LDS INFO

 

Bob and Betty Hawkins Here. We displayed our solar oven at the tri-Stake Provident Living Fair a week ago. As we mentioned, we do not sell these ovens but were asked to let people see what we had so others can see what is available and get ideas.

 There are two major commercial contenders that we know of, The Sport Solar Oven (that we displayed) and the Global Sun Oven. There are pros and cons of each. Here is what we know about the two in comparison:

 Sport Solar Oven - holds two cooking pots, lighter weight, less expensive, doesn't get as hot, solar reflectors detachable.

 Global Sun Oven - Holds one cooking pot, has variable tilt angle and leveling pot holder, heavier, more expensive, solar reflectors fixed, top cover heavier able to handle higher temperatures better.

 Both will do an excellent job of cooking including breads in sunny to thin overcast days.

 Penny Thompson of the Windsor 3rd Ward has graciously offered to coordinate a group purchase, which will make better pricing available. Feel free to call her at (801) 224-6771 or email her at mpthompsonfam@hotmail.com

 Here are 3 outlets that we know of that sell these ovens as well as other preparedness items. Feel free to check them out individually if you like.

 Tina Crowder - (801) 222-9283, lives 451 N 950 E, Orem - Sold us our oven, has cooked with both types numerous times and is willing to work with groups, an excellent resource.

 Parley's Hardware - 260 S 1200 W Orem  - (801) 822-5200. They only have the Global Sun Oven available and on display but have nemerous other preparedness supplies upstairs.

  Delois Stinson - His daughter attended the fair and sent me his information. They have multiple preparedness stores along the Wasatch Front. They are called Surval Solutions. You can visit their web site at www.survivalsolutions.com . He can be reached at (801) 725-8927 or email at dstinson@xmission.com . They look like an excellent resource as well.

 We hope this information is helpful to you

Bob and Betty Hawkins

(801) 221-9339

 

Mission Accomplished: A Soldier's Journey to Faith


by Malcolm Leal

The Cuban military was not the place for a Bible, but my grandma had taught me its principles well. Throughout my missions her words were always in the back of my mind. I would need them to become the man I wanted to become. And, as I would find during a mission deep in the Guatemalan jungle, I would need them to stay alive.

I joined the Cuban military right out of high school and stayed there for seven years. The military in Cuba is compulsory, and you can opt to be drafted as soon as you finish high school or after you finish college. But my mom had a very difficult time after she got divorced, and the domestic environment was not easy for me. So after high school, I just wanted to go away; the military provided mobility.


Though the domestic situation with my mother was never very good, my childhood had been happily spent in the company of my great-grandmother. Because my mom worked in a research facility pretty far away, my grandma was my main emotional attachment for many years. She was, more or less, my most significant relationship.


Growing up with Grandma
My grandmother had a deep faith. She constantly taught me about the Bible, especially the words of Isaiah and his prophecy of a temple in modern times. This temple, and whatever took place in it, was critical to Grandma's view of God.


One night, she told me, "God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He has been my God since I was twenty-three years old and will be my God forever. God gave men clear instruction of how He wanted His church and His affairs handled. Men, in their arrogance, changed everything. They broke the commandments; they changed how things ought to be done. Thus, they’re cut off from Him."


"So, God isn't with us any longer, then. Are we on our own?" I asked.


"No, Son, He is here," she said with certainty. "You tell God that you know He is there, that you know you're cut off from Him because we've lost the way, but that you love Him. He will hear you."


Right before I left for the military, she warned me of the dangers and implored me to remain clean. "I send you out into the world in the hands of God. I urge you to seek Him in everything you do. I'll pray for your safe return day and night until you come back. But keep silent prayers in your heart always, listen to His voice, and you'll be safe."


And off I went. They did some tests and I scored high in certain areas; I had also studied martial arts since I was young. Because of these things, they told me I would do well in special forces. I figured if I was going to go with the military, I might as well go with the best and the brightest.


