May sub-theme

Our May sub-theme is, A covenant woman is SERVICE ORIENTED.

For the specific goal for this month, please watch the Mormon Tabernacle Choir perform this hymn, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aUeLeKlrac, and while listening to it, ponder ways you can step out of your comfort zone this month to serve.

Thoughts on the April Theme

Here are Kristen Honeycutt's thoughts on our April theme and goals:

A Covenant Keeper is a Light to All

In April, our focus in Relief Society was on how being "a light to all" can help us become more valiant women.  We were challenged to do something, big or small, to practice this trait and consequentially help our individual lights to shine brighter for others.  Each of the suggested goals helped us to either look inward to strengthen our relationship with and testimony of the Savior, or outward in order to direct our focus to all others who would be impacted or influenced by our light.  

This month, I chose to focus on the second goal.  To look outward to others: to notice their worthwhile qualities verbally or in writing and do everything I could to build them and make them feel their worth.  I will first admit, that most of this happened inside our home.  But as the week went on, I really noticed the significance of practicing this inside our home first, before looking further outward.  Wesley and I do a pretty good job of recognizing the strengths that the other brings to our marriage and family life.  But there is something amazing about taking the few extra seconds it takes and actually telling the other person what those things are that can make any bond even stronger.  I noticed that as I did this, as I took the extra seconds to tell him just how wonderful it was (and how well he did it) to clean the kitchen while I put Ellie down, or got up with her in the morning to let me sleep in a little bit more, that he started to do those things without having to be asked.  And in turn, I heard him verbalizing more of my strengths to me.  

I learned that in taking the time to build others, I find myself being built up in return.  Goodness begets goodness, light begets light.  It is a positive feedback loop that if we choose to start, can help our light and the light of those around us shine brighter and brighter.  In this past General Conference, Sister Cheryl A. Esplin said "One place we best seek to be filled with light and truth is in our own homes...[however] strong eternal families and Spirit-filled homes do not just happen.  They take great effort, they take time, and they take each member of the family doing his or her part."  We should always be practicing being "a light to all" within our homes so that ours can be strong eternal families and Spirit-filled homes.  Creating that important environment in our home is critical to make our homes a refuge from the world, whether our home holds just one member, or twenty.  From there, we are able to step out and shine our bright lights to our friends, our neighbors, our ward members, our co-workers, or anyone we come into contact with.  

Jesus Christ is the Light of the World.  As we follow His example and draw closer to him, the light of our testimony grows stronger.  As we choose do those things that invite the Spirit, we are filled with its great light than can bring us knowledge, peace, comfort, and personal revelation. I know that if we choose to be kind, positive, loving, quick to forgive, and slow to judge we can build strong eternal families and Spirit-filled homes.  And I know that as we practice these things, we become more valiant women and true disciples of Christ.  

Favorite pins in April

Katy Clayton was our featured pinner in April!  Here are her favorite pins from the month, and her thoughts on them.

Source

I love this because it is simple and encompasses so much.  There is so much darkness but the light is what shines through and diminishes the dark. 

Source

We are daughters of a Heavenly Father and were created in His image.  We are beings of light.  As daughters of our Heavenly Father we have been given light to being to others so that they may be brought unto Christ.

April's Theme and Goals

Our theme for 2015 is "Becoming a Valiant Woman", and our sub-theme for March is:

“Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity.”  ~Margaret D. Nadauld

Goals for this month:

1.  Share your favorite moment/talk from General Conference on social medics (#ldsconf) or to a friend.

2.  Do all you can to build others and make them feel of worth.  Every day for a week notice the worthwhile qualities and attributes of others.  Acknowledge them verbally or in writing. <---Taken from Personal Progress.

3.  Bear your testimony to someone.  (In church, in conversation, by giving a Book of Mormon to someone, etc.)

4.  Watch the video, Because He Lives, (http://www.mormon.org/easter) , and reflect on your relationship with your Savior.

Favorite Pin from March

Kay Lee Dickenson was our featured pinner in March.  Here is her favorite pin from the month, and her thoughts on it.

Find it here

I love that keeping our covenants strengthens us and empowers us, is essential for true happiness, and shows our love to the Savior. Who doesn't want that? We are promised blessing if we keep our covenants and in this crazy world we are all in need of those blessings to  protect and strengthen ourselves and families.

(To follow FV Relief Society on Pinterst, go here 

Thoughts on the March Theme

Here are Michelle Greenwood's thoughts on our March Relief Society Theme:

A Valiant woman is A COVENANT KEEPER

We live in a fallen world, which means we will all experience hardships and trials. The only question is, will we go through the hard times alone or with the Savior by our side? The answer is up to each of us. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have each made a covenant to always remember the Savior and to keep His commandments. In turn, He promises to always be with us. There is no question as to whether or not He will keep His covenant, He has already made His choice.

