My Wise Steward
A personal blog of financial resources for preparing yourself and family for the challenges of life.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
October 2012 Testimony
October 2012 Relief Society Message
October 2012 Wise Stewards Finance Tip
“TEACH FAMILY MEMBERS EARLY THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKING AND EARNING. “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread” is not outdated counsel. It is basic to personal welfare. One of the greatest favors parents can do for their children is to teach them to work. Much has been said over the years about children and monthly allowances, and opinions and recommendations vary greatly. I’m from the “old school.” I believe children should earn their money needs through service and appropriate chores. Some financial rewards to children may also be tied to educational effort and the
October 2012 Newsletter Announcements
September 2012 Testimony
September 2012 Wise Stewards Finance Tip
“U S E A B U D G ET. Every family must have a predetermined understanding of how
September 2012 Newsletter Announcements
August 2012 Testimony
August 2012 Relief Society Message
August 2012 Wise Stewards Finance Tip
“Learn Self-Discipline and Self-Restraint in Money Matters. Learning how to discipline oneself and exercise constraint where money is concerned can be more important than courses in accounting. Young couples should recognize that they cannot immediately maintain the same spending patterns and life-style as that to which they were accustomed as part of their parents’ family. Married couples show genuine maturity when they think of their partner’s and their family’s needs ahead of their own spending impulses. Money management skills should be learned together in a spirit of cooperation and love on a continuing basis.”
August 2012 Newsletter Announcements
July 2012 Testimony
July 2012 Newsletter Announcements
June was a busy month in the lives of the boy scouts in the Oquirrh 5th Ward. They started out with the 50/30/20/12 where the scouts and leaders walked from our subdivision to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple, then walked to the Draper Temple, totaling 20 miles on foot. The scouts then got on their bicycles and rode to the Jordan River Temple and on to the Salt Lake Temple, a total of 30 miles on bike. Congratulations to Bro. Hare, Spencer, Tyrel, and Tyler for completing all four temples. Congratulations also go to Luke, Ben, Dylan, Porter, Taylan, Nathan and Carter who made it to the first three temples and half of the way to the Salt Lake Temple. A special thank you to those who helped along the way with food, water, and minor emergencies. A job well done by everyone. Thank you to Bro. Hutchinson for teaching the Citizenship in the Nation merit badges and Bro. Kajma and Tingey who helped in the swim checks and swimming merit badges during the month.
YW News
Congratulations to Jennie and Elsie - high school graduates! Aspen, Megan, Madi, Miranda and McKenzee will be dancing at Stadium of Fire. MaKayla will be in the Days of 47 Parade (Color Guard). We're proud of all our YW and their accomplishments. Please see the calendar for important YW dates - Baptisms (probably in the morning), Youth Conference and Girls Camp.
An exercise class will be held at the Stake Center every Friday morning at 9am, beginning in August. Kids are welcome to play in the nursery (and watch videos) while Moms workout. Contact Sis. Otteson in the 4th ward for more information.
The Ward Pool Party is on Sat, August 25th from 8-10pm at the Oquirrh Park Fitness Center Pools. This activity will be in lieu of the annual ward campout this year.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
June Testimony
I have a very strong testimony of my Savior Jesus Christ. I know He lives and I know that the Church of Jesus Christ is the only true church here upon the earth. Through Jesus He restored the gospel through the prophet Joseph Smith. I know President Monson is our prophet today. It is my prayer that we all may become closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I say these things humbly in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
June Wise Stewards Finance Tip
This is some of the soundest advice about money that money can buy…and it’s free! We live in a time and culture where nothing is out of reach. You don’t have to have money to buy what you want . . . or do you? Is your approach to money management Proactive, or Reactive? Living within one’s means can be challenging on a modest income, but as long as you spend less than you earn you can be in control of your money. Make it a habit to save up cash before you buy something, not using credit. Also watch out for situations that require a long term contract. Cable and cell phone companies may give you a low rate if you agree to pay for years and often charge a big cancellation fee. Consider pay as you go cell phone service, or a higher rate that you can cancel any time. If your idea of managing the budget is making sure all the credit card payments are made, you’ve moved into a reactive situation and your money is managing you. If this is the case, somewhere along the line you’ve spent more money than you’ve earned. Correct this as soon as possible. It may mean taking on extra work, selling some things, or cutting back on unnecessary expenditures. The goal is to be in charge of where your money goes.