In the Field
I worked for the equivalent of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and they would call me anytime of the day or night. What my group did, for the most part, was to shadow enemy troops. The Central American Civil War - the Dirty War, as we called it - was a war of proxies. The U.S. was not directly involved, neither were the Soviets. They used proxies to fight the war for them.


The U.S. had CIA, special forces, trainers, and military advisors on the ground. The Soviets had them, too. The Cubans did the fighting, the training of insurgents, and so forth. Our task was to follow the enemy troops, and occasionally to grab military officers and pass them along for interrogation.


One time, our mission was to extract a lieutenant. We watched him go into a bar and brothel, on the second floor. The idea was to grab him without having to destroy the place, shoot people, or make a lot of noise - and all we had was an ice cream pushcart.


We got to the second story of the building with a rope; we came in through the window, shot him with a tranquilizer, and put him in the ice cream truck. But when you lower the temperature, it diminishes the effect of tranquilizers. So we started pushing this ice cream truck down the street, and he started kicking and screaming. People were looking at us, shocked, and asking, "What have you got in there? A pig?" We tried to assure them that it was just a pig, but we had to finish up - fast.


We ran to the end of the street where the extraction truck was waiting. When we opened the lid of the ice cream cart, he jumped out and started running down the street. Now it just so happened that at the end of the street there was a mental hospital, so the people were afraid that he was a patient, and they actually helped us get him. We shot him again with the tranquilizer and got him in the truck.


Months later, we were in a town nearby, and an old man came up to me and said, "Hey, doctor, how are you?" I was confused. Doctor? Then he asked, "How did the situation with your patient end up? Did you get him back in the hospital?"


Then I realized he was talking about the lieutenant. "Oh, yeah!" I said. "He was totally insane." My comrades and I laughed. From then on, my friends started calling me Doc. It was a story we told many times.


In what we did, humor was a way to keep your sanity, because if you started thinking about what you were actually doing, there was no reason for laughter.


White-shirt Lunatics
You have to understand there are three rules in the jungle. One, you have to blend. If you don't blend, you're going to become somebody's lunch real fast. The other rule is to move slowly. If you're moving too fast, you can't hear anything - such as something coming up on you. The last thing that is really important is that you have to be aware of the environment - you don't make yourself known.


One time we were waiting for an equipment drop on a hillside in the jungle. Suddenly, something came out of the bushes and started coming down the hill - and whatever it was, it was ignoring all three of the jungle rules.


I looked closer and it was two kids - jumping around, happy, talking, and not paying attention to anything. They're lunatics! I thought to myself. They're gonna get themselves killed. They were wearing white shirts and ties in the jungle, skipping and jumping animatedly down the hill. I could see one laughing. "Who are these people?" I said out loud.


"Oh, they're missionaries," said one of my comrades.


To me, my grandmother's student, this was fascinating, but my companion didn't seem to care. Who in their right mind would come into this godforsaken place, in the middle of a civil war, to talk about God? The missionaries had safely gone about their business, but the memory of those white-shirted boys lingered for days.


The Darkest Night
I had missions in which we were able to go out and execute and come home, and everyone was safe. That was reason to be glad. And I had missions in which I lost many of my friends. On my last mission, most of my comrades died.


The mission started benignly enough. "Perestroika" was in effect, which meant that goods, spare parts, and supplies decreased. So a mission was put together to bring in Soviet specialists and needed supplies. My unit was tasked with accompanying two Soviet "technicians" on a two-week maintenance expedition. Not a glamorous assignment, but still one of high priority since our side was becoming blind and deaf to the movement of the enemy on the Nicaraguan border.


In two days we were done, which was record time for the mission. At the appointed time, the communication specialist signaled that he had a link.


"Control, this is Vector, we're looking good and en route to the rest point," I said.


"Excellent. We have one more recovery point, Sergeant," said the man on the other end.


