2010 Stake Conference

The Albuquerque New Mexico West Stake will hold its first 2010 stake conference on January 9-10. All sessions will be held at the 7-Bar Stake Center. Please make every effort to attend!

Priesthood Leadership Session - Saturday, January 9 at 3P

Adult Session - Saturday, January 9 at 6:30P

General Session - Sunday, January 10 at 10A

Photopalooza - Paradise Hills Style!

Missed some of the great ward activities? Check out our ward photo albums featured on the right sidebar and enjoy!

Food Storage Information

The new year is almost here and it's time to rededicate ourselves to preparing our families and pantries! What can you do? Where do you start? On the left side of this blog is a list of links including links to the cannery price list (which will calculate your totals for you) along with several great food storage and preparedness websites. As a good starting point for your supplies, try the "Family Home Storage Starter Kit" ($29.75) from the Church Distribution Center. It includes:

• All is Safely Gathered In: Family Home Storage pamphlet
• All is Safely Gathered In: Family Finances pamphlet
• All is Safely Gathered In: Basic Recipes pamphlet
• Financial reserve and drinking water teaching aids
• Two #10 cans of hard red winter wheat (11 lbs. total net weight)
• Two #10 cans of white rice (10.8 lbs. total net weight)
• One #10 can of pinto beans (5.2 lbs. net weight)
• One #10 can of quick oats (2.4 lbs. net weight)

Already have the basics and not sure what to do next? Are you using what you have, rotating and replenishing? Perhaps you need to kick it up a notch and try new recipes using your food storage. Several links to the left are to websites with fun and family-friendly recipes and you can also find articles in the Ensign with good food storage suggestions.

• "Adequate Nutrition During an Emergency"
• "New Year, New Progress"
• "Preserving Food When a Storm Hits Home"
• "Tracking Our Food Storage"

Here are links to some "Random Sampler" articles from the Ensign as well as the Food Storage Kit Recipes book from the Mesa Home Storage Center. Although food storage and preparedness may seem overwhelming at first, remember how to eat an elephant - one bite at a time. Try this weekly guide to a year's supply and breathe a sigh of relief. (You can also find links to these documents in the blog's right sidebar.)

You CAN do it and we're here to help! If you have any suggestions, recipes or ideas you'd like to share, please let us know!

Christ: The Real Gift of Christmas

The gift of Christmas isn't wrapped up in presents or parties. The gift of Christmas is Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten of the Father, the Son of God. As you follow Him, you put people first. You may spend less time in lines and more time serving others. You may spend less money on - and more time with – the people you love. You may lose yourself and you may find everything else that matters.

(Visit the Church's Christmas website and share it with those you love!)

Don't forget - RS activity tomorrow night!

Sisters,

Don't forget tomorrow night is our last RS activity of the year! We'll have a yummy lasagna dinner, a beautiful program on the birth of Christ, and we'll wrap it up with chocolate fondue! Nursery will be provided. In addition, we will have a small service project. We'll have a box to collect donations for the Ronald McDonald House; there is no obligation but if you're able to bring something, please do. If you are unable to attend tomorrow night and would still like to donate, please bring your items to church either this Sunday (December 13) or next (December 20).

We hope this activity will enhance your enjoyment of the Christmas season and help you feel the spirit of this wonderful time. See you there!

Food Items:

• Pop Tarts
• Small sugar packets
• Spam
• Cereal
• Cheese (sliced or grated)
• Soup, ravioli, stew (meals in a can)
• Individual snack items
• Fresh fruit

Cleaning Supplies

• Powdered laundry soap
• Soft Scrub Cleanser
• 13 gallon trash can liners
• Lysol All-Purpose Cleaner
• Toilet bowl cleaner
• Individual liquid hand soap

Miscellaneous

• Aluminum foil
• Phone cards
• Paper plates
• 8 oz. styrofoam cups
• Plastic flatware (forks, spoons, knives)
  

Charity never faileth...

We know it's a lot to ask of you sisters, but we need additional help for the Greenhalghs. Here are some changes to the Greenhalgh service file:

1. An additional day (Friday) was added to the "Meals" sheet.

2. Because she is bedridden, Stacy is unable to clean her house, and Jason's working as hard as he can to help her and the girls while working full-time. It would be lovely if a sister would clean their bathrooms, and vacuum and mop her floors once a week. The "Cleaning" spreadsheet has sign-ups for Tuesdays; time is not specific.

