Mending Day - Wonderful Opportunity to Serve the SLC South Missionaries

On August, 28, 2013 - the sisters of the South Jordan Utah River Stake were given an opportunity to provide seamstresses to mend clothing and provide sewing services for the missionaries of the Utah Salt Lake City South Mission. 

It is always exciting and challenging to do something you have never done before! What a sweet experience it was for the six sisters who participated. We arrived in the morning, set up sewing machines in a classroom at the Stake Center, inventoried the basket of zippers, patches and buttons provided by the mission home and waited. Soon the Elders and Sisters started arriving for their conference and before we knew it we were in business. And business was brisk! 

There were requests to shorten suit pants, take in seams, sew on buttons, mend seams, and try our best to repair rips and tears on thread-bare fabrics. It was a joy to see and feel this clothing that was worn away by diligent, young servants of the Lord. I believe each of us thought about their mothers, and our efforts were in their behalf. Many of the sisters who participated have sons and daughters currently serving throughout the world and it was a powerful way to connect with them from home.


So much work was accomplished, especially with suits and pants that in the beginning seemed impossible to fix. Zippers were put in by sisters who had
never done work like that, and they looked like they had been done by professional tailors. The opportunity to serve these missionaries was relatively small, but appreciated and enjoyed by each of the sisters that day. In a thank you letter we received from the mission secretary the next week, we learned that the one pair of pants that we thought could ONLY be discarded (but were still fixed the best we could) are now being worn by the grateful missionary.

It was a great morning, and we look forward to being able to do it again some time!

Called to Serve (Lunch to the SLC South Missionaries!)

President Sohm was contacted by President & Sister Chambers of the Utah SLC South Mission to see if we could help provide a luncheon for the SLC South Mission Tour presided over by Elder Marvin Arnold, 1st Quorum of the Seventy held on August 8th.  Here is an explanation from President Chambers as to how rapidly the work is progressing in our area and why they needed our service with such short notice:

"As you are aware, Utah Salt Lake City South Mission was divided and eleven of our stakes became part of the East Mission on July 1, 2013.  As a result, we find that several of the opportunities for service lunches to missionaries during the remaining months of 2013 were scheduled to be provided by stakes that are now part of the Utah Salt Lake City East Mission.  Thus we have several meetings that lunches are not scheduled at this time.  We have an increased number of missionaries coming to the Salt Lake City South Mission and we have a desire to have more time to get to know each one personally."

As always, when we presented the opportunity to serve by helping with this lunch - we were overwhelmed by the willingness of the sisters of our stake to respond and volunteer.  Thank you!

So many sisters helped cook, and some came to serve the meal in addition to cooking.  It was a joy to be a part of.  We have no doubt we will have this opportunity again in the near future, and we are sure our sisters will respond as cheerfully as they did this time!

The meal was so appreciated - and the Sisters were served first (isn't that sweet?)
Salsa Chicken over Baked Potatoes, Salad, Rolls, & Texas Sheetcake w/Ice Cream.

New Mormon.org

This could be an idea for a midweek RS meeting.  Sisters could learn of this new missionary tool by making it part of a presentation on missionary work.  A member of your RS Meeting Committee could teach it, someone in your ward or stake with this type of skill could teach it, or it could be an opportunity to simply view the profiles that are currently on the website for ideas.

Here is an explanation...

New changes are coming to Mormon.org - the biggest of which is the profiles of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Their goal is to have 1,000 profiles of Mormons by the end of May 2010.

The new Mormon.org is designed for visitors to learn more about members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Each profile is a collection of stories and testimonies from Mormons.  Participation is optional, but you must be a member of the Church to create a profile.  The profiles will be made public this summer when the new site will launch.  English only profiles will be available this year; other languages will follow.

Here is an example of a profile...  (Click on the photo for more information)

Testimony Tag

With one of the themes of our Saturday evening adult meeting of Stake Conference a few weeks ago, I've become more aware of opportunities to share testimony (in unobtrusive ways) with those we mingle with. Mingling can happen in many ways today - especially with the great tool of the internet.

I found this as I browsed the subject of using the internet for promoting the Gospel. I thought it had merit. Below I've included an example found on a personal blog that highlights this. It is subtle, noticeable, and invites curiosity without confronting others with the "golden question". (It is found HERE)

Wouldn't it be fun to have a RS Meeting where examples such as these are shared by your own ward members?

You might want to see the actual link where I found this idea - which is HERE.

Here is what Elder Ballard has said concerning the subject:

Elder M. Russell Ballard said "May I ask that you join the conversation by participating on the Internet, particularly the New Media, to share the gospel and to explain in simple and clear terms the message of the Restoration." (See video below)

Sharing your testimony or experiences of the Gospel via a blog has three principal benefits:

1. You increase your faith in the Gospel and stand as a witness of Christ.

2. You help increase the faith of your readers and may interest some to learn more about the Mormon Church.

3. You increase the likelihood that individuals searching for information about the Church on the web will be more likely to find fair and accurate information about the Church.

Sample Personal Blog Post:

Our Family is Forever

On our recent trip, while filling up at a gas station, Neal saw a bumper sticker that gave him a brilliant idea. Pretty soon he was writing in the dust on the back window. It took me a moment to figure out what he wrote (since I was reading it backwards from inside the car). I had to chuckle when I realized that he had written mormon.org. What better way to let people know that this is our religion and we are proud of it. I am so grateful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Our trip was wonderful and a challenge at the same time. As hard as it is to travel 3500 miles with three kids, 5 and younger, it was so worth it to be able to spend such quality time together. I love my husband and children I am so thankful to know that we can be an together forever. "What matters most is what lasts the longest..." and I hope my family knows that they are what matters most to me.


(You have to look really close because the rain washed most of the dirt away.)