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Sunset Ward Relief Society Newsletter

April 2018

Welcome Dearest Sisters of the Sunset Ward Relief Society I want to all to know with all of my heart how grateful & honoured I feel to serve with you all at this time in Relief Society & as your President. I want you to know how much I love this organisation of Relief Society. I love all it stands for (below) and how we are all his hands in his great work on the earth at this time. These are the last days & this work is very exciting. It is a blessing to be a part of it. This is our time to shine as a light unto the world. I pray we may each discover what it is that Heavenly Father wants us to do to make a difference in this world at this time in our lives.

I was searching what it was that I must share with each if you this month, and it finally came to me... it is a simple message:

Love one another.

I pray we may each follow the Saviours example of loving all those around us with our hearts, thoughts, actions & words. First showing love to our Families,and then our fellowman. Just as the song we know so well “Love one another” pg 308 inspired by the scripture John 13: 34-35…A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. He loves each of us Sisters and asks simply for us to love one another.

Elder Robert D Hales of the Quorum of the twelve spoke clarity around this important theme of loving one another specifically in the 2018 October General Conference in a talk “Come, Follow Me” by Practicing Christian Love and Service.

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Sisters, if we have not fully done so yet, let us turn more toward forgiveness, kindness, and love. Let us renounce the war that so often rages in the heart of the natural man and proclaim Christ’s caring, love, and peace.

If “ye have come to the knowledge of the glory [and goodness] of God” and also “the atonement which was prepared from the foundation of the world,” “ye will not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably. … And ye will not suffer your children that … they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another.

But ye will teach them … to love one another, and to serve one another.”

Just before the Savior’s Crucifixion, He taught His Apostles: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you” and “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

During this Easter season may we remember the Saviours last words before he died on the cross that Easter Friday. May we have the faith and courage to action his words in our lives in our homes, church & our community & know he will lift each of us as we follow this new commandment.

We pray for each of you, your homes and know that he loves you so much because he died for us all.

Love from the Relief Society Presidency Jenie, Sonia and Alvina

In this issue Welcome

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Pray for Each Sister by Name

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Getting to know: Sonia Hotere

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Birthdays

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Ward Notices

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Exercising

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Recipe - Feijoa Jam

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Do you need Help?

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Look to God Week

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Self Reliance

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Visiting Teaching Message

Pray for Each Sister by Name

Our love for and inspiration concerning those we visit teach will increase when we humbly pray for each sister specifically by name.

One sister related that during a difficult period in her life, a phone call or simple text message often came from her visiting teachers on “particularly dark days.” They seemed to know just when she needed a lift. She knew that they prayed for her, both during their visits and on their own.

former General Relief Society President.2 Praying for those we visit teach strengthens us as individuals and as Latter-day Saint women.

President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, said: “Pray for the way to know their hearts. … You will need to know what God would have you do to help them and to do it all, as nearly as you can, feeling God’s love for them.”

The scriptures share many examples of men and women who prayed for others by name.

Among the most dramatic is the father of Alma the Younger. An angel spoke to Alma the Younger, telling him that his father “ha[d] prayed with much faith concerning thee … ; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith” (Mosiah 27:14).

Consider This

Praying for others not only invokes Heavenly Father’s blessings upon them but also helps us know how we can bless them too. Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught, “Praying for others with all of the energy of our souls increases our capacity to hear and to heed the voice of the Lord.”

Rather than provide a specific message, this page will feature a different principle each month to help us minister more effectively to each other. As you pray and seek inspiration, you will know the spiritual message and service each sister needs.

“Think of our combined strength if every sister had sincere prayer every morning and night or, better yet, prayed unceasingly as the Lord has commanded,” said Julie B. Beck,

https://www.lds.org/liahona/2018/03/prayfor-each-sister-by-name?lang=eng

What recent inspiration and ideas have come to you as you have prayed for the individual sisters you visit teach?

Ministering

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Getting to know

Sonia Waehla Hotere I’m from New Caledonia, from the Lifou Island specifically. I’m the oldest of 8 chidren.

My parents got baptized 4 months before I was born.

I served a mission in Fiji. Graduated in TESOL at BYU Hawaii.

Rika and I are celebrating our 16th anniversary this year. We have a beautiful 12 year old daughter, Hnaithingö Whai Te-Oranga Tonutanga (we call her Hnai or Whai).

Interesting facts about me: • W hen I was 12 I taught myself how to mirror-write after I caught one of my sisters reading my personal journal. (Could do a demonstration anytime, lol) • H ipHop was the way for me and Rika to meet. Rika created the first BYUH HipHop Club and I was the choreographer… yeah, I know right? … but yeah! It’s true!

• I love writing stories for children. 3 of my books were published (in French of course) between 2011 and 2014.

• A nd many more to discover for anyone who wants to know more about me.

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April Birthdays!

Happy birthday to the following sisters this month. We hope you have a wonderful day on your birthday.

