I was helping out my husband for a 5th Sunday lesson that he is presenting to the ward, and I happened upon a great site that had lots and lots of LDS resource site links. Originally I began writing them down for him, but I realized that all of you would love to know about these sites as well. Some of them I knew about but others were new to me. I have activated the links so if you just click on the link, you should be magically whisked away to that site. Aren't you excited? I was, and so you now can enjoy it too..... so here they are:
LDS Media Library http://lds.org/media-library/images?lang=eng
LDS Newsroom http://newsroom.lds.org/
MLS Companion Database http://web.mac.com/marlo.steed/MemDbase/Welcome.html
Build Zion.com LDS Leadership items http://buildzion.com/index.php/LDS-Items
US Family Tree genealogy tools for descendancy surname research (9 generations for free or 15 with paid subscription) https://www.usfamilytree.com/
Create your Genealogy Fan Chart https://createfan.com/
Mormon.org – Our People,Our Values, Our Faith, Visit us and Facts http://jesuschrist.lds.org/SonOfGod/eng
Youtube Mormon Channel http://www.youtube.com/MormonMessages
BYU TV http://byutv.org/
Youth https://lds.org/youth?lang=eng&X-Forwarded-Scheme=https
Seminary Music Sound Tracks http://lds.org/cm/display/0,17631,6611-1,00.html
Church Music http://lds.org/cm/welcome
Church Magazines https://lds.org/magazine?lang=eng
Friend Dedicated to Children ( games, Stories, videos, coloring pages, etc.) http://lds.org/friend?lang=eng
LDS Store online ( Gospel Study, Garments and Temple Clothing, Home & Family, Music, Media and Art, Serving in the church) http://store.lds.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategories1?langId=-1&storeId=715839595&catalogId=10557
LDS Church News http://www.ldschurchnews.com/home
Church Publications in Compressed Audio Format http://lds.org/mp3/newarchive/0,18615,5249-1,00.html
Gospel Library http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2b6f3c7ff44f2010VgnVCM1000001f5e340aRCRD&locale=0
I know that there are many more, but these are the ones I have recently found. It would serve you well to go through these links and see what the church has created for our study, spreading the gospel, and general resource help for us. Katie G.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Hands, Hearts, Mouthpiece and Watchcare
I have many LDS women all over the world email me about some of the ideas I have on my two Visiting Teaching blogs. It is so fun to realize that my blogs are touching everywhere in the world and women all over the ward are reading them! Recently one sister wrote me, and I thought I would share that email, because I shared some ideas of how she could put together a Visiting Teaching Conference using the topics of Hands, Hearts and watchcare.
Katie,
I am a new R.S. President and have poured over the Internet for weeks looking for an idea for a visiting teaching seminar. There has been nothing that has jumped out at me or touched my heart in a way that would help me to inspire the sisters in my ward to be an extraordinary visiting teacher. I want to teach the importance of their calling in being the heart, hands, and voice of the Lord as they give "watch care" service in their visiting teaching responsibilities and stewardship. I want to show "what love can do" as they minister to their assigned sisters. Has your ward done a visiting teaching seminar? What have they done to inspire your sisters in this work? Our seminar is held during the third hour on Sunday. So I don't have a lot of time to inspire them in the importance of their calling. Any ideas or help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
thank you,
Diana
Dear Diana,
Why don't you use as a theme "Visiting teachers are the "heart, hands and mouthpiece for watchcare" or something similar, because you could do as a little take home... sugar cookies in the shape of hands with a heart on the top of the hand, also in a sugar cookie, or since all the Valentine candies are out, you could put a valentine heart on top of the hand shaped sugar cookie. So that is the treat. Ice or glaze the hand shaped sugar cookie in white or very pale pink, and the heart cookie on top, in pink frosting or glaze or a heart shaped candy like a sugared jelly heart. "The word mouth piece, ties in because you eat the cookies!
This link will take you to a book mark from Pres. Uchtdorfs talk about your hands are his hands: http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com/2010/05/your-hands-are-his-hands.html
Obviously the cookie is just a fun little handout and the theme and message is the most important. Visiting teachers are the heart and hands and mouthpiece of the the Lord, because without them, how could all of the needs be met? The Relief Society President could only do so much, and if she doesn't hear about what is going on with all the individual sisters through the Visiting teachers, then she cannot minister to their needs. Since you are doing this on a Sunday, maybe you could split the lesson into three categories:
1. Heart
2. Hands
3. Mouthpiece
1. One member of the Presidency could focus on The "HEART" being touched or turned through the monthly Visiting Teaching spiritual message. It is a message that is supposed to touch the HEART, of your sisters and designed to provide a spiritual uplift. Many women who are inactive or nonmembers, are willing to receive the message and it might just be the only spiritual message they get for a whole month, or until Visiting Teachers come again the next month.
