The New LDS.org

Have you been to LDS.org lately?  If not, it has really changed.  There is a new design and it is really nicely done.  If you can't find what you are looking for, there is a link that will take you to the previous lds.org.  Anyway.... go there, and you will also find the link for the Visiting Teaching monthly messages, right there on the first page.  Here is the direct link to the VT message page http://lds.org/liahona/2010/12/our-responsibility-to-participate-in-temple-and-family-history-work?lang=eng  You will see that you can print, download, Share or open up "My study notebook" which is another neat thing.  You will need to use yoru LDS account or sign up for it in order to use this notebook.

The message is interactive, and  you can click on the highlighted scriptures and it will take you right to them. 

At the bottom of the message is the link to the Relief Society page, which is another page you should spend some time going through.  The church has made such wonderful efforts to make our time spent well when we visit the site.  It encourages more reading and searching and that is a very good thing!

Now you have all the tools for your Visiting teaching online, BE WISE like the Wisemen, and get prepared and go out and get your December visiting teaching done before the month gets away from you.  It is already half over, and if you don't get your sisters visited now, there is a good chance they will be hard to catch with Christmas and New Years travel and events, as well as all the kids are out of school, so familys will be involved and away from home.  I encourage you to get it done now.

Enjoy and Merry christmas!!!

Love, Katie G.

Christmas Lesson on Service

I have just finnished putting up a Christmas lesson on Service on my http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com/ blog if you need one. I will also be posting a few more that others have sent me, so be sure to visit that blog if you want a good Visiting Teaching lesson/seminar, Family Home Evening lesson, Church lesson or just to enjoy.  I have handouts also posted that you can print off.  Enjoy and Have a Happy Holiday season filled with love and joy and service!

Thanks for your help.

Thanks to those who have helped me by sending my way some of your ideas for a Christmas lesson.  I am using some of them and it helpe me so much, besides it made me feel loved too because some of you gave back to me.  I have just posted on my V.T. Surprise blog, link is under the header on this blog, some handouts that I have printed up to give with my lesson.  The lesson focus is on gifts of service and making your hands beautiful like Christ's beautiful hands by the kind services that you give at Christmas but all year through.  I think it will be a nice lesson.  Anyway, I thought I woudl share as a thankyou for helping me this time.  Best wishes!  Katie G. 

P.S. Here is a thankyou for helping me out.   One of the stories I am using in my lesson found in a very old Improvement Era, that my sister Becky Adams in Chicago sent to me.  Thanks Becky!!!



December 2010 Visiting teaching message

You can find it at: http://lds.org/library/display/0,4945,2044-1-5226-1,00.html

Thanksgiving Radio Shows

I was looking up some graphics and happened upon a darling Old fashioned Radio site.  There are 4 very good old radio shows and recordings there, that I thought you might like to know about.  You can get to the site at http://homeschoolradioshows.com/  The site has more than just Thanksgiving shows, so you can look through it to see and listen to others.  You know me, I love vintage, so when I found this site, I loved it instantly.  The cute Snooks thanksgiving recording would be a cute one of play as it is very short and one that little children would like if you want to play it for them at your Thanksgiving.  Enjoy yet another great tip from Katie G.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Christmas Note Cards

I am getting the jump on the holiday season

So I have created some cute Christmas note cards

to use during the holiday.  Enjoy!  Katie G.

New Printables can be found on my Visiting Teaching Surprise blog

I have just added a couple new project as of this week at http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com  so if that interests you, be sure to go and check them out.  The projects are printable designer index cards (6 different patterns) , and 3 different cute thankyou note cards.  Just print them off, cut them out and you are ready to use them for your needs.   I just pictured a few examples of what is at that blog, so if you like them and want to use them, just click on the link and it will take you there in a jiffy.   Enjoy!  Katie G.

Thanksgiving Dinner Invitation ( Wanted Poster)

Do you need an invitation to send out for Thanksgiving Dinner this year? I just made one and it is a really fun one. Definitely not a formal one, but very cute and funny. I have had many request for it, so have reposted it. Enjoy! Katie G

Everybody's catching a cold!

Wow... the weather changes and everyone gets sick.  My neighbors, my grandkids, my children, their friends and neighbors.  It seems once the weather changes, the cold season is here.  So what do you do???  Well, unless you are a hospital mask wearing type of person, you can just lock your doors and don't let anyone inside, and you stay home until the flu has passed.  I don't know about you but whenever I get the flu shot, I immediately get sick with a feaver and flu... probably the very flu that I was just vaccinated for.  This year I didn't get my flu shot, so I guess this will help me to test which way for me is best... to get the flu from the shot or to get it from the air I breathe.  WHO KNOWS?

Anyway, I was looking at my http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com
blog this morning, I realized that unless we think out of the box on some of the things I post, then you probably won't use the seasonal things I create past a particular season.  So.... here is the idea.  Take the idea from the Halloween tissue box tutorial as well as the darling poem that I wrote to go along with it (excuse me, I just sneezed twice) and make it up for Fall, Thanksgiving and Christmas, so there are pleanty of cute tissue boxs around to meet your juicy nosed needs.  Make sure to make up a few to take in anticipation of colds for your Visiting Teaching ladies, or save them for when they do get a cold and need some cheering up.  Adding a tub of chicken soup helps too. 