June Relief Society Message
Remember the words spoken by Mother Teresa: "We can do no great things - only small things with great love." Let us go about doing the works that the Savior would have us do, and our lives, as well as those around us will be blessed.
June Newsletter Announcements
Monday, May 7, 2012
May Wise Stewards Finance Tip
May RS Message
“Visiting Teaching is a tool given to us by the Lord. Properly used, it is a great source of inspiration, strength, and comfort. Many a sister's prayers have been miraculously answered by visiting teachers in a time of need. In an urban world that is often filled with loneliness in the midst of a crowd, visiting teachers are essential. They are the Lord's way of keeping His daughters in touch with each other, and I think they are His recognition of the sanctity of each home. What the visiting teaching program needs is for us to have more dedication to those that we are called to visit.”
Please take the opportunity this month to have your Young Woman age daughters join you in visiting teaching. We were very blessed to have them with us for the Visiting Teaching Conference and would like to provide them a glimpse of the joy and blessings of visiting teaching.
May Newsletter Announcements
April Wise Stewards Finance Tip
April RS Message
April Newsletter Announcements
Monday, March 5, 2012
March Wise Stewards Finance Tip
119 Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;
As I was thinking about what to write this month a scripture from the 88th section of the D&C kept coming back to me. I began thinking about the upcoming General Conference we will be enjoying next month, and about the Easter holiday we will celebrate the week after. I also have a touch of spring fever and can’t wait to get outside & enjoy some warmer weather. With all these things running through my head, I realized I have a lot to prepare for this coming month. There are seeds to start, windows to wash, junk drawers to clean out, and donations to organize-all this in addition to my already busy schedule. This is about when the panic should be setting in, right? How can anyone not feel overwhelmed when there seem to be so many demands on our lives? My life is a different kind of busy than anyone else’s, but we all have responsibilities. So how do we keep it all together when the tasks before us seem insurmountable?
Just as the spirit has testified to me so many times before, I’ve again found myself turning to the scriptures and found an answer. Organize. Prepare. Pray, fast, have faith. Give glory to God for the blessings you have, and humble before Him when asking for those things which you have need. Strive to make your home a house of order where the Spirit will remain. I hope we can all start now to organize, prepare, and do whatever we need to do so we’ll be ready for this session of General Conference and the words that our leaders are preparing for us to hear. The blessings we can take away are well worth the effort, and having His spirit with us as we celebrate His death and resurrection can help us to be truly grateful for His ultimate sacrifice.
March RS Message
RS Birthday Dinner – Thurs, March 22, 7pm – Come for cake, conversation and an inspirational speaker. Nursery will be provided.
Relief Society Message
This month we are continuing our discussion of The Relief Society Declaration by studying the topic “Finding nobility in motherhood and joy in womanhood.”
Sister Margaret Nadauld, in an address called the Joy of Womanhood, states “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.”
2 Nephi 2:25 - Adam fell that (wo)men might be; and (wo)men are, that they might have joy.
Each time I meet with the sisters of the Church, I sense that I am in the midst of similar remarkable souls . . . I am grateful for who you are: treasured daughters of our Heavenly Father with infinite worth. – President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, October 2008 General Conference
March Newsletter Announcements
The annual Ward Chili Cookoff/Service and Dessert Auction will be held March 17 at 6pm at the Stake Center. This is the only fundraiser the youth will have all year to help pay for upcoming YW and Scout camps. Please support our youth by making your favorite chili or donating a dessert. The youth will be selling different services such as babysitting, lawn care, etc. The cost to attend will be $5/person or $15/family. Please invite friends and family!
