Traela

I think in most stakes they're called "Stake Women's Conference." At least they were where I grew up, and in the stake I'm living in now.

I may have to try this. Butter is on sale this week, 4/$5.00.

I think I would use the home-canned butter for baking, and save the "real" butter in the freezer for toast. The commercially canned butter is hideously expensive - $5.00 for a 12 oz. can. But it might be worth getting a few.

Just judging by my previous experience with cutters, she's not trying to kill herself. However, she IS dealing with tremendous suppressed pain. Please encourage her to seek help.

I'm confused. Aren't stockings generally considered professional wear for women? I don't understand what would be immodest about them, or what you were wearing before. Tights, perhaps?

My husband is a teacher. He always eats at his desk, because the spirit in the teacher's lounge (even apart from any profanity) is very negative. Maybe it's different in your school, but in his, it's the whiners who tend to congregate in the lounge.

A young man in our ward has been facing this same dilemma. After talking to other LDS servicemen, he has come to the same conclusion that others are recommending: serve the mission FIRST. He was advised that he will need the strength that comes from a mission to spiritually survive in the military.

I read about that episode on another board. Apparently the mother was actually making the kids SWALLOW the liquid soap.

Have you talked to her parents? There might be something going on you don't know about, or she might just be extremely shy and needs to join the group at her own pace.

I think what the OP is saying is that the nursery leader doesn't even try to calm the kid down or distract him- she just immediately takes him to mom.

Have you enquired of the Lord? I suggest you and your spouse kneel down with your girls and pray together- talk to the Lord about what is happening, and ask for guidance. Afterward the four of you discuss different options, and then separately "study it out in your mind" and pray about it. Once you are all in agreement as to the Lord's will, you can move forward. If you handle it well, this can be an excellent opportunity to teach your girls about learning and following the Lord's will, and their RIGHT to receive personal revelation.

Meridianmagazine.com (online LDS magazine) recently covered this topic in the "Circle of Sisters" column. There were a lot of good ideas.

Dh served his mission in Argentina during the Falklands War. I know that the "ll" is pronounced "zh" instead of the usual "y" sound (for instance tortilla=torteezha). There's an area that serves grapes in and with everything. It's hard to keep the bugs out of chocolate (or it was 20 years ago). I'll have to pick his brain some more.

My daughter learned to say "chocolate!"

Congratulations, CheekyMonkey! I LOVED that calling! I think you need to start by making sure that every ward RS president understands how the new Enrichment program is supposed to work. Specifically, that they can (and should) have activities that appeal to a specific demographic within their ward (although everyone is welcome). For instance, in a "Newly-wed or nearly dead" ward, they might have activities in the evening after the younger women (or their husbands) get off work, but daytime activities for the older sisters who don't like to get out in the evening. Younger women might like a discussion of children's books, while the older women might like a class on long-distance grandparenting. Also, what worked really well in our stake, and appealed to everyone, was getting the sisters excited about doing projects for the Humanitarian Center. There were older sisters who had just about given up on life, when they learned about the hand-made items that were needed. Being able to do something productive, even if they were homebound, made a big difference in their lives. And of course, everyone likes service projects (like the baby blankets our ward just made) that give them an excuse to socialize!

I think it takes a RS presidency a while to figure out what people are truly interested in, rather than what the sisters SAY they are interested in. Our ward goes keeps going thru a cycle where the RS tries to organize a whole bunch of things, most of which fall apart, then they step back for a while. Perhaps a better plan would be for more individual sisters to step up and say, "I'm planning to do *this* on *this day*. Anyone who is interested is welcome to join me."

I hope I don't offend in saying that I don't think you understand how the new Enrichment program is supposed to work. The presidencies are supposed to help organize activities that fill the needs of the sisters. When the new program was announced, they were given the direction to have activities as often as needed. I remember shortly after the program started, a Church News article showed how sisters in Africa were meeting every week to bake their bread in a communal oven, because that was what they needed. Likewise, if a group of sisters feel the need for a specific time to exercise every week, that's an activity. If some of the older (and maybe younger:)) sisters want to meet regularly to knit booties for the Humanitarian Center, that also counts as an activity. You are NOT expected to attend everything, only those activities that in some way bless your life.

A combination of Zicam, Umcka, and elderberry extract (in capsules or Sambucol liquid). Any two of these together seem to keep my colds under control; my mother needs all three.

We have to use our indoor voices. good news: a new outdoor kitty has adopted us. It's long haired, grey and white. The kiddies call it "Cookie."

Hooray! I can get along without my dryer for some things, but I REALLY like it for towels and underwear. And AmyL, I am SO proud of you! We have life-long members in our ward who refuse to say prayers. Good for you for starting out right!

At least as far as the first Sunday lesson goes, I went to a workshop in SLC where the general RS leaders were asked this very question. The answer was, "The secretary is probably perfectly capable of teaching, but she MAY NOT." (emphasis theirs). Perhaps things have changed in 4 years.

Maybe men are prone to hanging around in their undershirts, but women aren't?

Congratulations on your new calling! But, um, if the Elders Quorum is like the RS, the secretary is not supposed to teach AT ALL. You might want to check your CHI. Either way, I personally think it's a shame that, you being a good teacher, you're being given a calling where you'll teach less.

I finished my baby's Christmas stocking! And it's not even Christmas Eve! Oh, all right, I still haven't woven in all the ends (it's knit) or embroidered a face on the kitty, but it's usable!

For that matter, what kind of crazy woman wants her husband to be bishop? The ward I grew up in actually had a guy who campaigned to be bishop. He got the calling, too. I'm guessing he wasn't all that effective, since in his previous calling of ward custodian, half the adults were afraid of him....