Deseret Ward News

Stake Trolley Derby

Thanks for all those who participated and supported the Stake Trolley Derby yesterday, It was a great time had by all. We appreciated the drivers and helpers from our ward who turned out and made the event such fun. Special thanks to those who built and engineered the trolleys for the many hours of effort that went into making them.

 

Message From Bishopric

Fasting is something Latter Day Saints do for a variety of reasons, not least to clear their minds, gain inspiration and draw closer to the Holy Ghost as we seek answers to prayers. Of course in addition to these spiritual reasons are the additional physical benefits of increased health & strength plus the benefits associated with the donation of fast offering to help those in need.

Each month our Ward/Stake puts those donations to good use and we are grateful to have Saints in our midst willing to sacrifice and share - even those with just a little to give due to their circumstances.   
To increase our understanding and appreciation of the Law of the Fast we are suggesting 10 things you can do over the coming weeks and in fact over the coming year:  

• Have a home evening lesson on why we fast and give offerings.
• Encourage—but never force—your children to fast. Some parents encourage their children to fast one meal a month when they turn eight, and then two meals a month when they turn twelve.
• Choose a specific purpose for your next fast, discussing the faith involved. Begin and end your fast with prayer.
• Attend fast and testimony meeting as a family on fast Sunday.
• Occasionally fast together at times other than on fast Sunday.
• Teach the importance of “feasting” on the word of Christ during a fast —studying the scriptures and the words of modern prophets, discussing the gospel, singing hymns, serving others, and praying. Those who are unable to fast (such as young children, the sick, or expectant and nursing mothers) can also join in the spirit of the fast in this way.
• Urge your children—young and old—to contribute fast offering; even a small amount can bring joy.
• Although fast offerings may be given to the bishop along with tithing, consider giving it in the fast offering envelopes delivered by the Aaronic Priesthood. In this way, contributing becomes a family project.
• Ponder and discuss the encouragement to contribute “much, much more” than the cost of two meals.
• Teach your family to give offerings willingly and cheerfully, recognizing that giving grudgingly profits nothing.
May your efforts in being obedient to the Law of Fasting bring you the blessings our Heavenly Father sees fit to bestow upon his children.

Have a great week, The Bishopric.

 

Other calendar items….

• Waitangi Day– 6th February
• Ward Youth Fireside on Sunday 8^th February at 7pm.
• This fireside will be held at the Dennis family’s home on Deseret Road. More details of the fireside will be provided next week.
• Deseret Ward Conference—8th February 2009
• Auxiliary leaders and class presidents should note this date as we will more than likely have a few visitors from the Stake attending classes this week
• Valentines Day—14th February
• Temple Closed 8th —22nd February
• Deseret Ward Temple Assignments
• February & March
• 3 February Sealings
• 10 & 17 February Temple Closed
• 24 March Baptisms
• 31 March Initiatory

Deseret Ward News

Message from Bishopric

The importance of Family Home Evening is well known amongst Latter Day Saints and it is something that makes us quite unique. Many people who are not of our faith are intrigued to hear that one night a week is just ‘family night’.

A well planned out and thought through family home evening can become a vehicle for successful missionary work and by inviting those not of our faith to participate in a family home evening we can share a simple message about the central importance of the family unit just by being examples rather than through a lesson. As those not of our faith see us kneel in prayer, sing hymns, plan our week, teach each other and have fun – then they can feel the spirit and often they want their family to be part of this too.

As a reminder about the importance of family home evening here is a statement from President Howard W. Hunter who said:

"For over seven decades, Church members have been urged to hold regular, family home evenings. Great blessings are promised to those who follow the Lord's counsel to do so. In 1915, the First Presidency said, "If the Saints obey this counsel to hold family home evening, we promise that great blessings will result. Love at home and obedience to parents will increase. Faith will be developed in the hearts of the youth of Israel, and they will gain power to combat the evil influence and temptations which beset them. ""Monday night continues to be reserved for family home evening each week. Local leaders should see that Church buildings and facilities are closed on Monday nights. Stake and ward activities should not be planned for, or held on, Monday nights. Family home evenings may include family recreational activities in addition to gospel Instruction.

Remember the simple power of a strong family – a united ‘zion’ family can achieve miracles in their own home, with their own family plus they can work miracles with others around them in the community if they take the time. If you are struggling with missionary work then why not invite a family into your home on a Monday evening as you hold a family home evening and the Holy Ghost will do the rest.

If you are earnest in your efforts to hold a regular family home evening then you will be blessed, if you help others on the way then the blessings can be shared and you will grow closer to your Father in Heaven.