Gotta close this post now as I am taking my Mom to one of her many Doctor visits prior to starting her Cancer treatments.  Wish us well! Have a very happy day today!!  Katie G.

My catch up day for tears and tender mercies.

I have not taken the time for the past several weeks to post or create any thing, as I have been pretty busy with some great concerns and trials.  Recently I found out that my sweet little Mother has cancer.  It has been quite a blow as she is one that when I look into her face and see warmth, and radiance, kindness and love, but never think that she could possibly get cancer.  Well she did, and our entire family has been focused on taking care of her needs.  She had surgery a little over a week ago, and has been convalescing at my home up until yesterday, when she wanted to go back to her own home.  Being with mom for a full week, and tending to all her needs, has been such a great joy.  It has kept me focused on serving her and forgetting how badly I feel that she has had to go through this ordeal.

Today was my catch up day for tears and tender mercies.  I needed to finally cry, and I did.  I also needed to know and feel the love of My Heavenly Father, and it came.  It is so interesting to me that when I need it most, out of the blue comes something to warm my heart, and bolster my spirits.  And this is how my day has gone so far....

I woke up and almost forgot that my Mother was not in the next room, like she has been this past week.  I walked into the room, and there was an empty bed and chair, which  reminded me that I would not be taking care of her needs today.  The realization that my Mom had recovered enough to be able to go home and take care of herself, was my first tender mercy.  The Lord had answered my prayers and the prayers of my family, because her healing has gone so well, and in fact better than I had expected.  I thank the Lord for looking after my dear mother.

I then sat down at my desk in front of my computer and began to sob.  I guess that tears are meant to cleanse the soul, and they certainly poured out of me today.  I still feel a bit weepy, but the tears that fill my eyes now, are in gratitude for the Lord letting me know in His own ways that he is mindful of me and my mother. 

I opened up my GMail and began to scroll down all the messages that had been sent to me over the past couple of days.  My eyes fixed on LDS Gems, which is a wonderful site that sends a gospel centered message to me every single day, and sometimes more than once a day.  I look forward to them, and find that more times than not, the messages are just exactly what I need to hear that particular day.  Today was no different as the message hit my heart like a ton of lead.  This message was about my mother, and through the lines I read that the Lord is mindful of her and her condition and that He loves her and loves me. This gem is my mother and describes beautifully her situation with cancer, and how she is dealing with it, and of her sweet disposition and enduring faith.   Here is the LDS Gem for today:

"As we pass through the trials of life, let us keep an eternal perspective, let us not complain, let us become even more prayerful, let us serve others, and let us forgive one another. As we do this, 'all things [will] work together for good to [us] that love God' (Romans 8:28)." James B. Martino, "All Things Work Together for Good," Ensign, May 2010, 103


My goodness....this is my mom.... she has kept such a wonderful eternal perspective even though she has had to experience surgery, pain, and so much more.  She doesn't and has not complained about getting cancer, but just says.... "Well I guess it's my turn".  In our conversations of the past week or so, I have noticed that she always forgives people for their bad behaviors.  She always gives others the benefit of the doubt, and never judges.  The prayers she says on her meals are always so sweet and insightful.  She mentions things that I have forgotten and they are sincere and from her heart.  She is grateful for everything she has, and keeps her faith strong in the Lord.

Mom has been reading the new book about President Thomas S. Monson, and from time to time, she stops and tell me about something to do with his life that she never knew. She has such zeal for reading and learning and I so admire that in my cute little shrinking 78 year old mother. 

My mother still teaches violin lessons and many of those she teaches are for free.  I get so agitated when I realize that she is so humble and just barely getting by with the necessities of life, and here she is giving out free violin lessons.  That has been a burr in my shoe for so many years, but for her it is about providing service and teaching a talent to one who might never have the opportunity.  She says... "But Katie, they are so poor, and they couldn't ever afford to learn if I didnt' teach them." I usually reply, 'But Mom, you are the one who needs the money so badly and you don't charge for your lessons.  I have learned so much from her example, and understand that to Mom, there is much more than earning money when you give this kind of selfless service.  Mom has such needs, yet she is out serving others.... What an angelic lady!  What a great example to all who know her. 

Through the past many weeks since we have found out that mother has cancer, all of her children, and Mother as well, have felt such peace, knowing that the Lord is aware of us and through our prayers he has blessed each of us with an overwhelming feeling of peace and comfort.  Just now I picked up the telephone and it was my sweet little Mother calling, and I told her I was writing a post about her.  She said, "Katie.... I need to let you know that I have been praying a lot today, that is in between all the phone calls and visits people have been making."   She said, "I feel the Lord's presence in my life and he has provided me comfort and peace, and I don't feel the least bit worried about what is to come with the cancer treatments, because the Lord is so mindful of me."

Well, I could go on and on, but I think my Mom's words have said it all.   I too know that the Lord is mindful of me, and of her, and of all of you, and wants to provide each of us with comfort and peace during all the difficult times we experience in this life.  I think the trick to being able to feel his love for us is to understand the concept that if we will but open our door, He will come in.  He never pushes himself on us, but stands by, waiting for us to ask in prayer, and He will then bless us with his peace and love.

