Evening of Fun!

Join us for a Wonderful Womanhood, Evening of Fun!

This month we are celebrating Nobility in Motherhood and Joy in Womanhood.  Join us for a fun night of remembering the value and beauty of being a woman!

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

6:30 pm

at the Cultural Hall

Light refreshments served

(don't forget your cookies if you signed up!)

Compete in the 'Motherhood Marathon'

(or cheer on those who do)

Lots of fun--all young women are invited also, along with daughters, sisters, friends or mothers!!

It seems as this theme of womanhood was coming up, I was guided to read many things about our role and importance as woman, that strengthened me and made me feel truly loved and valued as a woman in a world where so much emphasis is put on being equal to man, or better, or able to stand alone.  The following struck me with it's power and it's beauty, and how simple Bible stories that we have been taught all of our lives can have new and profound meaning when seen from the eyes of someone else....

I recently read an excerpt from a book by an LDS woman who spent many years as a marriage and family counselor.  She tells a story of being taken to a restaurant deep in the heart of Beijing, China that had beautiful gardens and art with ancient, traditional, symbolic features.  On two opposing walls of the interior were 'magnificent' murals, about five feet high and seven feet wide.  These are her descriptions of them:

'In one mural, a heroic figure was rending the darkness with a bolt of brilliant light.  (remember that before Adam was created physically, he was 'Michael' and assisted the Savior in the creation of the earth?)The artist had strewn "matter unorganized" about, suggesting the use of those elements as the world was coming together.  The other mural showed a walled garden, inhabited by two people.  Central to that work were a glorious woman and a magnificent tree laden with fruit.  It was a peach tree and near the tree was a monkey.'

She asked about their meaning and the host said that he did not know much, that they dated from another time and belief system.  He did say 'that in the "lore" there was a story of a man from heaven who rends, with light and attendant sound, the darkness separating heaven and earth.  This heroic creature was on assignment to create a new world.  As to the second mural, he said that it depicted a glorious garden where a majestic woman was created to be a queen and a companion to this man.' 

She asked about the peach and the monkey, and he told her that in their culture the monkey indicated mischief and trickery, the peach was a mystical fruit believed to contain elements of a spiritual nature. 'The woman, he told, needed to eat the peach because she was the one who had to take the next step in the journey of creation--a step equal in importance to rending the darkness.  He understood that it was her job to save those waiting to come through that rent veil by giving them bodies.'  He believed that the depiction of the man as the central figure in on mural and the woman as the central figure in the other represented the 'yin and yang" of Creation, and in ancient lore, both were heroes.

(From "You Don't Need to Slay My Dragons, Just take out the Trash" by: Beverly Campbell)

Doesn't this story make you feel beautiful and valued as a woman, as a 'daughter of Eve'--I hope so, because you are. 

Ward Service Project Coming Up.....

Panaca 2nd Ward Community Service Night

July 6, 2011

Time: 5-9 pm

Meet at the Church parking lot!

Bring hoes, shovels, rakes, gloves, water bottles, weed eaters.

We were asked in our last general conference to help celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Church Welfare Program by participating in service throughout the year....as we have tried to come up with areas for our ward members and sisters to serve in, we decided that there were many around town in need of help in their yards, and chose to try a mid-week evening instead of a weekend when many are gone.  We hope you can make it, but if you  cannot, don't feel bad, we are working on more opportunities for service to come!!

Let us serve with open hearts, and remember what we have been counselled:

Seventy-five years ago a system devoted to the spiritual and temporal salvation of mankind rose from humble beginnings. Since that time it has ennobled and blessed the lives of tens of millions of people throughout the world. The prophetic welfare plan is not merely an interesting footnote in the history of the Church. The principles upon which it is based define who we are as a people. It is the essence of who we are as individual disciples of our Savior and Exemplar, Jesus the Christ.

The work of caring for one another and being “kind to the poor” is a sanctifying work, commanded of the Father and divinely designed to bless, refine, and exalt His children. May we follow the Savior’s counsel to the certain lawyer in the parable of the good Samaritan: “Go, and do thou likewise.”