YM News - February found the scouts focused on winter camping. They kept warm by participating in the activities including the famous Klondike race and Ice Age Scout Refuge (troop was in charge of this). It got down to 5°F, so each scout got a feel of what it’s like to be a turkey in your freezer! Sunday found the scouts back in action as they went out and shoveled many sidewalks in the neighborhood. Being in the service of our fellow beings is definitely being in the service of our God! Thank you to our scouts for their efforts and the leaders who make it possible for our scouts to advance in scouting.
YW News – The theme for New Beginnings last month was "Arise and Shine Forth that your Happily Ever After May be Bright" based on Pres. Uchtdorf's talk from the April 2010 General YW Meeting. Sister Anderson talked about how Personal Progress helps us live up to our potential as royal daughters of our Heavenly Father. The girls and leaders also performed a cute skit written by Sister Jamison. Thank you to all of the family members that came to support us. We are excited to welcome Megan as our newest MiaMaid and Sister Gerber as our Beehive Advisor.
Monday, January 30, 2012
February RS Message
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
As we celebrate Valentine's Day this month may we commit ourselves to increase our love each day of the year. We would like to share with you:
Twenty Ways to Make a Good Marriage Great
By Richard W. Linford, Ensign, Dec 1983, 64
1. Night and Morning Prayer . . . to say thanks, to ask for help in your marriage and family, to worship together.
2. A Weekly Planning Meeting . . . to discuss the calendar, talk over needs and problems, decide priorities and next steps. (Write decisions in a journal, including goals and discussion topics, and reasons for each.)
3. A Daily Phone Call or Personal Conversation . . . to say . . . I love you, . . . to touch base, to discuss the day, to show you care.
4. A Weekly Date . . . to a favorite park, a concert, the library, the gym; or staying home for a candlelight dinner, a game, or a mutual hobby.
5. Patience Regardless . . . of missed meals, tardiness, forgotten favors, a thoughtless remark, impatience.
6. Daily Service . . . helping with house or yard work, mending a piece of clothing, taking a turn with the sick baby, fixing a favorite meal. (Write it down. Do it!)
7. A Budget . . . to tie down income and expenses, help set financial goals, and give you control over your finances.
8. Listening . . . not only to what is said, but also to what is meant.
9. Regular Attendance . . . at church . . . and where possible . . . the temple.
10. Daily Scripture Reading . . . to learn the gospel, to receive inspiration for yourself and your marriage, to become more like Jesus.
11. Working Together . . . caring for a garden, painting a bedroom, washing the car, scrubbing floors, building a piece of furniture, writing a poem together, team teaching a class.
12. Forgiving Each Other . . . always learning from each other, trying a different way, being the first to make peace.
13. Courtesies . . . like saying please and thank you, not interrupting or belittling, not doing all the talking, continuing the niceties of courtship.
14. Soft and Kind Words . . . of tenderness, compassion, empathy.
15. Learning Together by . . . reading to each other, discussing ideas, taking a class.
16. Respecting . . . opinions, ideas, privacy.
17. Supporting Your Spouse’s . . . Church callings and righteous goals.
18. Caring for Your Spouse’s Family by . . . enjoying their company, praying for them, serving them, overlooking differences.
19. Occasional Gifts . . . such as a note, a needed item . . . but mostly gifts of time and self.
20. Loving with All Your Heart. “Thou shalt love thy wife [thy husband] with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her [him] and none else.” (D&C 42:22.)
February Wise Stewards Finance Tip
February has come and the Christmas decorations are packed away (hopefully). You might still be keeping some of your New Year’s resolutions, and you may already be eyeing a certain box of chocolate for that special someone, but do you have your taxes done? Taxes aren’t due until April 17th, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get them done early. If you do your taxes yourself there are some great ways to save time and money. Before you go out and buy an at home tax program for your computer, check out the IRS website. Go to www.irs.gov and click on the “Free File” icon. If you made under $57,000 last year you can use software programs by some of the same companies that sell them in the store, for free. E-filing is free for anyone regardless of how much you made, and you can find online tax forms at the IRS website as well.