Oh, by the way, I almost forgot... part of my tender mercy today was that the quote from the Ensign prompted me to get my mind off of any sadness I was feeling and moving my thoughts and actions toward something that I love to do and that is to create.  So I created a book mark with a few recent pictures of my mother, with the quote that came to me today from LDS Gems.  Feel free to share it with others as you feel, as it certainly lifted my spirits, and who knows who needs their spirits lifted too?

Visiting teacing message for November 2010

Go to:  http://lds.org/conference/sessions/display/0,5239,23-1-1298,00.html .to get your message from General Conference Talks for November's lesson.  

Make your own Halloween Candy Bar Wrappers

Everybody

loves treats

 don't they... but what if you

could make up some really cute treats

in just a few minutes?  Well  I did, and I

think your sisters would love her own Halloween

candy bar.  You don't even need to have a pattern or

template.. just get two contrasting scrapbook papers, the

lighter                  weight

is easer                 to work

with, and cut out the bottom  one the very same size as the outer

covering

of the

candy  bar  wrapper.  (don't take off the foil)  Then the next one that

 is the contrasting one is glued to the front side centered in the middle. 

Just fold around the foil covered candy bar, and there you have it....

a really yummy and cute Halloween treat for the sisters that you

Visit teach. I realize that I have been doing a lot of posts, but I

love this month  as it is  really fun and  creative things

can be made and enjoyed.  It is my birthday month

and that is another reason why I like it so

much.  Enjoy!  Katie G.

P.S.  I was going for a pumpkin lettering shape... can you see it?

Reicpe Cards and cute Tissue box cover

I just designed a set of three different tabbed recipe cards to have for the women to write down the recipes that they like when they come to the soup exchange for my neighborhood lunch bunch.  If you go to my visiting teaching surprise blog, you can get those and print them off for yourself.

Also, I made a cute little Halloween tissue box cover to set out. Ok, I am going to tell you one of my biggest pet peeves, and though it is probably not such a big deal, it is to me.  I would like to keep a box of tissues out in the family room, or kitchen for guests or my family to use, but the tissue boxes aren't the color of my house, or they are really ugly designs, so I don't set them out.  I know that is pretty petty, but everyone has a pet peeve and that one is one of mine.  It is minor in the grand scheme of things, but I was thinking about all these cute Halloween decorations and projects that I have been designing, and I thought why not design a template for a tissue box.  Well I realized why when I took apart the box... it was not a printable size, so I just decided to cover it instead.  If you go to my other blog, I have a tutorial of how I did it and it now sits proudly, filled with tissue, on my end table in my family room.... OUT IN CLEAR VIEW.  Why... because it is cute!  I am going to have to do this for all the seasons, and also cover one that matches the color scheme in my family room for off holiday times. 

What does this have to do with Visiting Teaching?  How cute would it be to cover a tissue box for a holiday or just with a cute scrapbook paper, and take it with you to visit someone who is sick, or one of your sister.  I am going to try to find the little handout that goes along with the tissue box, that was given to me once, that I thought was so cute.  If I can't find it, I will make one up and post it on my Visiting Teaching Surprise blog with the rest of the  photos and such of these two projects. Go to http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com to find both of these cute projects.

Are you "Thinking outside the box?"

Today I have had a thought on my mind that I felt like I should post about.  It is about being an Out of the box thinker.  What exactly does that mean?  Well let me give you the example that has been on my mind since my day has been spent doing exactly that.... thinking outside the box.

My story began about a month or so ago when I just happened in a such a wonderful sale at Taipan, which is a marvelous and my favorite home decor store.  I was actually looking for some photo frames to frame the family pictures that were taken clear back in July.  I had delayed so long this project but finally I knew I needed to get those pictures up on the wall before they were so old, it was time to take more.  Back to Taipan....I walked back to the section where they had their frames and to my delight I saw 50% off all framed art and photo frames in that section of the store.  I was in heaven and was so excited as that was exactly what I came for. My eyes immediately met two,  huge beautiful white picture frames.  I examined them and then looked at the original price.  When I deducted off what I thought the 50% off would be, then I knew I had to purchase those. I quickly put them in my shopping cart so that nobody else would get their hands on them. 

My eyes then found another sign that said up to 75% off, and of course a bargain shopper like me would not over look those.  As I pulled my cart over to those frames, I could see that they really were not very pretty.  In fact the pictures in them were so outdated and unsightly, I said to myself.... "Well I know why those are marked at such a low price".   I started to look around and went back to the 50% off frames and began to look through those once again.  Then I saw it... a sign that someone at the store had put up and it said something to this effect.... "You may not like the artwork in the picture, but look at the frame.  Buy it for the frame."  So what I interpreted it to mean was this.... I needed to think outside the box.  I needed to take a look at the frame instead of disregarding the frame because the picture didn't particularly appeal to me.