Have a great week

The Bishopric

 

calendar items

• Auckland Anniversary—Monday 26th January
• Stake Trolley Derby— Saturday 31 January 8am Cowley Drive
• We currently have some experts working on our trolley and we will have 12 Races– 2 per auxiliary. Driver will be assigned within auxiliaries. We will be meeting at the reserve at the top of Cowley Drive. So please come and support our ward. It should be great fun!
• Waitangi Day– 6th February
• Deseret Ward Conference - 8th February
• Just a reminder that it’s Ward Conference time again for all Temple View Stake units and Deseret. Auxiliary leaders and class presidents should note this date as we will more than likely have a few visitors from the Stake attending classes this day.
• Temple Closed 8th —22nd February
• Valentines Day—14th February

Thank You to those who have been preparing meals for the Williams family. Our thoughts and prayers are with Paul and Corina and family at this difficult time.

How to Make a Raised Garden

By Owen and Alma Mayor - deseret Ward Welfare Specialists

1. Raised Gardens

It is still the summer season. Summer vegetables can still be sown. We are on our third planting of lettuce and will be ready to plant more cauli's and broccolli in the next few weeks. We have also recently planted our second lot of tomatoes and beans. The message is that if you do not have a garden then make a start. The following is a cheap (free) and easy way to make a small raised garden.

Aim: Make a small raised gardens.

Equipment:

· One free pellet

· Hammer

· Crowbar

· Saw

Method:

1. Take one pellet.

2. Carefully dismantle the pellet with a crow bar. Remove the nails. These can be reused for making the raised garden. Try to keep the strips of wood in one piece.

3. Cut one strip of wood in half. These will become the ends of the two raised gardens as seen in the illustration below. Nail two long wood strips to one half size strip of wood .

4.Cut pieces of the thicker strips of the pellet frame to join the two ends of the raised garden frame together. If there are enough pieces of wood left over from the dismantled pellet then a second pellet can be made.

5. Place the frame where it will be placed in your yard and fill with a mix of soil and compost (old grass clippings and food scraps that have been left to form compost) or a cheap bag or two of compost from places like The Warehouse or Bunnings. I just used soil that was at the bottom of our compost heap to mix with the compost.

 

WALAHHHH!!!!! AS EASY AS 1..2..3. GARDEN FRAME COMPLETED. NOW YOU CAN PLANT. We planted strawberries in the two frames that we made from the one dismantled pellet.

Deseret Ward News

Deseret Ward Definitely Has Talent

What a great night was had by all who attended the Ward Activity– Deseret Ward’s got Talent. We wish to say a big thank you to all those who attended, participated, and organised the evening. We were serenaded, amused and gladdened by the variety of talent that our ward had to offer us. A big thank you goes to those behind the scenes that organised the venue and food, it was an enjoyable night that will be remembered fondly by all who attended.

LDS Internet Presence Expanding

reviews and exerpts of some exciting new internet resources for lds members and investigators

There has been a proliferation in church sponsored internet websites in the last year or two. The church has made available an extensive array of free media ranging from; up to the minute church news of local and area activities (www.ldschurch.org.nz, www.newsroom.lds.org); a map finder to locate church buildings anywhere in the world so you will never have an excuse to miss another sacrament meeting during world travel (www.maps.lds.org); an entire site dedicated to Jesus Christ with audio talks, video, and even James E. Talmage's entire 'Jesus the Christ' book in MP3 downloadable format (www.jesuschrist.lds.org); and last but surely not least a family history research website that contains not only over 500 million names but also provides an online record of all temple work that has been done and is now the only resource available by which members can prepare names to take to the temple (www.new.familysearch.org).

in December 2007 Elder M. Russell Ballard gave a talk to the graduating BYU Hawaii students and referred to the internet as "a modern equivalent of the printing press... The Internet allows everyone to be a publisher, to have his or her voice heard, and it is revolutionizing society". He encouraged them to "join the conversation". One thing is clear; the church has certainly joined the conversation and we are missing out if we are not utilising these amazing and revolutionary resources.

Below is a link to the full video titled "Finding Faith in Christ". A must see for anyone who hasnt seen it yet and worth another watch during this special season where we remember and renew our faith in the Saviour, his life, and birth.

 http://www.jesuschrist.lds.org/SonOfGod/eng/finding-faith-in-christ/video/finding-faith-in-christ

Temple Lights

Some photos taken at the temple lights on Sunday 14th December 2008

Deseret Ward News

 

Relief Society Christmas Activity 

Wednesday 3rd December 2008

Article by Crystal Mann

Photos by Peti Transfield

The end of year Christmas activity is always a highlight on the Relief Society calendar. It’s a great chance for the women of Deseret Ward to get together for a bit of socialising, festive fun and of course, food. (Not to mention the chance for many to escape children and/or husbands for an hour or two).