When you gear up for a mission, you prepare for the unforeseeable. If you change the mission, someone is going to die, because you cannot anticipate all the variables. Changing the mission was this man's mode of operation, and countless men had paid for his games with their lives. And now he was doing it to us.


I listened motionlessly as the instructions came. After the transmission ended, I briefly discussed the details of the "detour" with one of the mission's specialists. The change of plans included moving back north-by-northeast - across enemy territory.


After three days of a painful and treacherous march in the jungle, we reached the recovery point. An accident involving one of my men meant that I had to continue on my own to retrieve the equipment while the other soldiers waited in a secure location.


I reached a hidden spot not far from the gear, which was set on a rock outcrop twenty yards away. To retrieve it, I had to completely expose myself, and I'd be facing away from the tree line across the gorge. I clasped my weapon and broke into a soft jog to the massive rock formation. My fingers made contact with the slippery, cold surface of the camera. I pulled.


The next moment, it felt like a sledgehammer hit me sideways on the head. A flash of lights, bright and blinding, filled my eyes, accompanied by a high-pitched hissing sound. Then nothing. Nothing at all, as if I'd been suddenly pushed into space—total sensory shutdown. A few seconds later, maybe minutes, the pounding of my pulse on my temples and the coppery taste of blood in my mouth attested to the absolute fact that my life had come to an end. I lay there broken, unable to move for what seemed like a lifetime. I sobbed quietly, helplessly.


I was dying. I thought of my grandmother. What could I say to her God? It occurred to me then that I'd wasted my life. I spat the blood and mud from my mouth and twisted my body painfully, slowly to face heaven. I cried some more.


"God of my grandmother, I know about You, and I believe in You. I'm about to die, and maybe I deserve to die; only You know that. Take me then, God, and don't let me suffer any longer. Comfort my grandmother, for she is old and she loves me. I pray that You may forgive me of all my sins. Forgive me, God. Forgive me." I wept again; now, however, I felt almost happy. I slipped into unconsciousness.


"Not yet," I heard inside my rattled brain with astonishing clarity.


The quiet and simple phrase startled me. I was in shock due to the loss of blood. The magnitude of the event, the realization that I had been a witness and a recipient of a true miracle and how this event would transform my life would come days later.


Miraculously, I got up and walked for six hours, finally making it to a place where I could wire for help and be picked up. When the medic jumped out of the chopper, he approached me and his eyes looked like they were ready to pop out of their sockets. "Don't worry," I said. "It looks worse than it actually is."


I woke up a week later at a hospital back on the island, a symphony of monitors, bells, and whistles serenading me in the hospital room. Nothing could have prepared me for the shock of the first glance at myself after the injury. My head, what was visible, was obviously swollen and misshapen. I had a scar from ear to ear and stitches like a baseball. My romantic life is over, I thought.


Eventually, as with every other mission, I was able to go home. Going back home meant that I had to talk to my grandmother about what happened. When we discussed what she thought about it, what it meant in my life, she said, "God's is the forgiveness, mercy, and peace that you felt, and that's the foundation of faith. Don't let it die, don't forget that day. One day you'll find the church that will fill your heart."


Time to Defect
It was a known fact that politics killed people. In my case in particular, lots of people got hurt. I thought the change in the mission was unnecessary - someone was playing politics on the fly. For me, as a soldier, as a leader of a unit, that was not acceptable. And I made some threats.


As a result, my commanding officer, Montes, a man I had grown to love and respect as a father, arranged to send me away. He told me, "There will be an eleven-month tour and a scheduled rotation back to the home base. Come back with the last group. On the layover in the third country, get off the plane and don't look back." The commanders feared me, and when they fear you, they kill you. I knew I wasn't coming back.


I tried to conceal from my grandmother my inner struggles in regards to the future. But she understood. I stayed home that summer as much as I could. I wanted to remember; I wanted to hold on to her and a life of experiences near her so that she was never forgotten.