I began to look at those all of those frames for 75% off, and realized that there were really nice frames.  The photos inside were pretty awful, and the color of the frame was definitely not something that would match the colors of my house, but what is it that I could do with them?  My mind started to look at them a whole lot closer and I thought.... if I bought a can of spray paint, I could paint that frame black and the wood is so pretty and sculpted, it would look really nice!  Then I began to realize that I had a wall at home that i had wanted as a gallery for pictures of my children and grandchildren.  If I converted my digital family photos into black and whites, they would look really good in a freshly painted frame.  But then I got stuck.  I noticed that each of those frames that I could fix with a little work had a double matt, and though I could use the outer cream colored matt, that inside mat was in Rust color.  That simply would  not do.  I know how expensive it is to buy new mats and figured if I did, I would be paying almost the price that it would be to buy the entire picture, frame and all at the regular price.  So I put all those frames back in the pile of 75% off and walked back over to sort through the 50% off.

Through my mind, I was thinking.... I really wish I could use those other frames, but that ugly matt, what in the world could I do to salvage that matt?  So... I began to think outside the box, and I pictured in my mind some of the darling printed mats on the modern pretty pictures that cost so much money.  Ok, I said, and turned my cart around once again, and walked back to those ugly matted frames.  I then realized that the mats measured about 12 inches long and less wide, and pretty scrapbook paper was 12" x 12" . I remembered two years ago mounting pretty scrapbook paper on some wooden picture frames to sell at a craft fair and they went like hotcakes.  That is what I would do... I would buy some pretty paper and cover those ugly mats, and with some paint, and my photos converted to black and white, I would have a beautiful work of art.

By thinking out of the box, I realized that things that appear unattractive on the outside, or just don't quite fit in with my own likes, could be worked on and with a little polishing, could turn out to be really quite lovely.  It reminds me of the story of Johnny Lingo, and Mahayana.... the ten cow woman.  You know, the village thought she was very unattractive and undesirable but Johnny Lingo saw something beautiful.  By his gesture of offering 8 cows to her father for her hand in marriage, that turned the entire villages view of this woman around, and she became esteemed and admired.  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0365393/quotes (link to quotes from Johnny Lingo)

How many times are we given Mahannas to go visit teach, knowing that we don't have anything in common, that you don't know anything about this sister, or she lives too far to visit, or she is too much older than you are, or she never smiles, or she seems so crabby, or  on and on and on.  How many excuses do we need to not do our visiting teaching? Over the course of my years as a Visiting teacher, I have been assigned to teach so many women, that I ordinarily would not have gotten to know for whatever reason.  I am so grateful in retrospect that I was given the opportunity to see the beauty, kindness, and love inside these lovely Mahannas.  Through this opportunity, I have been able to make friendships that will last forever.  I have learned as much as I have taught and I am so grateful that I was willing to look outside the box, and move forward with what I had been asked to do.

I loved so much the talk that President Monson gave in the Relief Society about not judging others.  http://new.lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/charity-never-faileth?lang=eng ( Link to the talk) Women in general, seem to be really good at making judgements, when it is ourselves we should really be taking a deeper look at.  Making a judgement on someone else, for whatever reason, could potentially eliminate us from meeting someone who could possibly be one of our very best friends.  When we realize that the Lord is directing our paths, and he knows what is ahead of us, then far be it for me to stand in the way of meeting someone that the Lord knows needs me, or even I need her. 

Anyway... can you imagine that I got to this point in this post simply from shopping for picture frames?  I could go on and on, but really I need to get back to my frames.  The last one is drying from the spray paint, and I need to cover the rest of the mats.  Once they are done, I will post a picture and show you just how pretty they turned out.  I don't have a photo for you to compare how they looked before, but just take my advice, and start "thinking outside the box" to find the real treasures that lie under the surface.

Love, Katie G.

Soup exchange

I just designed a darling invitation to a Soup exchange and made two for you to use without my info.  I made it either a fill in the blank or add your own text on the invitation. Go to my Visiting teaching surprise blog http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com/ and find this new surprise for you!!! Love, Katie

Soup, Meal, Cookie or Christmas Candy Exchange

I thought of something fun that you could do with those sisters you visit teach.  This is the perfect time of year to do it too, so get hopping and set the date.  Here are my ideas for a Soup exchange.

1.  Invite your Visiting teaching partner, and those sisters you visit teach to come on a specific date, to your house for a Soup exchange.  Let's just say you have 2 sisters that you Visit Teach, so the total that would be coming would be 4. 
2.  The hostess will provide the French Bread or Rolls, butter, and the disposable soup tasting bowls & spoons.
3.  Each person should make an extra large batch of soup. ( It must be home made, and not store bought!!!)   Maybe you could assign out a specific kind to each woman, so that each soup that is brought would be different.  Make up a batch large enough to produce 5 quarts.
4.   Each of the woman should put her soup in five - quart containers that can be frozen such as plastic or freezer containers, that would hold one quart of soup per container = 5 quarts of soup. (1 quart is for tasting, and the other 4 quarts are for exchanging. It might also be a good idea to bring a bag to carry the soups in other than a plastic grocery bag as the soups will be heavy.
5. Write up and print off 4 recipe cards or papers with your recipe on it to give with the soup you exchange. 
6.  Gather together at a specific set date. Give your Visiting Teaching message to your sisters over the table while you enjoy tasting each others soup.
7.  Make sure that each sister that leaves, goes home with 4 different kinds or soup in quart containers.

