Finding Joy program

Finding Joy

Cedar Creek Relief Society


November 10, 2009


J As we strive to find joy, not only at this season, but through our lives, we must first and foremost turn to Christ – know Him and feel His love for us.


Scripture: Through the history of time before the birth of Christ, prophets looked forward to His birth with anticipation and joy, knowing that through Him, they would find salvation. One example is that of Nephi. He wrote, “For according to the words of the prophets, the Messiah cometh in six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem; and according to the words of the prophets, and also the word of the angel of God, his name shall be Jesus Christ, the Son of God… And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophesies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.” (1 Nephi 25: 19, 26)

Scripture: As the believers in the Book of Mormon awaited the sign of the birth of Christ, His coming saved their temporal lives. Just as they received physical salvation through Him, we find spiritual salvation because He lived. So we, with the believers of ancient time, can rejoice when we read, “Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.” (3 Nephi 1:13)

Song “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”

Quote: “As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ two millennia ago, we offer our testimony of the reality of His matchless life and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice. None other has had so profound an influence upon all who have lived and will yet live upon the earth.

“He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New. Under the direction of His Father, He was the creator of the earth. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). Though sinless, He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. He “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), yet was despised for it. His gospel was a message of peace and goodwill. He entreated all to follow His example. He walked the roads of Palestine, healing the sick, causing the blind to see, and raising the dead. He taught the truths of eternity, the reality of our premortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and the potential for the sons and daughters of God in the life to come.

“He instituted the sacrament as a reminder of His great atoning sacrifice. He was arrested and condemned on spurious charges, convicted to satisfy a mob, and sentenced to die on Calvary’s cross. He gave His life to atone for the sins of all mankind. His was a great vicarious gift in behalf of all who would ever live upon the earth.

“We solemnly testify that His life, which is central to all human history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concluded on Calvary. He was the Firstborn of the Father, the Only “Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world.

“He rose from the grave to ‘become the firstfruits of them that slept’” (The Living Christ)

Song “Silent Night”

Quote: “In the early 12th century, the cleric Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, "a man of intense . . . faith,"1 penned the following words:

Jesus, the very thought of thee

With sweetness fills my breast;

But sweeter far thy face to see

And in thy presence rest.2

“These lines speak of hope and joy and peace, though written in a time when much of the world lay blanketed in ignorance, impoverishment, and despair. These words capture the calm assurance that always accompanies the testimony of Jesus. This same assurance gives buoyancy and optimism…to all the faithful followers of Christ… We have with us today the Lord's duly ordained Apostles. True to their sacred commission as ‘special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world,’ they declare:

‘Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.’

“Jesus, the very thought of Thee fills my heart with inexpressible joy. It controls every part of my being. My life, my loves, my ambitions are molded, enlivened, and given purpose because I know that Thou art the Christ, the Holy One.” – Keith B. McMullin, April 2004 Conference

Song “Jesus the Very Thought of Thee”

O As we develop a love for Christ, we will develop the love of Christ, charity, through which we will find joy as we love and serve others.

Quote: “In the story of the birth of Jesus we are told that there were with the angels a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men.’ In that announcement are implied…three guiding principles to the realization of the establishing of the Kingdom of God. First, is an acknowledgement of the existence of Diety to whom we shall give glory and honor. Second, is the establishment of peace through individual righteousness. Such a peace will result in the third principle, the brotherhood of man… Brotherhood involves service and not conquest. It involves confidence in man, in your brother; not suspicion and hatred. It involves truthful dealings; not chicanery and fraud. It is the spirit of brotherhood in the cheer of Christmas that makes it so glorious. Thank heaven for the spirit of Christmas that brings us closer to each other in expression of such brotherhood!” – David O. McKay

Song “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”

Quote: “This [relief] society is composed of women whose feelings of charity spring from hearts changed by qualifying for and by keeping covenants offered only in the Lord’s true Church. Their feelings of charity come from Him through His Atonement. Their acts of charity are guided by His example—and come out of gratitude for His infinite gift of mercy—and by the Holy Spirit, which He sends to accompany His servants on their missions of mercy. Because of that, they have done and are able to do uncommon things for others and to find joy even when their own unmet needs are great.” – Henry B. Eyring, General RS Meeting, Sept. ‘09

Song “Love One Another”

Y Through Christ and serving others, you will truly find yourself, your joyful self.

