Thursday, August 30, 2007

Introducing Julie Savage



Hi my name is Julie Savage. I grew up as Julie Lovell in Pleasanton CA, and then Sacramento CA (with a couple years in Union City CA, Houston TX, and South Jordan UT). I have 4 brothers, one sister, and one partial foster brother. I am so close with all of my family. I went to Ricks college in the fall of 1999 with my sister, and graduated with my associates in graphic design. Spent a semester abroad in Paris with BYU, and then transfered to BYU in Provo. I graduated in 2004 with a Degree in Communications marketing and advertising. I love any kind of art, and I love doing things with my hands. I met my husband my senior year when he was the EQP and i got called to be the RSP. We kept the romance a secret from almost everyone until we announced we were engaged, We got married July 2004, and had our daughter June of 2006. Before she was born I did all of the marketing and advertising for a couple small businesses my husband started through college, and worked as the Human Resources associate for Convergys (anyone from provo might be laughing at me now) I have been at home with my daughter since June of 2006, doing freelance jobs here and there. I love my family, and I love the gospel. I am excited to be here in Ann Arbor, although I am already understanding the term law school widow!

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Prez Says: Obedience

The Prez Says… Recently I listened to a sacrament meeting talk at the Hill Street Ward. Because the young man spoke thoughtfully and sincerely, I could see what was in his heart, and I was touched with how strongly he desires to be obedient to the Lord. I know that he must have a firm testimony of The 3rd Article of Faith, “We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.” His dedication and devotion to obedience was inspiring and reassuring. It encouraged me to continue taking steps toward greater obedience.

Obedience is not blind faith, but rather is a choice to submit to the will of a loving Father. The fruits of obedience are endless, one of which is happiness. Alma 41:10 clearly teaches that “wickedness never was happiness,” and a life of obedience is a total rejection of the adversary. Obeying with exactness demonstrates valiance and consistently choosing the Lord’s side.

Whether in sacrament meeting talks or in our conversations with family and friends, it is important for us to share our experiences and our desires to be obedient. By doing so, we lift each other, we encourage each other, and we inspire each other to be obedient to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel. And we demonstrate the way to achieve true happiness.

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Support Your Local Blogger

This is a plea to my dear sisters to leave me some encouraging comments from time to time. We bloggers live for comments...they let us know that our words are reaching others, they make us feel connected, and they remind us that the time we spend writing into the void is worthwhile. Even if you have nothing to say, a simple comment like, "I read this post" would give me the inspiration to keep on keeping on. And any suggestions you have for how this blog might better meet your needs would be very welcome.

Welcoming More New Sisters

First of all, many weeks ago we welcomed Itzel Mostert to our ward, and somehow I have not mentioned her in this blog yet. I am so sorry! I think I was waiting to get a picture of her, but people are moving in so quickly now that school is about to start, I don't think I'll be able to get pictures posted of everyone right away.

Today we heard from the following new sisters:

1) Julie Savage, a friend of Jenny Peterson's, is here from Sacramento with her husband, who is starting Law School.

2) Sarah Francis has come to Ann Arbor to do a master's degree in social work while her husband goes to law school.

3) Tracy Oberholzer, from Harrison, Michigan, works in the pharmacy and hotel business.

4) Shannon Allen has moved here from Salt Lake for her husband to attend Law School.

5) Kesli Aiken, from Vista, California, is here while her husband does a master's degree in Russian and Eastern European Studies.

6) Michelle Eusebio is teaching at Gretchen's House while her husband does a master's degree in Math Education.

7) Brooke Rasmussen is here with 2 1/2 year old Lincoln and baby Tad while her husband does a master's degree in Public Policy.

I think I have done some serious misspellings in our new sisters' names, but as soon as I get more information (and pictures) I'll let you know. In the mean time, WELCOME TO ANN ARBOR!

26 August 2007 Lesson by Michelle Rackley: "Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer" by Elder Scott

Today's lesson, taught by Michelle Rackley, was based on Elder Richard G. Scott's April 2007 General Conference address "Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer."

Michelle began the lesson by talking about four different types of prayer. As an example of the first type, a prayer for forgiveness, she read us Enos 1: 2-8. For the second type, a prayer for guidance or truth, she read us the account of King Lamoni's father in Alma 22: 15-18. For the third type of prayer, a prayer of gratitude, she read us 2 Nephi 4: 18-25. For the fourth type of prayer, a prayer for comfort, she asked us to suggest some examples from the scriptures. The first example given was of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane (see Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22).