I was thinking of this idea today to do in my neighborhood, with my Lunch bunch.  If you do it with neighbors or more women, you could still have each bring  5 quarts of soup, and they would still go home with 4 quarts of soup.  I like this idea because it helps me with my winter cooking... you know, just go to the freezer, pull out a home made soup, and heat it up and serve with a loaf of bread or rolls!  Yum!  I like the idea of not having to cook all the time too.

My daugher has a freezer meal exchange with friends in Park City.  They actually have more women in this group but they all come home with as many complete meals as there are Girls in the group.  Now how nice is that?   I found a great blog as a resource at this link http://www.lynnskitchenadventures.com/2009/05/freezer-meals-tips-and-storage.html  Here is another link to things to consider when starting out a freezer group.... http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/11/23/how-to-start-a-meal-exchange/

I know that this idea is early, but if I don't post it  now, when December rolls around, I could very easily forget.  For December, make sure to do a cookie or homemade candy exchange.  Very easy way to get all the yummy holiday treats and a great variety without you having to make each one.  Bring 5 - 6 dozen of either cookies or Christmas Candies.  Make sure that they are home made, and not store bought, and bring the recipe too. 

Enjoy!!!  Katie G.

Here are the rules that I found online for the cookie exchange.  I found them at http://www.cookie-exchange.com/

The Rules of the Cookie Exchange

1.      All cookies should be homemade, baked and main ingredient must be flour.
2.      No plain chocolate chip cookies, cookie mixes, no-bakes, meringues or bars.
3.      Please bring 6 dozen total cookies.
4.      The theme is "Christmas Cookies" (You can make any theme you like.)
5.      Arrange cookies in a basket or platter and be creative! 
         Bring a large container to carry away your cookie, 
         or the hostess can provide a take away container.
6.      Email a copy of your recipe before the party (or bring recipe to the party)
7.      Christmas attire is encouraged!
8.      RSVP as soon as you can and let me know what type of cookies you are planning on baking
         -- no duplicate recipes are allowed.
9.      There's a prize for the best Christmas outfit. (Give prizes!)
10.     If you don't have time to bake, or have burnt your cookies, 
          but still want to attend, you must go to a real bakery and buy 6 dozen yummy cookies. 

Copyrights notice:
If you use the "Rules of the Cookie Exchange" offline for your personal use, no acknowledgments are needed. If you make an online webpage using
The Rules of the Cookie Exchange and have use in whole or part of my rules, please place a link on the bottom of the same page that says: 
"Some content courtesy of Cookie-Exchange.com."
Thank you,
Robin Olson
Here is a site for an invitation for a Cookie exchange that you can print off and fill in the blanks...http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/christmasfun/invitations.htm  There are others online so just google Cookie exchange invitations.

Visiting Teaching Motto Bookmark

I thought you might like a copy of my motto for Visiting teaching.  It can be found on my storage blog at http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com.  Go and get it and enjoy!  Katie G.

Happy Vintage Halloween

I collect as many vintage images as I can find and thought I would share these with you as I am sure you will enjoy them too. 

I love so much the sweet emails and comments that you have been sending to me about my blogs.  I love the questions, the ideas, and the fact that you are out looking for helps to be more effective Visiting teachers.  I love that you have Relief Society meetings that focus on Visiting teaching and that you know that Visiting teaching is an inspired and very important part of Relief Society.

I personally look forward every month to going Visiting teaching.  I love the new sisters that I have been able to get to know as a result of the changes in the ward that I live in.  I use to feel frustrated at all the changes that were made, but I have been able to get to know so many wonderful women as a result.  I was thinking today that Visiting teaching is so much more than watch care.  It is friendship making, it is being an earthly ministering angel, and it is learning to love and appreciate the diversity and talents of others.  I hope that you too will enjoy your experience with Visiting teaching.  It will happen your entire lifetime, and you have the choice as to what kind of an experience you and your sisters want to have.  I suggest you immerse yourself in it and just jump right in with both feet, because you get as much as you give.  It is good for you and good for your soul as well as the fact that you are able to share a spiritual message with some women who may not get another the entire month.  Perhaps too, you can be a part of the reactivation of some of Heavenly Fathers sweet daughters, that He has put you in their path to seek out and remind them of the Gospel message of love.

Can you tell that I love visiting teaching?  I guess you could say that it is my passion, or I certainly wouldn't put the time and thought into this blog and my visiting teaching surprise blog as well.  Enjoy your opportunity to Visit teach, and if you ever want to share, this is a great place to do it. 

Best regards & Love,
Katie G.

More Halloween printables and fun things to do

Just a note... you should go to my Visiting teaching surprise blog because I have another cute new handout there for something fun dealing with Halloween.  It is fun, and read the entire post and you will get the link to the other storage blog that has lots of other things in it.  The link to the Visiting Teaching Surprise is at the top of this blog, under the header.  Enjoy!  Katie G

What have I done for someone today?