In the Garden of Gethsemene, our Savior experienced every pain, every heartache, and every sorrow for every sin we would ever experience. He knows exactly how we feel and how to help us endure. And when necessary, He is even strong enough to carry us when the load seems too much for us to bear. What each of us has to decide is whether or not we are going to accept His help. We make this choice when we choose to keep our covenants with Him. Every time we make and keep a covenant, we draw closer to the Lord. When we break our covenants we distance ourselves from Him.

It is because He loves us that the Lord gives us opportunities to make covenants with Him. We show our love for Him when we accept those covenants and choose of our own will to keep them. He is always by our side with outstretched arms and when we keep our covenants with Him, we can feel His warm embrace.

Favorite Pins from February

Kiersten Militoni was our featured pinner in February.  Here are some of her favorite pins.

Find it here

I love this take on a gratitude journal. It gives a few small things to try to feel more joy in our lives. Meditating  is my favorite and has been a huge release of stress for me and helps ground me during the day.  I also love that there is one for serving others!

Find it here

I love love love this!!! I know in my life i can get consumed by things that don't make me happy sometimes, social media or people who don't make me feel great. I have found that by discarding the things that don't bring joy into my life it has helped me focus on the things that DO bring joy. Now this doesn't mean i don't do hard things, it just means when there is an option to cut something out and that thing doesn't make you a happier and better person that it is OKAY to discard it : )

(To follow FV Relief Society, go here ----> https://www.pinterest.com/fuquayvarinars/ )

March Theme

Our theme for 2015 is "Becoming a Valiant Woman", and our sub-theme for March is:

“When daughters of God focus on the temple and on their sacred covenants, God is able to send blessings in personal and powerful ways.”

Jean A Stevens

Goals for this month:

When we partake of the sacrament, we covenant to remember Him.  Choose     one (or more) of the following to do to remember Him this month:

a.  Be a 100% visiting teacher.  We remember Him by serving,          loving, and caring for our sisters.

b.  Hold a FHE on baptism and/or sacrament covenants.

c.  Attend the temple and make a personal goal on how you can more fully live your covenants.

Thoughts on the February Goal

Here are Monica Danner's thoughts on our February Relief Society Theme:

A Valiant woman is JOYFUL

I was asked to give some of my thoughts about this month’s challenge to become a more joyful woman of God.  We have been given some great counsel from general authorities in the church of how to live with joy in our hearts, regardless of our circumstances. 

I want to share about a time I wasn't so joyful and my thoughts on it now. My husband was deployed to a dangerous place, I was in living in a new area with no friends, I had two small babies, my mom was 3,000 miles away and it. was. HARD!  The worst part was that I felt guilty for not being happy. Although I was truly blessed, I couldn’t deny that I was feeling defeated. I felt like there were times that I was just doing what had to be done. I was in survival mode. 

You’ve probably all read or heard the words of the prophet Thomas S. Monson ‘Brothers and sisters, my sincere prayer is that we may adapt to the changes in our lives, that we may realize what is most important, that we may express our gratitude always and thus find joy in the journey’.  This was my inspiration and I’m so grateful for words of a prophet who loves us dearly.  In 2014, I decided that instead of a list of resolutions for the new year, I would choose one word that encompassed many goals I had for myself.  The word I chose was ‘enjoy’.  It was my goal to enjoy my kids, my life, my calling, my role as a mom, being a sister, a daughter, etc. etc. etc. To find joy in whatever situation I was in, even if it was the simplest thing.  I savored that year.  It was truly a reminder to me to live with gratitude.  I can look back now and realize that some of those trials I had were part of a refining process.  

I share my testimony with you that the gospel of Jesus Christ can give us true joy.  President Uchtdorf, who said ‘My dear sisters, I have a simple faith. I believe that as you are faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, as you draw closer to Him in faith, hope, and charity, things will work together for your good. I believe that as you immerse yourselves in the work of our Father—as you create beauty and as you are compassionate to others—God will encircle you in the arms of His love. Discouragement, inadequacy, and weariness will give way to a life of meaning, grace, and fulfillment. (Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

I hope that you may all find joy in your lives, no matter the season you’re in. May we be aware when someone is going through their own ‘refining process’ (or, ‘survival mode’) and lift them up.  I love my Savior.  I know He knows us, loves us and wants us to be happy.  I share these things with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

Thoughts on the January Goal

Here are Stephanie Call's thoughts on our Relief Society theme from January:  Becoming a Discipline Woman

To be honest, when I was first given the assignment I thought it would be easy. I've always considered myself a disciplined woman. I've done several half marathons, trained for a marathon, competed in a Half Ironman, and finished 8 years of continued education. 

Then, when I was asked to share my experiences, I had a really difficult time choosing a goal and sticking with it. 