Now that I’ve put a bug in your ear about taxes, let’s get down to the really important stuff. Have you picked out a Valentine’s present yet? How about a plan to get out of debt?! It may not be easy to gift wrap, but it could have a more positive effect on a relationship than a stuffed toy or some perfume. Whether you’re married or single, having a solid financial plan is beneficial to anyone. Being in good financial standing when you’re single is tough, but doable. Staying in good financial standing after you’re married should be just as important a goal. In Elder Marvin J. Ashton’s Guide to Family Finances, Elder Ashton quotes, “The American Bar Association has indicated that 89 percent of all divorces can be traced to quarrels and accusations over money. Others have estimated that 75 percent of all divorces result from clashes over finances.” Having good communication and positive goals is essential to a good marriage, but this is especially true regarding your family finances. So if you are married and a financial plan isn’t a romantic enough Valentine’s present for you to give, go ahead & wrap it up with some candy hearts. I bet they’ll both be appreciated.
February Newsletter Announcements
Mark your calendars for Stake Conference, February 4th & 5th. Special meeting on Sunday morning for youth at 8am. Make sure to come early Sunday morning for the choir prelude at 9:30am. It will be a spiritual treat!
YW News – New Beginnings will be Wed, February 1st in the Relief Society room. Young Women (and girls who turn 12 this year) and their parents are encouraged to attend. Sunday dress requested.
Valentine Adult Dinner – Saturday, Feb. 18th at 6:00pm. Nursery will be provided by the youth.
Choir practice will be Sunday mornings, 11am at Sister Beck’s home starting Feb 19th.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
January Relief Society Message
Happy New Year!
We are excited to spend some time discussing The Relief Society Declaration this year. We will be discussing different aspects of it each month in the first Sunday lessons. Last Sunday Sister Hunsaker started us off by teaching about seeking spiritual strength by following the promptings of the Holy Ghost. In February, the topic will be "Finding nobility in motherhood and joy in womanhood". We hope that we will all be strengthened as we learn together.
The Relief Society Declaration
We are beloved spirit daughters of God, and our lives have meaning, purpose, and direction. As a worldwide sisterhood, we are united in our devotion to Jesus Christ, our Savior and Exemplar. We are women of faith, virtue, vision, and charity who:
v Increase our testimonies of Jesus Christ through prayer and scripture study.
v Seek spiritual strength by following the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
v Dedicate ourselves to strengthening marriages, families, and homes.
v Find nobility in motherhood and joy in womanhood.
v Delight in service and good works.
v Love life and learning.
v Stand for truth and righteousness.
v Sustain the priesthood as the authority of God on earth.
v Rejoice in the blessings of the temple, understand our divine destiny, and strive for exaltation.
January Finance Tip
Wise Stewards Finance Tip
In his April 2004 Conference talk entitled Earthly Debts, Heavenly Debts Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin outlines five key steps to financial freedom. This month we’ll look at:
· First, pay your tithing.
· Second, spend less than you earn.
· Third, learn to save.
· Fourth, honor your financial obligations.
· Fifth, teach your children to follow your example.
It’s a new year! What a great time to get a new start! As you work on your resolutions for this year, don’t leave the kids out. Share your goals with the family. You’ll be more likely to achieve them if someone else is watching. Better yet, make family goals this year. Make it a goal to save up for something fun or important and let each family member do their part to help. Little ones can save their pennies too and feel like they’ve done something very important.
Discuss tithing in family home evening and share your progress with each other every week. This is a perfect opportunity to share your testimony of the importance of tithing and the blessings received from Heavenly Father from paying it. Your example is the most important thing you can show your kids to help them develop healthy habits. This can include healthy eating and exercise, scripture reading and prayer, and yes - money habits. Being open and honest about the rewards and consequences of your money habits and developing good habits will bless your children’s lives for years to come. If you don’t have children or they’ve grown and gone, you can share goals with others around you. We can all benefit from a good example and we can all use encouragement from each other.