Last October 2009 General Conference, President Thomas S. Monson gave a talk entitled "What Have I done for  Someone Today?"  I have been looking for a spiritual thought to give in my presidency meeting and remembered a quote from his talk.... and this is the jest of the quote...."Are you immersed in the thick of thin things?"  I read through this talk because it related to Service, and quoted was  King Benjamin from the Book of Mormon... "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God."

The Savior taught His disciples, "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it."   President Monson said that "He believes the Savior is telling us that unless we lose ourselves in the service of others, there is little purpose to our own lives.  Those who live only for themselves eventually shrivel up and figuratively lose their lives, while those who lose themselves in service of others, grow and flourish---and in effect save their lives".

"We are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness--- be they family members, friends, acquaintances or strangers.  We are the Lord's hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children.  He is dependent upon each of us."

I have been so gratified these past two days by so many kind women in my own neighborhood who have selflessly and immediately accepted the opportunity to provide a meal for a family who will be having a private family memorial service for a loved family member who has passed away.  One email was shot off to some women, and immediately they responded, with offers of bringing side dishes, desserts, and all manner of wonderful food for this family.  Everyone of them are busy women, and in particular the day of the memorial service, yet they love their neighbor and wanted to help. 

Service isn't always convenient, or timely but when we serve others, there is truly an added benefit for the server.  It is simply this.... Joy.  It feels so good to know that you are helping others, and if you are burdened yourself, just go out and serve someone else, and I can guarantee, that you will come back feeling so much better.  You will feel so good inside.  You will feel joy. 

In the talk President Monson quotes a familiar church hymn...
Have I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone's burden been lighter today
Because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?

This wonderful hymn then ends by these words....
"Then WAKE UP, and do something more"  than dream of your mansions above... doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure, a blessing, of goodness and love."

I have created a cute bookmark handout to share using the thought provoking quote from this wonderful talk..."Are you immersed in the thick of thin things?"  This quote helps me to inventory the time I am spending during the day.  What am I doing with my time, and what could or should I be doing?  I thought I would give you alittle service and pass it on.

Enjoy!
Katie G.

I have a question for you....

My sister in law, Linda lives in Idaho and she is her Stake Relief Society President.  She emailed me this past week, knowing that I have this blog and the V.T. Surprise blog as well.  She wondered if I have or know of any already written musical Relief Society Programs (similar to Woman at the Well) and even more specifically one that deals with the history of Relief Society since Sister Beck was telling  us how important it is for us to study the history of Relief Society.   I would love to help her out, so if you know of one, please email me at ktgauger@gmail.com and I can let her know.  If I find one, I will post it on my blog for others of you to use this coming year as well.  Remember what I say alot in this blog...."We are all in this together" so let's help each other out in the ways that we can.

Thanks, Katie G.

My suggestion, was to go to the Sally DeFord Music website, as she has tons and tons of music she has written and she shares it freely.  You can print it off to use.  She also has as part of her site, some Easter and Christmas Cantatas, and programs, as well as other programs that people have sent in, including your's truely.  I suggest anyone who is looking for something special, go there.  Her link is http://www.defordmusic.com/

Another Printable found on the Visiting Teaching Surprise Blog

I will keep you in suspense, and you will have to go to my other blog to see and get the new printable that I have made.  The link to that blog is found just below the Blog header or banner.  Hope you like it.  If you do.... please let me know by commenting below the post.  Thanks, Katie G.

October 2010 Visiting Teaching Message

I am feeling somewhat like the White Rabbit, in Alice in Wonderland, when he said, 'I'm late, I'm late....."  Well he finished up his statement by saying... "for a very important date...."  My thoughts about being late stem from not posting the Message and link for October's Visiting Teaching so here it is http://lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,8776-1,00.html  There are several links that will take you to some great references to help personalize your visiting teaching and they are:

• Howard W. Hunter, “The Great Symbol of Our Membership,” Ensign, Oct. 1994
• Richard G. Scott, “Temple Worship: The Source of Strength and Power in Times of Need,” Ensign, May 2009
• Gary E. Stevenson, “Sacred Homes, Sacred Temples,” Ensign, May 2009
• Russell M. Nelson, “Personal Preparation for Temple Blessings,” Liahona, July 2001

I wanted to add a few more links that will help you with this message and they are as follows:

• http://lds.org/library/display/0,4945,2043-1-5215-1,00.html (October 2010 Issue of the Ensign is focused intirely on Temples )  Here is the direct link to the Ensign Special issue for you to read online.  Look for it in the mail as well if you subscribe to the Ensign and other church magazines.

Others are:

• http://lds.org/temples/purpose/0,11298,1897-1,00.html
• http://lds.org/temples/geographical/0,11380,1899-1,00.html
• http://lds.org/temples/chronological/0,11206,1900-1,00.html

There is another link that takes you to this article called:  "Relief saociety: A Sacred Work by Julie B. Beck, Relief Society General President  Here is that link:  http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=3bbf56627ab94210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

General Conference and LDS Addiction Recovery Program

Didn't you just love General Conference today and yesterday?  It never fails that the messages that the leaders of our Church prepare for us are just what are needed.  I was really excited because a lot of the talks included messages about dealing with Addictions.  As you know by now, my husband and I have just completed our missionary service in the LDS Addiction Recovery Program.  We served as mission group leaders for Addiction Recovery meetings in the Sandy, Utah area, as well as the Utah County area.  We  lead meetings in both Spanish and English, and concluded the last part of our second mission working exclusively with the Pornography group, my husband with the addicts and I worked in spousal and family support.  It was a marvelous experience, but I am so glad that the leaders are saying so much about Addictions of all kinds, because there is such a problem, and it is a huge curse in these days. 