Here are some of the great comments on prayer by various members of the class from the rest of the lesson:

-When my mother died it felt like the end of the world. I prayed a lot. I remembered that my mother had asked me not to grieve for her, and in time, I was able to focus on my happy memories of her.

-I was impressed when we read the scriptures in Enos and Alma that both men hungered for answers from God. If our desire is great, like theirs was, we are better able to follow through.

-I've found that my desires for good are stronger after trials and struggles which cause me to grow.

-Sometimes we need to pray to be sustained through ongoing trials that are not going away.

-For many years we struggled to get pregnant. I got to a point where I felt that I could not go on. I told my husband, and he said to me that we were not supposed to stop trying, that we would have a child of our own first, before we turned to adoption. I was angry at first, and felt that he didn't understand what I was going through. But as I prayed I received confirmation that what he had said was true and from God. I'm grateful for the guidance the priesthood can bring to our lives.

-Once I helped plan an activity for the graduating Laurels. For part of the activity, we asked the girls to spend 30 minutes saying a prayer of gratitude. I did this myself, and although I initially thought 30 minutes was a very long time, I had barely made a dent in the things I'm grateful for when the timer rang.

-There was a period of my life when I was a student at BYU when I felt an overwhelming sense of inadequacy. I had a Doctrine & Covenants teacher that I trust and admired, and I thought that she might be able to say something that would help me. I tried to talk to her after class one day, but was not able to tell her what I really wanted, and left disappointed. I went outside and prayed that if there was something she could say that would help me, the Lord would facilitate another meeting. Shortly thereafter, the teacher found me and we had a long talk, which left me feeling greatly comforted.

-I'm thinking about what Kathy wrote in her Prez Says column this week about being real with each other. When we are open and willing to share with one another what is really going on in our lives, we can bless each other. We can pray for each other.

-One day I was touched by the instruction to forgive found in conjunction with a description of prayer in Mark 11: 24-25. At the time I was feeling like nothing. I read this scripture and prayed. A feeling washed over me, and I said God, your son knows exactly how I feel. Please let him help me get over this. My Savior has been through what I'm going through. I know that he's real, that he's a person, a friend, a companion, and an adviser.

Michelle closed by reading John 17: 9, "I pray for them." She wants us to pray for each other, the way the Savior prays for us. She told us that she knows many people have been praying for her and for her family over the past several months. Her home has been filled with peace and love instead of discouragement and despair because of our prayers for her. God has filled her with peace and love every time she has gone to him in prayer.

SWK #16: The Sabbath--A Delight

I was out of town this week, and missed our lesson. Please feel free to leave your comments about it.

Prez Says: Be Yourself

The Prez Says… Marjorie Hinckley once presented a fireside at BYU where she captivated and delighted an audience of 12,000. At the conclusion of her remarks the audience jumped to their feet and gave her a standing ovation. She later remarked how surprised she was by the audience’s responsiveness. A friend told her, “Marge, they loved you because you were so relaxed and just yourself.” Sister Hinckley replied, “I couldn’t think of anyone else to be!”

Just being ourselves and honestly sharing the stories and lessons of our lives builds meaningful connections and true friendships. “When we risk sharing our real feelings, we develop relationships of understanding and trust. For we cannot really care or be cared for, love or be loved, understand or be understood, unless we are willing to open our treasures of time, substances, and self.” (Lloyd Newell, “May Peace Be With You”)

When we share how our lives really are, rather than trying to look like we always have it all together, it’s affirming and encouraging to others. When speakers tell personal stories the audience’s attention is riveted because honest stories and life lessons are meaningful gifts that can help everyone feel braver, stronger, less alone, and more capable of making it through life’s challenges.

This time of year brings many hellos and goodbyes in our ward. Let’s be as genuine, as relaxed, as open, as honest, and as real as Sister Hinckley was at the BYU fireside, and just be ourselves. By doing this we will build bridges of friendship and love that help us with our lives and that can span eternity.

