Church Schools, Institute and Your College of Choice

Recently I had the opportunity to return and visit BYU again. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend and graduate from BYU, but it has been about ten years since I visited campus. I also recently had a conversation with some friends who chose not to attend a church school. I’ve known people who love the atmosphere and people who chafed while attending. It is important to realize that the church school experience is not for everyone. It is important that students apply and attend where they will be the happiest. This may mean a church school, or … Continue reading →

New Church Website Focuses on Disabilities

The church has come out with a new website to help members with disabilities. The site is designed to help ward leaders and other members help the person with disabilities be an active part of the ward. This site addresses ward concerns as well as family concerns. This website can help you find the tools you need to successfully reach out and welcome members with disabilities. The site has an area specially designed for leaders and teachers of those with disabilities. This section gives guidance and suggestions on the best way to teach those with disabilities in a positive loving … Continue reading →

Padding the Resume

Last week, our stake held a career workshop. One of our stay-at-home moms came back revitalized. She confessed that she had always been nervous about jobhunting because she felt her resume to be weak. After the workshop, she realized her many strengths, proven both at home and at church. Although many of us reading this are called to be stay-at-home moms, there are times that mothers enter the workplace. We may take jobs when our children are grown, or we may have the task of supporting our family thrust upon us by the divorce, death, or disablement of our spouse. … Continue reading →

Putting Your Goodies to Use

Last week, we talked a little bit about some downloads available at the LDS website. The simplest and most obvious uses include saving them onto your computer, playing them on your MP3 player, or burning them onto a CD in your car. However, I’d like to suggest a couple of alternate uses. Traveling magazines on CDs for your kids – Recently, with all of the traveling we do, I’ve been getting books on CD for my children to listen to in the car. I was amazed last week to realize that the Friend was downloadable. Since we already subscribe to … Continue reading →

LDS.org Downloadable Goodies

If you’ve been reading my blogs for more than three minutes, you already know that I’m something of a techongeek. I’d like to share another great download spot, in case you have missed it – the church’s website at www.lds.org. I think I’ve mentioned in the past that you can download the scriptures from the church, but that’s just the tip of the iceburg – albeit, a great tip! First, let me show you how to locate this wealth of information. It is amazingly simple. Type in the church’s web address. On the top left side of the page, you’ll … Continue reading →

Christmas in June!

Last week, I felt as though Christmas had come six weeks early. I received a large package from the LDS Distribution center, and couldn’t wait to tear it open. Now, I’ve already told you that I am a manual nerd, so it shouldn’t surprise you that this was a box of manuals for my calling (good news; I’ve already gotten some ideas for future blogs after reading only one manual!). When I was first called into the Relief Society presidency, and my husband as the Sunday School President, we each received only one thin manual. At the stake Relief Society … Continue reading →

Church Schools

This is the time of year when seniors are graduating from high school and preparing to go to college. In the church there are a lot of people who have a strong desire for their children to attend church schools (BYU, BYU Idaho, BYU Hawaii or the LDS Business College). These are good schools and difficult to get into. The majority of the applicants are not accepted. I am admittedly among those who definitely want my kids to go to BYU—my husband and I both did—in fact I have already told my five year old that is where she should … Continue reading →

“Seek Ye Out of the Best Books”

As a confirmed bibliophile, I frequently find myself in search of books to devour. In fact, I was brought into the church through Gerald Lund’s LDS series, “The Work and the Glory.” Since I live on the east coast, that means my primary brick and mortar source for similar books is the LDS bookstore. However, my favorite bookstores have always been used bookstores, and I have a hard time paying full price for novels. Similarly, my fallback, the library, rarely carries these books. This puts me in a difficult position; how do I find good, uplifting books to read without … Continue reading →

New Pamphlets at Providentliving.org

There have been many recent updates to providentliving.org. The church has recently issued two new pamphlets regarding provident living. The first is about food storage. Members are urged to store three months of food and then begin to work on a year’s supply. The pamphlet also talks about setting aside money for the future. It also speaks of the importance of storing water. The second is about finances. Members are urged to get out of debt and set aside money for times of adversity. The pamphlet also stresses the importance of teaching your family to manage money. In addition to … Continue reading →

Sunday Student Preparation

Sunday morning, my Relief Society instructor announced somewhat sheepishly that she had prepared her lesson the night before. She then proceeded to read from the Teachings of the Presidents manual. I prepared myself for a long, boring lesson that I wouldn’t take much from. To my surprise, the class was great, and I wound up making more notes in my manual than I had by studying on my own. A big part of that was due to the fact that several other women in the class had read the lesson beforehand, and had sincere and thoughtful comments. Anyone who has … Continue reading →