1 April - Mafa Tala 2 April - Genevere Pearl 7 April - Kathryn Marsh

Sarah Nicholls

8 April - Hyun-Joo Nam 12 April - Kathleen Stevens 20 April - Hilda Port 27 April - Amiria Rowlands 28 April - Marie Ruwhiu 30 April - Jordyn Port

Happy Birthday

Ward Notices Chapel cleaning March 1 April Mera, Murray, Tipene, Sikuea, Lin 8 April Green, Mitchell (L&K), Naea, Higgins, Clarke General Conference Sessions Sat 7 April 2pm, 4pm (Priesthood 6.30pm) Sun 8 April, 9am, 11.15am Cultural Night Sat 14 April 5pm - see notice above

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by Rachel Keyes

Exercise reduces the risk of:

Benefits of Exercise

• Premature mortality

• Improves cognitive function

• C ardiovascular disease/ Coronary artery disease

• Improves functional health

• Hypertension (high blood pressure)

• Boost happiness levels

• Stroke

• Strengthen bone and muscles

• Osteoporosis

• Increase energy levels

• Arthritis

• Better sleeping

• Type 2 diabetes

• Improved fitness levels

• Metabolic syndrome

• Improves skin health

• Obesity

• Reduce pain

• Colon cancer

• Increase flexibility

• Breast cancer

• Improves self confidence

• Depression/ anxiety

• Improves immune system

• Falls

• Improves balance

• Weight loss

• Up to a 50% lower risk of colon cancer • Up to a 20% lower risk of breast cancer • A 30% lower risk of early death • Up to an 83% lower risk of osteoarthritis It’s medically proven that people who do regular physical activity have: • U p to a 35% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke • Up to a 50% lower risk of type 2 diabetes

• Up to a 68% lower risk of hip fracture • A 30% lower risk of falls (among older adults) • Up to a 30% lower risk of depression • Up to a 30% lower risk of dementia Page 9

Cooking

Feijoa Jam 1Kg Feijoas (Skins left on but chop the ends off) Juice of 1 lemon 800g Sugar 1 tsp Vanilla Essence

Method Wash the feijoas and chop tail ends off Blitz the whole feijoas in a food processor Pour feijoas into a pot and add 1 cup of water (enough water so they will stew and won’t stick to the bottom of the pot) Simmer on low to medium heat and stir occassionally until the flesh has broken down completely. This will take approx 30-50 mins depending on the thickness of the skin.

Add the juice of the lemon and add sugar and stir until dissolved.

Increase the heat to medium-high until it reaches a rolling boil, and then reduce the heat slightly.

As the liquid evaporates it will change from a rolling boil to a blipping boil (like rotorua mud pools). Add the vanilla essence anytime after the blipping has begun.

Once the jam begins to darkn in colour test it every 5 mins. To test the jam, put some jam on a plate and leave it in the fridge for 5 minutes. If it wrinkles to touch it is then set. If it is still runny with no resistance, keep boiling and repeat the test in 5 minutes time.

Once ready tip into sterlised jars and seal.

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Do you need help ?

Mental health, Food, child care Physical health, spiritual help

Sisters do you need help with the following? Do you know where to go if you need help? If you need help with anything please contact anyone in the Relief Society presidency, we are here to help and have several resources available to help you. We also have our compassionate service team who are ready to help. We are available during church and we are also available by phone or via fb messenger. Please don’t be afraid to ask for help.

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Look to God Week In the final week of Jesus’s life, He turned to His Father in Heaven for strength and support. This Holy Week, you can also turn to God as you try to make changes and improvements in your life. What can you do to strengthen your relationship with God this Easter?

THREE WAYS TO MAKE CHANGES IN YOUR LIFE:

Search the scriptures for teachings about drawing closer to God. Start here. Share a quick post about what you learn.

How can you more fully take advantage of the sacrifice and love of Jesus Christ?

Decide if there’s anything in your life that’s making it hard to feel close to Him. How often do you pray to God? Make a goal this week to pray both morning and night. Challenge someone else to do the same.

Invite your friends to change for the better this week. Use #BECAUSEofHIM.

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Self-Reliance How does it work?

There are great needs among us. Many lack the ability to “provide the spiritual and temporal necessities of life for self and family” (Handbook 2: Administering the Church [2010], 6.1.1).

1. Assess My Needs

Our modern-day prophets have counseled: “Self-reliance is a product of our work and undergirds all other welfare practices. … ‘Let us work for what we need. Let us be selfreliant and independent. Salvation can be obtained on no other principle’” (Thomas S. Monson [quoting Marion G. Romney], “Guiding Principles of Personal and Family Welfare,” Ensign, Sept. 1986, 3).

Decide how I will become self-reliant.

The following steps, offered through SelfReliance Services, can help you in your path to spiritual and temporal self-reliance.

Set my self-reliant income goal and spiritual goals.

2. Choose My Path 3. Join a Group

Develop spiritual habits and practical skills in 90 days: - Start and grow a business, - Find a better job, or - Identify needed skills and create an education plan.

4. Continue to Act

- Keep working to become self-reliant.

- Serve others and help them progress.

For more information about the Self Reliance courses please see Brother Keyes.

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