Prez Says: Do Not Fear

      The Prez Says… I spoke with someone this week who went into great detail about how many things he fears. He is afraid of his wife and mother dying, afraid of terrorist attacks, afraid that strangers who walk in his neighborhood may be criminals who will rob him, afraid of failing as he begins a new career, afraid that his home is losing value due to the declining economy, and his list went on and on. As I listened, I reflected on how blessed I am to have the assurance and peace that the gospel brings. The Savior promises, “If this generation harden not their hearts, I will establish my church among them…Therefore, whosoever belongeth to my church need not fear, for such shall inherit the kingdom of heaven.” (D&C 10:53:55)

      Who hasn’t felt fear at times? Fear being made fun of, fear of failure, fear of the unknown, or of the present or future. Fear can hold us hostage, and comes from the adversary. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim. 1:7) Fear is the antithesis of faith. Being a member of the church isn’t insurance against bad or frightening things happening in our lives, but the gospel is a resource for us as we face the challenges of mortal life. We are never left alone or defenseless because we possess the gift of the Holy Ghost, who dispels all fear and brings peace to our hearts. The greatest security of all is promised in D&C 68:6, “Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you.”

Prez Says: Precious Principles of Truth

      The Prez Says… When the Conference Center was dedicated, President Packer shared a parable to teach about the type of building that the Lord values most. A merchant seeking precious jewels at last found the perfect pearl. He had the finest craftsman carve a superb jewel box and line it with blue velvet. He put his pearl on display so others could share his treasure. He watched as people came to see it, and soon turned away in sorrow. It was the box they admired, not the pearl.

      Our temples are breathtakingly beautiful, yet the buildings themselves are just boxes. It’s what occurs inside the temples that’s “the pearl.” When we enter The House of the Lord to perform sacred ordinance work, we undertake building our inner personal temples. We access power and light as we ponder, pray, and learn surrounded by the Holy Ghost. Read the dedicatory prayer for the Kirtland Temple in Section 109. Think about how you can see and apply this section from a very personal perspective. The very first word is “Thanks.” How appropriate for the Kirtland Saints, and for us! Verse 22 helps us understand that when we leave the temple we do so armed with the power of His name upon us, with glory surrounding us, and with access to the help of angels. Do we know how to gain access to this power?

      More than 1000 people attended the dedication of the Kirtland Temple and were blessed to hear and ponder this revealed dedicatory prayer. Take a look at Section 109 and see if it doesn’t unearth some precious principles of truth that you can apply in your life as you continue to build and beautify your inner personal temple.

August 12, 2007 Lesson by Sondra Soderborg: SWK #15 We Should Be A Reverent People

Here is the handout Sondra passed out. It nicely outlines the main points of her lesson:

“We Should Be a Reverent People”

SWK #15

Reverence is “a feeling or attitude of deep respect love, and awe.” It is devotion to God. “It is one of the highest qualities of the soul,” because it involves “true faith in God and in his righteousness.” “True reverence involves happiness, as well as love, respect gratitude, and godly fear.”

Pres. Kimball considered reverence a way of life. There is a story in the manual of a time when he was visiting a meetinghouse. In the restroom, he threw away paper towels that were on the floor and cleaned the sink.

This example indicates that reverence is more than a feeling—it is practical, active, and confident.

Those are words that provide an approach to reverence that I want to focus on. It’s only been a few months since we had a sacrament meeting on reverence, and I’ve been thinking about reverence in our ward since then. One of the things Bishop Soderborg asked is that each of us take a more active role in creating a reverent environment in our Sunday meetings, and particularly in sacrament meeting. Our demographics create particular challenges for our ward.

Parents of young children:

  • We’ve seen it all before—get past shame (flipping)
  • Don’t be embarrassed if you need help
  • Be practical and considerate in your choice of seats. If you know that for a certain week (months or years) that you’ll be taking children out, choose a seat that minimizes the disruption
  • Don’t bring sick children to church--even though church is where we belong, we have to consider the whole community.
  • Please take out disruptive kids quickly. Briefly try to comfort, but don’t wait if it isn’t working. Recently, I couldn’t hear the speaker when there was a particular roar of children, even though I was sitting in the fifth row back.
  • Plan ahead: ask for someone to sit by you to help, like one of the youth or a person without young children to attend to. Ask someone to keep on eye on things, so that they’re prepared to step in when you need them. You can ask on your way in; it doesn’t need to be one more item on your list of things to do.

Parents of older kids:

  • Continue to expect reverent behaviors

Anyone with free hands:

  • Be confident about stepping forward to help. Do it in a spirit of love. You’ll have fun.
  • Look around to see who might need support in that meeting—is there a parent alone with their children? Plan ahead helps with the self-consciousness of the moment.

Everyone:

  • Arrive on time
  • Visit outside the chapel (“The chapel is not dedicated to pharisaical piety where are found long faces, stiff formalities, or cold and barren silences, yet reverence for holy places, sacred purposes, and divine personages should always be found there.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

2 New Sisters

Today we met two new sisters. First is Anne Bednar. She is recently married, and has come to Ann Arbor with her husband so that he can do a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior. She is a pediatric nurse, and is looking for a job.