I eventually left for Europe, spending most of my "time away" in East Germany training young operatives. Then, during the winter I was there, the Wall came down. Without almost any warning, Communism evaporated in one winter night.


These were dangerous times. The secret services were on the prowl during rotation times at our office. These were the times when people jumped fences, drove across bridges, and walked into embassies different from their own. My opportunity came on the journey back to the island.


We stopped in Montreal. Secret police - prison keepers, for we were all prisoners of the state - came with us to make sure no one escaped to a receptive country, so I had to arrange a convincing excuse to step away from them. After taking quinine before landing, I needed a bathroom, and everyone could see it. Once inside the stall, I climbed over the toilet, onto the divider wall, and removed the false sheetrock ceiling plank. I pulled myself behind the bathroom fixtures, replaced the sheetrock plank, and let darkness engulf me.


As I crawled through the dusty and damp space, I hesitated when a flash of light surrounded me. It had to be them. I pushed down on the ceiling plank underneath me, fell into a small room, and ran. I heard shouting and what seemed to be a rush of people running and cars braking. I ran faster than I had ever run and longer than I thought possible.


The last thirty miles to the United States border remained a blur. As I neared the border patrol checkpoint, I went very slowly. I was, after all, dressed in a military uniform of a foreign country.


What happened next belongs in a comic strip. By the time the border patrol officer saw me, I was less than twenty feet from him. He was frantic. He dropped his gun and radio and picked up the radio, pointing it at me. "Freeze! Stop!" he yelled, the antenna of his radio pointing at me, while he clasped his gun and put it to his mouth as if it were the radio unit. "I need help now!"


After the mix-up, a handful of officers rushed to help their fellow agent, handcuffing me and taking me away.


They took me to a Virginia farm to be questioned, to be sure I wasn't a threat. After six weeks there, I was taken to my chosen location: Los Angeles. A chapter of my life had ended and a new one was about to unfold.


Missionaries, Again
I settled in L.A., got some education, and even began a family. But in eight years, I still hadn't found the fulfillment I sought. Periodically I would take up my search for "the church that would fill my heart," but I wasn't impressed by any of them. I needed more.


Around Easter of 1998, I was very sad. Easter was very sad for me because it was sad for my grandma. In Cuba, people did pretty bizarre things on Easter. My grandma thought it was a mockery of Christ's suffering. My brother had also recently written to tell me that Grandma had died.


Around that time, I was watching TV when a commercial came on for a video about the birth, teachings, and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It was simple, yet powerful. I ordered it, and about a week later, a couple young men dressed in shirts and ties rang my doorbell. I had to get to work, so our visit was brief. But they gave me the video, and a book.


I watched the video about a week later. That Sunday, I picked up the blue book the missionaries had left. I flipped through the pages until I read something that literally took my breath away: "I will read unto you the words of Isaiah" (2 Nephi 6:4). "Isaiah!" I exclaimed, jumping to my feet.


Memory and experience found great resonance with the text. In years of roaming the jungle, I had seen countless pre-Columbian ruins like the book described - fortifications. I read the familiar words of Isaiah, this time in the voice of Jesus Christ. I read throughout the day. I thought about the events leading to that day; I thought about the many years of reading and searching. It seemed like the walls of a dam had broken and a flood had rushed in, inundating every corner of the land inside me. "I've found it," I sobbed. "After all this time, I've found it."


A Happy Life
It took me three weeks to find the missionaries again, but they finally came back. Night after night they returned. I attended church and made many new friends in a very short time. What I saw and felt in that church building sealed my testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. A few days later, I was baptized.


In Cuba there were no happy moments. There were times of euphoria; when we were able to go on an operation and nobody died, that was reason to be content. But I wasn't happy.


However, after I came up out of the water on my baptism day, I couldn't help feeling that I'd found my home. I was more than happy. I'd been lost, cut off, and disconnected for most of my adult life. For once, I was certain I was in the right place.

 


Adapted from Faith Among Shadows: One Cuban Soldier's Journey to Find the Gospel of Christ; Cedar Fort. Now available at Deseret Book.