On top of all that, this year’s activity held on the 29th November had a special emphasis on service.

The evening started off with a bang as the sisters were treated to a selection of carols from Santa (aka Brother Reti) and his elves (including Brother Beijerling, Enoka, Williams and Reihana, amongst others). The musical treats continued as Sisters shared their talents; Sister Dionne Evans is available for flute recitals at anytime, and Sister Alma Mayor does a great rendition of Boney M on the guitar.

With everyone well and truly into the spirit of things, we broke up into two groups and enjoyed getting creative and generally having a laugh. Special tins were carefully decorated and then filled with old fashioned sweets (fudge, coconut ice, and peanut brittle) ready to be given away to someone who needed it. (FYI, it was established that this did not include giving it to yourself).

At the same time, everyone got busy signing their names on aprons that had been specially made for each of us. By the end of the night everyone’s apron was covered in the positive notes from their fellow Desert Ward sisters. (Except Sister Gaylynn Tunstall’s – she decided she didn’t want anyone messing with hers). A special mention to our presidency and enrichment leaders for their countless hours of service spent cutting, sewing, and ironing each of these. They looked fab.

To wrap up the evening, Sister Evans then led us through a special service game. Each Sister wrote an act of service on a card that they could offer before Christmas. This included everything from window washing, baking, weeding, and even “an original poem” by Sister Charlotte Cammock. After the cards were handed out, a story was read involving the words ‘left’ and ‘right’, prompting each of us to pass our card left and right countless times.

For the most part everyone followed the rules. Sister Ardern however refused to pass on the offer of a baked Swedish tea ring from Sister Rose – she sat on the card would not budge. Meanwhile, Sister Osborne and Sister Parker caused a ruckus by fighting over the offering a famous Aunty Hana German Chocolate Cake. Sister’s Osborne and Parker should be banned from sitting next to each other at any future activities.

With that final activity complete, everyone mixed and mingled some more over the table of treats and goodies.

From all of the Relief Society Sisters, thank you to our Presidency and everyone else who made the evening possible. We’re looking forward to next year.

 

Deseret Ward Youth Movie 2008 - Part 1

Note: If anyone has privacy concerns about this movie being accessible on this website please email me and i will remove it. this movie is only viewable on this website and is not accessible from youtube.

Message from Bishopric

Music has always been an intertwined fundamental part of worship in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Wherever there have been saints gathered together there has always been song associated with them. In fact, the Lord has specifically decreed, “My soul delighted in the song of the heart, yea the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads” (D&C 25:12). From this simple scripture we learn a number of important teachings, including:

The song of the heart affects the soul

The synonymous relationship that song has to prayer.

As such, the offerer of it will receive answers to their prayers

If we look at these teachings in this light the application of it to our daily lives is such that each of us have inclinations towards our thoughts specific to us – a business person relative to their business, a missionary to how to find and progress investigators; and so forth. As such, our thoughts and actions are according to our heart’s desires and we reap the blessings of our harvest.

From the Lord’s viewpoint, if our heart’s desires are towards him and living the gospel, then our inner commitment to follow him is expressed in willingness to submit our will to his. As such these desires of our heart become our own individual song unique to us. It is interesting to note that astronomers, when locating any particular star within our own, or other galaxies, do so not according to the position of the earth relative to the universe; but rather from the resonance that each individual star gives off – they each have their own unique music! If it is possible that scientists are able to recognize stars within the universe from their own unique music, then it is in perfect harmony that Our Father in Heaven is able to recognize us individually from the song and prayer of our heart. The scripture teaches the song of our heart is a prayer, and if our prayers are not towards Heavenly Father, then who are we unknowingly praying to?

It is an established verity that as children of God we enjoy music – it can uplift, motivate and inspire. It can act as a powerful force for much good or it can destroy the soul. Hence, the importance the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is to the general conference in ushering the Spirit into each session.

May we be mindful of the connection between our heart’s desire, music, prayer and the importance The Lord places on it that we receive answers upon our heads accordingly.

 

Announcements

 

· Deseret Ward Christmas Activity—19th December from 6.30pm

· Christmas Lights start 13 December— 31 December 2008

· First Presidency Christmas Devotional Broadcast– 21st December 6pm at FosterRoad Chapel

· YSA Temple Baptisms– 23 December

· YSA National Conference– 31 December– 4 Jan 2009

· Deseret Ward Temple Baptisms—20th January 2009

· Auckland Anniversary—Monday 26th January 2009

· Stake Trolley Derby— Saturday 31 January 8am Cowley Drive