouraged each of us to take our own family names to the temple especially the youth. “Spiritual connections . . . are formed when a young woman helps her grandmother enter family information into a computer or when a young man sees the name of his great-grandfather on a census record. When our hearts turn to our ancestors, something changes inside us. We feel part of something greater than ourselves.”- Russell M. Nelson 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

8th- Ward Christmas Party, 6pm, If you signed-up to bring a salad or a potato dish please bring enough to serve 15

11th- R.S. Daytime Activity, 11 am

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK:

8- Samantha Seibert

NEXT WEEKS LESSON:

Lesson #21, "The Power of Kindness"

Christmas Brunch

We kicked off the Christmas season in style on the first day of December, with our annual Christmas Brunch. We, the presidency, really wanted to pamper our sisters whom we love so very much. Sweet Sister Crawford graciously offered up her beautiful home. She also wanted to share her Brazilian heritage with us by making homemade pasteis (empanadas) and sweets (taste like yummy truffles). Thank you Leticia, for your generosity and love.

We ate off fine china

The entire home was decorated to perfection. So inviting and warm. Sister Crawford, Rudd, and Chumley worked hard to make this day so special.

Brazilian Sweets, chocolate, coconut, and date with almond and a yummy filling...

Refreshing fruit kabobs

Spinach fritattas made with love, by the Rudd team of Joan and Jess

Ever the worker bee, Geri refilling the pasteis, there was food everywhere!

Our fearless and beautiful leader enjoying some hot cider upon arrival

Sister Crawford welcoming everyone

Conversing and partaking in good company

More beautiful ladies

And more lovely ladies

And even more lovely ladies!

I liked this one of Sariah, she is such a sweet soul

 

Joyce ended up with Elf on the Shelf!

I think everyone walked away with something they wanted from our white elephant gift exchange.

There were so many more lovely pictures taken, thank you so much Francys for capturing the fun morning. It was nice to look back and remember just how fun it was. We really enjoyed every bit of it, from the atmosphere to the food and especially the company.

What will you and I give for Christmas this year? Let us in our lives give to our Lord and Savior the gift of gratitude by living His teachings and following in His footsteps. It was said of Him that He 'went about doing good.' As we do likewise, the Christmas spirit will be ours. --President Monson
We love you very much, your RS Presidency.