 

 

General Conference Sat. Oct 3, 2009

President Monson: “Embrace and welcome the new converts.”

 

Richard G. Scott:  “No fast way but we need to learn to ask him for his guidance…essential personal growth, learn how to be led by the spirit…easier to manage over time…confidence will become stronger..gain experience..impressions become more certain…

1)      inspiration to know what to do  2) power to do it…

when we live obediently and exercise faith in Him….

The Lord will not force you to learn…more perceptive of feelings that comes with spiritual guidance, recognize it more easily…Anger, hate passion fear or pride won’t bring the spirit…one overpowers the other… WARNING:  Satan temps you to not be led by the Spirit…The Devil will passify and lull them into captivity…Don’t give up….Have patience …practice of correct principles…you will gain divine guidance…speak to your mind at heart…spiritual dictation… pray with all furver of your soul with humility…

 

Vicki Malsumari:  “How are people guided?  By the influence of the Holy Ghost..if we are worthy…virtue garnish our thoughts continually….I will tell you in your heart and in your mind…provide still and quiet time each day to allow still small voice to give guidance and comfort to us…

 

L Whitney Clayton: “Some natural challenges are out of our hands, some come from choice of others, gossip and unkindness can cause others pain, and other burdens we impose upon ourselves like sin. ..but we are all children of our Heavenly Father who sent us to earth to learn from our experiences… adversities last for “but a small moment” and if we endure it well God shall exalt us on High…Burdens provide opportunities to practice virtues that lead to eternal exaltation…become as a child, submissive meek humble full of love willing to submit all that God will put on us…time effort and faith to understand…

 

1)      for your benefit work is a continual blessing to learn lessons

2)      poor humbled by afflictions in preparation to hear the word, “blessed are ye”

3)      length of war softened because of their afflictions to be humbled…social disorder, modern robbers to seek Heavenly shelter

4)      terrible things we suffer at hands of enemies be for our good, school for improving our own behavior, reservoir of empathy for suffering of others, bear one another’s burdens that they may be light, mourn those that mourn

5)      those who help others stand on Holy Ground, “when ye did this unto one of  the least of my children, ye have done it unto me.” 

“I will ease the burdens that you cannot feel them, that ye may stand as witnesses that I the Lord do visit my people in their afflictions.”  They did submit cheerfully and with patience…”be of good comfort for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage”…of sin…He will deliver us out of bondage from our sins…burden conscience…whosoever repenteth shall find mercy…strength…peace of conscience and joy…

 

“We thank thee for sending the Gospel to lighten our minds with its rays..we feel it a pleasure to serve thee and love to obey thy commands…

There is hope smiling brightly before us and we know that deliverance is nigh

The wicked who fight against Zion will surely be smitten at last

We will sing of his goodness and mercy,,praise him b day and by night

Honest and Faithful will go…”

 

Russell T. Osguthorpe:  “We are saving spiritual lives… Elder David Bednar:

1)      Key doctrine

2)      Invitation to action

3)      Receive promised blessings

Selfless Service:   in giving that invitation to serve, we open our hearts to the will of God, and live it

Messengers of God…teaching future leaders of the church…  (Don’t just wait till the leaders of the church give you a calling, but look for those you can serve everyday)

 

First Principle of the Gospel: Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ

Teach by gentleness and meekness and love unfained..virtue garnishing their thoughts…patience…inviting them to do the work with confidence in them…

Learning and teaching are the way to God and help save lives”

 

Elder David A. Bednar: “ Set our families in order…more diligent and concerned at home

1)  express love and show it:   tell them we love them…frequently and sincerely.. we may feel embarrassed and awkward…do more of what we know is right…only a beginning…consistently show it…never assume they know we love them…”If ye love me, keep my commandments” …our love is reflected in our thoughts, words and deeds…nurtures and sustains love …