 If you or a loved one suffers from the devastating effect of any kind of addiction, including Pornography, please seek help now! 

Contact either LDS Family Services, or you can go to lds.org and under the home and family tab, then under Marriage , family and individual Counseling, you will see "Addiction Recovery Program". http://www.providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,6629-1-3414-1,00.html   Click on it and you will be able to see the program guide in many languages, and find a support group to begin attending and the time and place http://www.providentliving.org/content/list/0,11664,4177-1,00.html or an LDS Family services agency near you.  http://www.providentliving.org/ses/emotionalhealth/contact/1,12169,2128-1,00.html

Sincerely, Katie G

Surprise! I made a cute Halloween printable for you!!!

Have you been enjoying Conference today?  I sure have and while listening to it, I have been busy on my computer designing this fun little Halloween Printable gift box for you to print off and fill up with some fabulous little treats. ( I will make my pink popcorn recipe, but with Orange Jello instead of Red jello)

If you go to my Visiting Teaching surprise blog http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com you can find the templates that I created to print off a darling Halloween gift box.  Here is the direct link 
I don't have the photo taken yet for the gift box, but I will by the end of today.  This is a really easy template, and that was my purpose.  Some printable boxes are so hard to fold and figure out for me, that I wanted to make a simple one.... and I did.  Enjoy!!!  Katie G.




 

Great Fall Visiting Teaching gift

The other day, my husband was looking for our electric heating pad as his foot was hurting.  I looked over the entire house, knowing that we have one, and couldn't find it anywhere.  I then thought... I wonder if I let one of my children borrow it.  Naturally I phoned my daughter as she would be the likely suspect as she has been ill for about 9 months.  I phoned her and she said that she didn't have it, but she did still have my scented microwave heating pad that is shaped to wrap around my neck and shoulders.  My husband bought it for me several years ago because I had such bad allergies, and he thought it might help with all the herbal scents it contained, and it did.  Anyway... I lent that to my daughter and she reminded me of how nice it is to have one.  So.... like the wonderful Mom that I am, I told her to keep it and use it as long as she needs to, and I began my search online to find out how to make another one.

 I went to http://tipnut.com/make-your-own-microwave-heating-pad/ which is a really fun, idea filled site that I subscribe to and typed in their search bar "microwave heating pad" and I found out how to make an herbal one.  It is very easy to make and the hardest part is to locate all the herbs that are required.  I am guessing that if I go to my local health food store, they should have what I need to fill the bag.  The picture to the left comes from: http://sonnetofthemoon.blogspot.com/2010/02/rice-heating-bag-and-removable-cover.html and has a tutorial along with it.  If you use google images, you can find alot of other great sites that have good examples of how to make these and some cute fabrics and such. 

So how does this relate to Visiting teaching???  Well.... with the change of weather, things get colder outside and so do we.  Unfortunately this also brings alot of colds and flu's!   What a great idea to do for a sister you teach to actually provide her something besides the "Chicken Soup" when she is sick.  Just how much Chicken soup can one person eat???

I have made up a cute little poem for you to print off to give along with the microwave hot pads to whomever you like.  Enjoy!  Katie G.

Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter Tea Party

So why in the world would I post an Alice in Wonderland Tea Party on my Relief Society Visiting teaching blog???? My new ward calling is serving in the Young Women and we are doing an activity in a couple weeks teaching the girls about proper etiquette, graciousness, appreciation and just plain fun. We will teach the girls how to properly set the table, including what the different knives, forks and spoons are used for. We'll talk about table manners, and gracious and appropriate conversation. And NO we aren't serving tea, but we will probably serve some yummy strawberry lemonade or something like that out of a tea server, into tea cups. What does this have to do with Visiting Teaching or Relief Society??? Well, I am trying to make the projects that I do the graphics, invitations, announcements, and such be usable for not just Young Women's, but for a fun date with those you visit teach, the ladies in your wards R.S., or neighborhood.... See... this idea would be so much fun, and I am going to provide the invitation, place cards, and favor. You will of course have to edit it to suit what you are doing, but you can enjoy the benefit of what I have already put together. I have spent hours and hours on the invitation and came up with 3 different ones, that I really didn't like how they printed out. Finally I got a brainstorm after a good nights sleep, and thought since this Mad Hatter tea party actually comes out of a book, why not make the invitation look like a book. This book is also in public domain so the images are fine to use as well. It turned out very cute, and as soon as I can, I will take a photo and insert it into this blog so that you can see it. If you want the complete pages, you will have to go to my http://Visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com
blog to get them as they would take up too much space to insert them on this one. Let me know what you think, and if you use this idea, let me know how you used it, with whom and how much fun you had! Here is the direct link to that post on the blog, http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com/2010/09/alice-in-wonderland-mad-hatter-tea.html but if you have not done so yet.... you should go look at all the fun and cute other printables and ideas that I have in the archives. Plan on spending some time, because you will really enjoy it!