--Presiding Bishop H. David Burton

For all you do, Thank you.....

I have been contemplative this past weekend (well, as much as I could be with a houseful of family to visit with, cook for, and try to keep some semblance of order). Sunday was the one-year anniversary of my call from the Bishop to serve in this calling. Sometimes I cannot believe that a year has gone by. As I look back I once again see that my Heavenly Father provided that weekend for me—a quiet contemplative time, when my husband was able to take the kids to visit family and leave me with silence, a somewhat rare treasure in our home. He also opened the way for me to be in the temple as soon as possible after that call, the Tuesday after Memorial Day. I gained strength, focus, and comfort as I spent time in the Celestial room to prepare me to meet the challenges ahead. This year I once again found myself back in the temple on that same Tuesday—this time it was also a privilege to support a friend receiving her endowment for the first time, but also, again, I see the Lord providing the way for me to accomplish the thing which he has asked. That just struck me even as I typed it and could hear Nephi’s words saying something so similar, though his case was a little more intimidating than mine—he didn’t get to work with the amazing sisters of this ward!
I just want to let you all know what a privilege and honor this past year has been, and though I fear greatly that I may have missed needs, neglected times of service because I was not all that I needed to be, yet you have blessed my life. Your examples and influences, and most of all your love and willingness to support me have meant so much. As we arranged the visiting teaching again this past month and made some needed changes, I waited nervously to see how things would go. And then I rejoiced as sisters who had not been in a great while went. And sisters who had never gone had chance to and though the seed is only being planted, I know that if we will continue faithful, we will have a great harvest as we come to love and know those whom we serve. Thank you, thank you, thank you. The time you spend, the effort you put in will bless your family, will teach them of your love for the Lord and your priority to put him first. The other day Tatelyn was given a little purse from a friend and Bryson was being silly and trying to bite it—she got upset with him and said, “Bryson, don’t bite my Relief Society Bag!!” And even though they were fighting, I had a small glimpse that they were learning and I said a quick prayer of gratitude that my children are being blessed through my service.
Your visits to those you serve help me so much more than most of you know—I worry and I stress because I know that there are sisters in need of help. My kids end up sick, or we are gone, or I am busy with the necessities of home and family and I feel I cannot do it all, and the spirit tries again to remind me—that is what the visiting teachers are for. When you help by visiting your sisters, my load is eased and my gratitude great. You are amazing daughters of our Father in Heaven who have so many incredible gifts and talents to use, and I am so thankful that He trusts me to serve you.
Love,
Sister Perkins

May Presidency Message

May 2011 PRESIDENCY MESSAGE



Another month has flown by and the May Presidency Message is heading to the archives!
(May'sTheme from the Releif Society Declaration is: Seek Spiritual Strength by Following the Promptings of the Holy Ghost)

Dear Sisters:
If you could compare your spiritual strength to your physical strength would you find that it is growing? Fading, hanging in there, or going up and down?
It is through the scriptures that we gain access to spiritual strength, revelation, and joy in this life. Our spiritual strength needs to be increasing, and this can only be done through time and effort spent in study and prayer.
Pres Benson said, “I urge you to recommit yourselves to a study of the scriptures. Immerse yourselves in them daily so you will have the power of the spirit to attend you in your callings. Read them in your families and teach your children to love and treasure them.....When Individual members and families immerse themselves in the scriptures regularly and consistently, …other areas of activity will automatically come. Testimonies will increase. Commitment will be strengthened. Families will be fortified. Personal revelation will flow….”
And, as Elder Bednar told us in April conference-- “As you appropriately seek for and apply unto the spirit of revelation, I promise you will “walk in the light of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:5; 2 Nephi 12:5). Sometimes the spirit of revelation will operate immediately and intensely, other times subtly and gradually, and often so delicately you may not even consciously recognize it. But regardless of the pattern whereby this blessing is received, the light it provides will illuminate and enlarge your soul, enlighten your understanding (see Alma 5:7; 32:28), and direct and protect you and your family.”
Aren't those great blessings worth a little of your time each day?

Love,
Jamie, Cindy, Loree, and Kathy