3. Stacy's unable to drive and needs someone to drive her to/from her various doctor appointments. The "Dr Appts" tab features what day the appointment is, what time, with whom, approximate length, and location. Confirm with Stacy regarding appointment lengths. You may either bring something to read or do while you wait during her appointment or run errands, provided you're back to pick Stacy up afterward.

4. Related to the doctor appointments - we'll need someone willing to watch Megan and Zoe while Stacy's away. You may either come to the Greenhalghs' house or take them to your house, whatever's more convenient. The "Dr Appts - Kids" sheet mirrors the "Dr Appts" tab accordingly.

If you'd like to visit via phone or in person, please do! Stacy welcomes all phone calls, visits and distractions! Her kids would also enjoy playdates, either at their house or yours. Ideas for new hobbies, books, movies, etc. are welcome!

We know that this is a lot to ask of you and it's been very difficult for the Greenhalghs to request so much. However, they need us more than ever especially since Jason feels he's placed his job in jeopardy having taken so much time off work already. Let's show them how much they're loved and supported by demonstrating that "Charity Never Faileth!" Thank you for all that you do!

We can do it & YOU can help!

Sisters, this is a call to arms! We need your help! Please read this note from Sister Asay:

As most of you know, Sister Stacy Greenhalgh is expecting her third child. Unfortunately, Stacy is experiencing some very serious difficulties in her pregnancy that are posing life threatening situations to her and the baby. She has been placed on bed rest for an undetermined amount of time. Of course, it is very difficult to be on bed rest and have a family that still needs cared for. Thus, the reason for our "Call for Help." Please click on the link below and find an open spot to write in your name. Please kindly write that date in your calendar and perform the appropriate service as needed. You are responsible for your self-assigned date; reminder calls will only be made upon request. Thanks so much, sisters. I know how extremely difficult it was for the Greenhalghs to consent to help and I also know how appreciative they will be for our kind acts of love and service.

Sister Dana Asay

As President Thomas S. Monson stated:

"You are a mighty force for good, one of the most powerful in the entire world. Your influence ranges far beyond yourself and your home and touches others all around the globe. You have reached out to your brothers and sisters across streets, across cities, across nations, across continents, across oceans. You personify the Relief Society motto: 'Charity never faileth.'

---

Our compassionate service sign-up sheet is now online! Click this link:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AkbfkwlLk3Q7dGFOZDJVN0F2VWEyR0V2eDRxclpuSkE&hl=en

It will take you to the "Greenhalgh" Excel file which you can edit in your web browser; Excel is not required on your computer to edit this file. Clicking on the link should take you directly to the spreadsheet and it will open automatically in the online editor. You do not need a password, invitation or be a member of the PHRS Google Group to sign-up.

There are 2 spreadsheets in this file: "Meals" and "Megan." The spreadsheet names are listed at the bottom of the screen and you can switch between sign-up sheets by clicking the names. Obviously, "Meals" pertains to meal sign-ups for the Greenhalghs; "Megan" refers to Megan Greenhalgh, who needs someone to drop her off (9:30A) and pick her up at Paradise Hills United Methodist Church's preschool (1:30P). You do not have to sign-up for both drop-off/pick-up on the same date. Both meals and Megan-rides are needed on Mondays and Wednesdays. Dates are listed on the sheets.

How-To:

1. Click on the link: http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AkbfkwlLk3Q7dGFOZDJVN0F2VWEyR0V2eDRxclpuSkE&hl=en

2. Choose either spreadsheet to sign-up. File names are listed at the very bottom of the screen.

3. Consider the dates you'd like to help. To choose a date, double-click the space that says "Name" under your chosen date. Enter your name. Do the same for your phone number. If you need a reminder call, please enter "R" next to your phone number.

4. Click out anywhere on the sheet to exit those cells you changed. Make a note of your service dates in your calendar. You can always view the sheet again later to reconfirm dates and times.

5. It should save your changes automatically. Click any cell other than the ones you edited and close the file. If not, go to the File menu and choose the "Save and Close" option above the "Print" option in the menu, near the bottom of the drop-down menu.

*Please do not make any other changes than adding your name and phone number. Please do not change the file format (column size adjustment, fonts, etc.).*

If you have any questions, please feel free to let me (Stephanie M.) know! 710-9592