Best regards, Katie G.

Heart and Soul play....for Visiting Teaching and Home Teaching

I wanted to let you know that I scanned in the rewrite of the Heart and Soul play that my ward did for a Home Teaching and Visiting teaching Night.  It turned out darling!!!  Anyway, instead of continuing to mail it out to everyone who wants it, I jsut got a portable hand scanner and was able to scan it and add it to my blog.  Here is the link... http://visitingteachingsurprisedocuments.blogspot.com/2010/09/visiting-teaching-skit-heart-and-soul.html

I have my September Visiting teaching done.... how about you?

September 2010 Visiting Teaching Message

The September Message can be found at http://lds.org/library/display/0,4945,2044-1-5213-1,00.html
The Link to either of the handouts " The Fmaily: A Proclamation to the World"  can be found on my other blog... visiting teaching surprise at this link http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com/2010/09/visiting-teaching-message-suggests-that.html
 and the topic is "Our Responsibility to Nurture the Rising Generation"  found in the Ensign, September 2010.
I have been a little slow getting my this posted as this past week I was called into Young Women.  I can't tell you how much work it has been for me to get calendars, Meeting Agendas, and so many other things put together and looking so cute, like I like to do. There have been Sunday and Weekday meetings, Presidency meeting, and Bishops leadership training as well as a meeting with the President to orient me and fill me in on my new calling.   I have come to really admire the time that the Young Women leaders put into their callings, because it really is a sacrifice at times.  I know that things take days and weeks to plan and carry out and the focus on teaching and "nurturing the rising generation is a huge responsibility.

This months Visiting Teaching message has a quote from Sister Julie Beck that says:  "So what is it that will keep the rising generation safe? In the Church, we teach saving principles, and those principles are family principles, the principles that will help the rising generation to form a family, teach that family, and prepare that family for ordinances and covenants—and then the next generation will teach the next and so on.
As parents, leaders, and Church members, we are preparing this generation for the blessings of Abraham, for the temple. We have the responsibility to be very clear on key points of doctrine found in the proclamation on the family. Motherhood and fatherhood are eternal roles and responsibilities. Each of us carries the responsibility for either the male or the female half of the plan.

We can teach this doctrine in any setting. We must speak respectfully of marriage and family. And from our example, the rising generation can gain great hope and understanding—not just from the words we speak but from the way we feel and emanate the spirit of family."

This quote brings me back to the admiration and gratitude I have come to feel from the leaders who spend so much time with our Youth.  This past week, in the Ward Leadership training that I attended for the Young Women leaders and Youth Presidency leaders,  there was wonderful council and guidance given.  But the one thing that stuck out in my mind and really hit me hard was when our Young Women's president gave a statistic that 1 in every 1000 Youth will "Be Strong" in their moral convictions.  I don't know where she got her statistics from but that hit me like a ton of lead.  One out of every thousand kids in this world today will stay morally clean? How very sad but what a challenge and goal to be that "ONE!"  My  mind instantly began to try to comprehend one in a thousand, and I determined that it would take about 3 wards of all ages in my city and stake, to get 1000 people together.  I thought about the local High Schools and thought that they probably have 1000 plus kids attending school.  Imagine.... only person in the entire school or out of 3 wards, being the one who stayed morally clean. 

This thought disturbed me greatly to know that our children are being raised in a world that is so lacking in morality.  How difficult it must be for this rising generation to actually rise to all that the Lord has in store for them.  I know that the most choice of Gods Children are being born now and some years before because they will most likely be those Warriors who have been saved for this day and time.   These children have to be strong and will be like Helamans warriors, but fighting a different kind of battle.  Their battle isn't being fought on foreign soil, with breastplates and swords, but they will have to be armed with virtue, and character, purity and soberness, in order to win their battle. 

All I can say is Pray for the Youth.... Pray that they can be strong and that their greatest example will always be Christ.  Pray for their courage to make righteous choices.  Pray for their strength to say no to drugs, alcohol, promiscuity and anything else that the world will try to tempt them with. 

Addressing the sisters at the general Relief Society meeting on September 23, 1995, President Gordon B. Hinckley said: "The world we are in is a world of turmoil, of shifting values. Shrill voices call out for one thing or another in betrayal of time-tested standards of behavior."1 President Hinckley then went on to introduce to the sisters, the Church, and ultimately people everywhere "The Family: A Proclamation to the World."

The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Ensign, Nov 1995, 102



We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.


All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.


In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.


The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.


We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.


Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.


The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.


We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.


We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.


I encourage you sisters to do whatever you can do to strengthen your families, and help to strengthen the families and children of others, through your service in this Church, through your neighborhood friendships, through your family ties and through the associations you have with your children's friends.  Do all you can to help teach and protect this Rising Generation.

For the handout... the lesson suggests giving a copy of The Family: A Proclamation to the World, and I have the links posted on http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com/ so that you can print it off.

Katie G.