I picked the goal to establish a consistent scripture study routine and then life happened. One week Logan got the flu and then the next week Brett got the flu. To be completely honest, half way through the month I started feeling like I was failing… But, I know this is a continual process. Establishing a consistent scripture routine doesn't mean I need to read 2 chapters a day. I found that even if I read one verse and reflected on that verse I still felt the spirit. 

Being disciplined doesn't mean you have to be perfect, you just have to try your hardest to do the best you can. I know being a disciplined woman is hard, but our Heavenly Father is there for us to help us. Through the Atonement, if we do the best we can, our Savior will pick us up and carry us through our deepest mud pits, and darkest hours. He wants us to know who we are and how really strong we can be. We are stronger then we think we are. We need to trust in God's plan for us. We must endure knowing that we are God's children! He loves us, and He’s rooting for us to win the prize! He’s on our side! 

I know that when I am diligent in my daily scripture study, that my prayers have more meaning, and I my heart swells with gratitude for the Love I have for my Heavenly Father and my Savior. The Scriptures are filled with hope and motivation. Jesus Christ, will be our coach and our guide if we follow Him and trust in His wisdom. He has been there before. The wonderful thing about doing these goals as a Relief Society, a group, is that we are here to support each other, pushing each other to be better. We are not competing against each other. 

A quote I used to have next to my bed was "Don't give up, don't lose courage. I can conquer the challenges that are set before me."

January's Favorite Pins

Here are a few of Emily Black's favorite pins from this month!

Be sure to follow Fuquay Varina Relief Society on Pinterest for inspiration, quotes, recipes, and more! 

1.

There's this great 45 day scripture study on the life of Christ that I've done a few days of and felt uplifted while reading.  I love how organized and simple it is and the additional explanations and quotes help solidify the message.  

Here's the link:  http://www.handmadeintheheartland.com/2014/03/the-life-of-christ-45-day-scripture.htm

2.

I also LOVE this quote from Pres. Dieter Uchdorf.  I love this because it's so easy to get down on yourself when you fail or when things don't turn out the way you had hoped.  We are, in so many ways, a product of our habits.  He reminds us, that when things go wrong (and they will) to get back up and keep going until we see real changes in our life and actually become who we want to be.  Love that!

3.

There are lots of great quotes, lots of motivating lifestyle pins- including exercise, healthy diets, relaxation, organization, family time, etc.  I especially loved this article on disciplining children because so much of it wasn't about the act of disciplining a child, but more how to avoid behavior issues in the first place.  It made a lot of sense and was very motivating for me!  

Here it is:  http://lifehacker.com/six-tips-on-disciplining-children-from-an-experienced-t-1679048782?utm_campaign=socialflow_lifehacker_facebook&utm_source=lifehacker_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

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A big thank you to Emily for being our featured pinner for the month of January! We have loved following along!

Sharewear

More details on volunteering opportunities coming soon.  Please contact Shannon Davis with any questions!

Emergency Preparedness Workshop

We are partnering with the Town of Fuquay-Varina to help the members of our community know how to prepare for an emergency, and what to do in an emergency.

To Volunteer, please go here:  http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0e4aabaf23aa8-fuquay

For more information on attending the event, please go here:  https://www.facebook.com/events/1518425055113868/ 

January's Featured Pinner

We're excited to have Emily Black as our Featured Pinner for the month of January! 

Be sure to follow  the RS Pinterest page for recipe ideas, inspirational thoughts, and ideas for how to accomplish your January goals!

Find the Pinterest page here ------> https://www.pinterest.com/fuquayvarinars/

Winter Playgroup Schedule

We're excited about our Winter Playgroups!  Thank you to Monica Danner for organizing everything!

January's Goal: DISCIPLINED

Our theme for 2015 is "Becoming a Valiant Woman", and our specific sub-theme for this month is...

“Developing self-discipline is essential to progress because it seamlessly connects learning and doing.  Ultimately, the strength of our spiritual foundation is shown by how we live our lives, especially in terms of disappointment and challenge. “

~Elder Donald L. Hallstrum of the Presidency of the Seventy

Goals for becoming a disciplined woman:

*Encouraged (Presidency’s Pick!)

1.  Establish a consistent scripture study routine

                  -Determine a time each day that works for you and stick to it!

                 

*Suggested: (Please choose one of the following or write in your own!)

 1.  Learn how to live within your means

a.      Establish a budget for you and your family. Determine a system that works for you.

     2.  Establish a healthy lifestyle

a.      Drink more water each day

b.      Introduce a new healthy food into your diet

c.      Establish a consistent exercise routine

                                               i.     Set weekly goals, get a buddy, try a new class, add more time/weights/repetition on to your usual routine

 3.  Learn how to use time wisely

a.      Limit time on social media sites, choose BEST activities over “good” or “better” activities.

     4.  Anger Management

a.      Come up with a system to control negative reactions

                                               i.     Forgive easier, count to 10, wait 24 hours to respond to an email that you might respond negatively to if you reply immediately, leave room