Scripture: “He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:39)

Quote: “In the midst of the miracle of serving, there is the promise of Jesus, that by losing ourselves, we find ourselves. Not only do we ‘find’ ourselves in terms of acknowledging guidance in our lives, but the more we serve our fellowmen in appropriate ways, the more substance there is to our souls. We become more significant individuals as we serve others. We become more substantive as we serve others – indeed, it is easier to ‘find’ ourselves because there is so much more of us to find!” – Spencer W. Kimball

Song “Have I Done Any Good?”

Quote: Through Christ, we learn that we are loved, for who we are, always. We are important, as individuals to Him and our Heavenly Father.

Barbara Thompson said, “Most of us who have been in the Church for more than just a few months have sung the song “I Am a Child of God.”2 I have sung this song since I was a young child and have always believed it. Even though most of us believe this, it seems that at times of hardship or difficulty we have a tendency to doubt or forget this… The Savior not only suffered for every sin, but He also felt every pain, sorrow, discomfort, loneliness, and sadness that any of us could ever experience. Is this not great love? President Henry B. Eyring has said, ‘It is the Holy Ghost that testifies of the reality of God and allows us to feel the joy of His love.’

“We need to accept His love, love ourselves, and love others. Remember that every soul on this earth is also a child of God…

“Most of you work very hard to perform your duty, to keep the commandments, and to obey the Lord. You need to be able to recognize the Lord’s approval. You need to know that the Lord is well pleased and has accepted your offering.” –General RS Meeting, Sept. ‘09

Song “I Am a Child of God"

Conclusion and quote: As we begin this holiday season, let us make sure to first, make Jesus Christ a focus in our lives and homes. As you do that along with serving others, you will find yourself renewed and full of joy.

Ezra Taft Benson said, “Perhaps one of the greatest things about this wonderful Christmas season we celebrate is that it increases our sensitivity to things spiritual, to things of God. It causes us to contemplate our relationship with our Father and the degree of devotion we have for God. It prompts us to be more tolerant and giving, more conscious of others, more generous and genuine, more filled with hope and charity and love – all Christlike attributes. No wonder the spirit of Christmas is such that it touches the hearts of people the world over. Because for at least a time, increased attention and devotion is turned toward our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ… Let us commit to give a most meaningful gift to the Lord. Let us give Him our lives, our sacrifices. Those who do so will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. Whoever will lose his life in the service of God will find eternal life. Without Christ there would be no Christmas, and without Christ there can be no fullness of joy. It is my testimony that the Babe of Bethlehem, Jesus the Christ, is the one perfect guide, the one perfect example. Only by emulating Him and adhering to His eternal truth can we realize peace on earth and good will toward all. There is no other way. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Light.”

Closing song “O Little Town of Bethlehem”

November Activity

Cedar Creek Relief Society Presents:

A Night of Joy

Please join us on Tuesday, November 10th at 7:00 pm. We will be getting ready for the holiday season by having a program on different ways to find joy followed by a holiday treat recipe exchange. Please bring your favorite Christmas or Thanksgiving goodie to share along with the recipe. ( Cookies, candies, bar treats, breads, popcorn, pie etc..) We can have copies of the recipes that night if you e- mail them to us in advance at ccenrichment@gmail.com. Any questions please contact Page Law or Erica Haderlie.

Play Group Oct. 7th

Play Group on Wednesday, October 7th will be at the park on Hollywood at the Rec Center. If you have any questions, call Erica Haderlie.

From Sister Earl

THE OPTIMIST CREED

Promise Yourself: To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet. To make all your friends feel that there is something in them. To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best. To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile. To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

Notes from Sister Earl's Amazing Presentation on Joy

Sister Earl Enrichment Sept 12, 2009

*Story of the lady losing her hair…
*Our thoughts determine our emotions and our emotions determine our behavior. If you don’t like how you feel, change your thoughts.