2. Someone else can focus on the "HANDS" and what they can do in serving those we Visit Teach. Stories can be shared of the service that was provided through the willing hands of sisters this past year in your ward. A song comes to mind....I have two little hands and part of the lyrics to that song go "... during all the long hours til daylight is through, there are plenty of deeds for my two hands to do".
3. The R.S. president could close with her message focused on the importance of Visiting Teaching getting done each month, that the sisters are the "MOUTHPIECE" and how vital the V.T.reports are to her in order to take care of the needs each sister has. She could give examples of times that she didn't know about the needs of some sister in the ward, but thanks to faithful V.T. she was informed and the sisters needs were met.
On my blog, I have some messages about Helping Hands... Your hands are His hands, and such. I don't have time to go through the blog and look them up for you, but they are there and there are some good handouts as well. http://visitingteachingtips.blogpspot.com and my other blog that has mostly handouts is http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com Hope these ideas help you. Please let me know how things turn out for you. Hope all goes very well.
Best regards,
Katie G.
Katie,
I am a new R.S. President and have poured over the Internet for weeks looking for an idea for a visiting teaching seminar. There has been nothing that has jumped out at me or touched my heart in a way that would help me to inspire the sisters in my ward to be an extraordinary visiting teacher. I want to teach the importance of their calling in being the heart, hands, and voice of the Lord as they give "watch care" service in their visiting teaching responsibilities and stewardship. I want to show "what love can do" as they minister to their assigned sisters. Has your ward done a visiting teaching seminar? What have they done to inspire your sisters in this work? Our seminar is held during the third hour on Sunday. So I don't have a lot of time to inspire them in the importance of their calling. Any ideas or help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
thank you,
Diana
Dear Diana,
Why don't you use as a theme "Visiting teachers are the "heart, hands and mouthpiece for watchcare" or something similar, because you could do as a little take home... sugar cookies in the shape of hands with a heart on the top of the hand, also in a sugar cookie, or since all the Valentine candies are out, you could put a valentine heart on top of the hand shaped sugar cookie. So that is the treat. Ice or glaze the hand shaped sugar cookie in white or very pale pink, and the heart cookie on top, in pink frosting or glaze or a heart shaped candy like a sugared jelly heart. "The word mouth piece, ties in because you eat the cookies!
This link will take you to a book mark from Pres. Uchtdorfs talk about your hands are his hands: http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com/2010/05/your-hands-are-his-hands.html
Obviously the cookie is just a fun little handout and the theme and message is the most important. Visiting teachers are the heart and hands and mouthpiece of the the Lord, because without them, how could all of the needs be met? The Relief Society President could only do so much, and if she doesn't hear about what is going on with all the individual sisters through the Visiting teachers, then she cannot minister to their needs. Since you are doing this on a Sunday, maybe you could split the lesson into three categories:
1. Heart
2. Hands
3. Mouthpiece
1. One member of the Presidency could focus on The "HEART" being touched or turned through the monthly Visiting Teaching spiritual message. It is a message that is supposed to touch the HEART, of your sisters and designed to provide a spiritual uplift. Many women who are inactive or nonmembers, are willing to receive the message and it might just be the only spiritual message they get for a whole month, or until Visiting Teachers come again the next month.
2. Someone else can focus on the "HANDS" and what they can do in serving those we Visit Teach. Stories can be shared of the service that was provided through the willing hands of sisters this past year in your ward. A song comes to mind....I have two little hands and part of the lyrics to that song go "... during all the long hours til daylight is through, there are plenty of deeds for my two hands to do".
3. The R.S. president could close with her message focused on the importance of Visiting Teaching getting done each month, that the sisters are the "MOUTHPIECE" and how vital the V.T.reports are to her in order to take care of the needs each sister has. She could give examples of times that she didn't know about the needs of some sister in the ward, but thanks to faithful V.T. she was informed and the sisters needs were met.
On my blog, I have some messages about Helping Hands... Your hands are His hands, and such. I don't have time to go through the blog and look them up for you, but they are there and there are some good handouts as well. http://visitingteachingtips.blogpspot.com and my other blog that has mostly handouts is http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com Hope these ideas help you. Please let me know how things turn out for you. Hope all goes very well.
Best regards,
Katie G.