Second is Laura Hall, mother of 7-month-old Felix, who has come to Ann Arbor for her husband to do a Master's degree in Business and Music. She is finishing up a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy.

5 August 2007: Janie Ward teaching "Out of Darkness into His Marvelous Light" by Elder Hales

Today's lesson, taught by Janie Ward, was taken from Elder Robert D. Hales' April 2002 General Conference address: "Out of Darkness into His Marvelous Light."

Prez Says: Eliminate the Poison of Jealousy

      The Prez Says… Do you sometimes struggle when others get special recognition? I spoke with a client this week whose best friend was hired for a well-paid professional job despite not having a college degree. Her past volunteer work convinced the employer that she was talented, capable and would be an asset to his staff. She didn’t even need to formally apply for the position. This was especially difficult for my client because she is struggling to pay for and complete college courses for the degree that is normally a prerequisite for the job her friend was given.

      Jealousy and envy can be silent killers, extinguishing the companionship of the Spirit. The first step of jealousy is comparing ourselves to others. Comparisons result in either feeling better about ourselves (which leads to pride), or worse (which leads to jealousy that someone else has it better than we do.) Both conclusions can be deadly.

      David’s slaying of Goliath brought the praise of many, and won him a spot of favor in Saul’s eyes—temporarily. The people sang and danced for joy, repeatedly chanting, “Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands!” (1 Sam. 18:7) Saul became increasingly angry and jealous of David, and worried that the people would want David to be their king. Saul gradually became consumed with fear and jealousy, and this became his downfall. Saul is a tragic example of how jealousy can lead to self-destruction. (Read 1 Sam. 18-19)

      When someone else is praised or blessed, let’s rejoice with them and dismiss thoughts of jealousy and envy. Being mindful of our own blessings and of the generosity of the Lord in our lives can eliminate the poison of jealousy.

29 July 2007: Combined RS/ Priesthood Meeting on Families

For our lesson today, the Bishop invited 4 members of our stake to come and talk to us about their experiences in the church as "non-traditional families." We heard from Cynthia Christensen, Katsuo Kurabayashi, Miran Forsythe, and Marilyn Roubidoux.

Prez Says: Testimony

The Prez Says… Because Carrie was in the Hill Cumorah Pageant this year, I had the opportunity to attend two evenings of the show, as well as to attend the closing sacrament meeting on the Hill Cumorah last Sunday. It was a very special experience to be in that sacred space, and it was amazing to be surrounded by 680 cast members who had been experiencing an intense spiritual high for 2 ½ weeks.

At the beginning of the Pageant experience, some seeds were planted in small pots. They had sprouted and grown over the 2 ½ weeks, but remained delicate and fragile. One of the sacrament meeting speakers said that now everyone was leaving the artificial environment of the Pageant, and returning to the real world, their real challenges and problems, and real life. He entreated them to take their sprouted seeds of testimony and to protect and keep them growing in their daily lives. He noted that “the Pageant is not truer than the everyday church in our real lives,” and that there is no such thing as a testimony of the Hill Cumorah Pageant, or of Relief Society, family home evening, or Primary. While these (and all of the programs of the church) are wonderful, they are simply vehicles to bring us closer to Jesus Christ. The only thing that we can truly have a testimony of is Jesus Christ. He lives, He heads this church, He selflessly atoned for all sin, He is the perfection of every attribute and teaches and invites us to be like Him.

Neal A. Maxwell said, “If one day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ, why not do so now?” All things testify of Him. Luke 19:40 says that even the stones testify of Him. Let us stay clear and focused on how we can grow closer to and testify of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Why not do so now?

Introducing: Renee Mitchell


Here is the introduction that Renee wrote for herself:

Renee Mitchell was born November 17 th in 1969 in Detroit, MI, to Mary & Justice Mitchell. She is the 2nd daughter of three children. She had three children of her own: Javon and Donavon, her 2 sons, and a daughter, Jacquline. She moved to A2 to pursue an education in graphics design. Some of her interests are reading , knitting, quieting, creating art, and singing. Some of the simple things she enjoys are having a good laugh with family and friends and partaking in the beauty of God's creations. Sister Mitchell has been a member since October of 1992 and was baptized into The Detroit New Center Branch.

Favorites:
color: lavender
food: homemade mac & cheese
dessert: ice cream
t.v show: lost
hymn: In humility & Lord I will follow thee
scripture: I Nephi 3:7