*Tai Chi at the DMV

Recipe for Joy
1. Change “We’re not here to stay, we are just marching through”

2. Rely on the Lord
Sandbox story “use ALL the strength you have available to you!” this means ask the Lord for his help.

3. Endurance - “The only way out of it is through it!” Stop limping!

4. Attitude is everything! “Old Bitty and Little Bitty” the 86 year old lady with a great attitude.
"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just like people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, and most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is just like an old time rail journey ... delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride." Pres. Hinckley

5. Tools- Do we have “good medicine” What is good medicine, the temple, our meetings, the scriptures, power from the priesthood.

6. Do we know WHO we are and WHOSE we are? The story of Kapu and her husband. “If you don’t get your act together now and get sealed to me don’t you DARE do it when I die! If I’m not good enough for you now, I don’t want you then!” Luckily sister Earl listened and was able to tell him that his wife was happy and loved him so much.
Example of her calling as choir director. Satan telling her she couldn’t do it and to give up. Then after praying hearing the Father answer, “why do you keep answering the door to hear Satan say those things? You know his voice! You know those thoughts are not of the Lord! Why don’t you ask your Savior Jesus Christ for help?” She imagines asking the Lord to go to the door and answer it for her because Satan has been pounding on it. She imagines the Savior answering the door and scaring Satan off and then turning to her and embracing her and telling her He has been just waiting for her to ask for His help.”

*Joshua 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

7. BE THANKFUL!
212 Degrees, the Extra Degree
by Michelle Sedas (Editor), Rich Nickel (Illustrator)
Water is hot at 211 degrees it boils at 212 degrees. It makes steam when it boils and steam has the power to move a locomotive. What can we do with only 1 extra degree?

Inch by Inch life is a cinch…life by the yard, is hard.
Just one extra degree can make all the difference. We need to go the extra degree!

***Thanks to Sister Earl for her FABULOUS presentation, and thanks to Crystal LaReaux for taking notes for us!

Play Group Sept. 23rd

Play Group on September 23rd will be at Erica Haderlie's house at 10 a.m.

October Book Group

In October, Book Group will be meeting to discuss the book Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. This book is about how we make snap judgements within the first two seconds of looking. These judgements are in all aspects of our lives, from marriage, to medical situations, to the military, and everything in between. Gladwell explains how to best use these judgements and how we can recognize them.
We hope you will join us on October 17th at 10:00 a.m. at Stacey Todd's house to share our ideas about the book. Even if you aren't able to finish it, please come because there will be so much we can talk about in all parts of the book!

Money Saving Tips

If you weren't able to join us for our September Enrichment, we missed you but here are the money saving tips we discussed.

$$$ Money Saving Tips $$$

$ Del Taco- Tuesday Taco Night (3 Tacos for $1.09 after 4 pm)

$ Wal-Mart will price match any ad (but Smart n Final)- must bring ad

$ Deseret Book will Price Match (great for Distribution Center items)- bring ad

$ Tastee Freeze- on Flamingo (across from DI) 50 cent hot dogs on Wednesdays

$ Buffalo Wild Wings- Kids eat for 99 cents on Wednesdays

$ Savers Thrift Store- 99 cent tag Mondays- also great place for Halloween costumes

$ Jason’s Deli- kids eat free on Monday’s

$ Taco Bell- 39 cent tacos in September

$ I Hop- kids eat free after 4 pm with purchase of adult entrée’

$ Lone Star- free kid meal with purchase of adult meal Tuesdays

$ Redbox your video rentals

$ stayandplayhere.com – local deals for shows restaurants etc..

$ restaurant.com – print certificates for local restaurants for a fraction of the price ( $25 certificates for $10)

$ half.com- great place for books, movies, music, and games- $3.50 shipping for each item, items as low as 75 cents

$ shop e-bay

$ shop outlet stores first

$ don’t go out, cook it yourself- secretrecipes.blogspot.com

$ buy generic

$ mycoupons.com

$ shop for deals day after holidays

$ shop sale racks- TJ Max, Ross, Target, Wal-Mart, Burlington Coat Factory

$ Shop DI first for great bargains (great foe church clothes, furniture, and costumes)

$ Go to Library for more than books,- movies and music

$ Tropicana Cinemas- $1 Tuesday’s, $1.50 every day- 3330 Tropicana 89121
438- 3456 regencymovies.com

September Enrichment

Pampering yourself on a budget!

Sisters, please join us for our enrichment on Saturday, September 12th from 9:30am-12:30pm with amazing guest speaker Sister Earl. We will be giving ourselves facials, learning about home massage, having yummy refreshments, and doing Satin Hands. A do it yourself spa day!

Lunch will be served, if you are able please sign up at church to bring something for our luncheon. Please bring money saving tips and ideas to share or e-mail your tips to us at ccenrichment@gmail.com

Childcare will be provided, please bring a sack lunch for each child.

Play Group - Aug. 19th

We will have play group at Mary Rogers' house at 10:00 a.m this Wednesday, the 19th.

Enrichment!

Don't forget about Enrichment tomorrow night, August 11th at 7:00 p.m. We will be sharing crock pot cooking tips and trying out some recipes. Come learn, eat, and chat!

For those of you bringing dishes, try to bring them around 6:45 so we can start at 7:00. Thanks!

Play group August 5th

There will be no play group this week - August 5th. We will resume again next week!

Play Group - July 29th

Play group on July 29th will be at 10 am at Kim Miller's house. Come and play!

July Book Group

This is a reminder that Book Group will be this Saturday, July 25th at Stacey Todd's house at 10 a.m. We will be discussing the book Saints by Orson Scott Card. We hope to see you there!

Play Group - July 22nd

Play Group this week will be Wednesday, the 22nd at 10:00. We will be going to Page Law's house, where the kids can play outside on their bouncy water slide! We will be ending this week by 11:15, so be prompt!

August Enrichment

On August 11th we will be having a crock pot share. We will be learning the basics of crock pot cooking and sharing tips with each other. Please bring a crock pot dish to share as well as the recipe, or e mail your recipes ahead of time to ccenrichment@gmail.com Please come and join us for good food, friends, and information- no matter what your crock pot level of expertise is! Any questions please contact Sister Law or Sister Haderlie.

Play group - July 15th

Play group will be Wednesday, the 15th at 10 a.m. at Mary Rogers' house.

July Enrichment

Due to hectic summer schedules, we will not be having an enrichment this month. We look forward to seeing everyone in August- stay tuned, more details to follow.

July Book Club

Book Club will be meeting July 25th at 10:00 a.m. at Stacey Todd's house to discuss Saints by Orson Scott Card. The book is available at the library to check out. It will be the perfect book to read to celebrate Pioneer Day!

August's meeting will be on the 15th, we will be reading Angle of Response by Wallace Stegner.

Play Group change

We will still be meeting for play group this Wednesday, but we will not be swimming because the weather has cooled off. So, come and just visit while the kids play!

Play Group

Play group will be Wednesday, June 17th at 10:00 a.m. at Kim Miller's house. Come ready to swim, or just visit if you prefer!

June Book Club

Book Club will be Saturday, June 13, 2009 @ 10:00 am. For June we will be reading Uglies by Scott Westerfield. Any Questions please contact Sister Stacey Todd.

June 9th Enrichment

This Is Your Life. Relief Society Enrichment, June 9th, 6:30 p.m. Dinner will be served, childcare provided. Sunday dress, please bring your patriarchal blessings.

If you signed up to bring a dinner item, please bring to church no later than 6 p.m. that evening. If you are bringing a craft or picture you can bring it to church on Sunday. (Please label all pictures) If you can not bring on Sunday please bring to Page Law, Erica Haderlie, or member of the R.S. Presidency by Monday, June 8th at 6pm. Any questions please call Page Law or Kim Miller.