2) bear testimony and live it:   of great plan of happiness and restoration…what we know is not always reflected in what we do…strive to do more of what we know is right…mean it and consistently live it…”That which the Spirit testifies unto you even though I would that ye should do”  our testimonies are lived most powerfully in our home…create and look for opportunities to show Gospel truths… invite Holy Ghost to prove the verity of the Gospel…fortifies faith, generates light in dark world, source of eternal perspective and enduring peace…

3) be consistent:  they will remember that as a family you were consistent….(kept them on the path)…the greatest lesson…all individual brush strokes produce magnificent landscape..one brushstroke on the canvas of our souls…doing seemingly small things…”be not weary in well doing for ye are laying the foundation of a great work”…

Also important for “they say and do not” not to be a hypocrite…causes the greatest destruction in our homes. Children recognize hypocracy…if private actions at home are not there…”Thou shalt not bear false witness”  is hypocracy in all of us…. In conversation …purity…steadfastly living the Gospel…more faithful in loving and living the Gospel…..for these eternal reasons we should be more diligent at home…be edified by strong testimony…we will never be left alone…”

 

President Uchtdorf:  “How do we become true Disciples?  “If ye love me keep my commandments.”  Love should be our walk and our talk.  Love as Jesus Christ loves us, confusion clears and priorities align…our lives take on new meaning…obedience becomes a joy….What we think and do determines who we are…we have a vast capacity of love as our spiritual heritage. “ WE love Him because he first loved us.” God’s love encompasses us completely…because we are his children… “Ye shall seek him and find him when ye seek him with all your heart…Desire to become more like Him because we love Him…Love is the guiding light that eluminates the path with light, meaning and wonder…the inspiration for our obedience…Love is the way of the disciple..”

 

Elder Oaks:  “God’s Love is shown in all the blessings in obedience to  his commandments…Love and Law:  Neither death nor anyone can separate us from the Love of God…”For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son”  God spared not his Son but gave him to the world”  His love is an eternal reality…Relationship of God’s love and his laws.  Mercy cannot rob justice. God instituted laws so we can advance in perfection to become like him.  Mortal Gifts not tied to obedience like Resurection.  Even when disobedient we can feel God’s love.  He can bless us to endure consequences but cannot keep us from experiencing them. Parents need Heavenly guidance…the work of eternity.. Leave the 90 and 9 and go out and find the lost sheep… continued loving concern…Who the Lord loveth, he chasseneth…real love does not support self destructive behavior…”I come to bring division…not peace…when we are not united in keeping commandments, there will be divisions.  It should not detract from our love for one another.”

 

Elder Robert D. Hales:  (This one I felt was really sincere and personal when he called us our friend)  Atheism is spreading across the world.  WE believe in God the Eternal Father, and in his Son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost.   Without God life would end at the grave and our mortal experience would have no purpose…NO ultimate right or wrong…no mortality or eternal life… “I offer as a friend and a witness and apostle that He lives.”   God himself said, “Let us make man in our image after our likeness.”  “By mine only Begotten Son I created these.”  Elojim  is not singular but plural in Hebrew.  “The Son of Man standing on the right side of God.”  Enoch: “I saw the Lord and he stood before my face, even as a man talketh one with another.” “The veil was taken off the eyes of the brother of Jared…he saw the finger of the Lord…was like the finger of  a man…”   Moses: “ …God of Heaven looked upon the residue of the people and he wept..”  “His eyes are as the flame of fire…his voice the sound of rushing waters.” Joseph Smith:  like prophets who opened in their time…”giveth to men all liberally”  with unwaivering childlike faith…”

“ …I saw two personages…” “one of them spake to me…This is my beloved Son, hear him”  “The father and son have a body of flesh and bones.”  The way to know about the truth of God is through the Holy Ghost.  His work is to testify of God and teach all things.  Careful not constrain his influence with criticism, irreverence, the spirit cannot be with us.  The natural man receiveth not the things of God, spiritually discerned…unless he yields to the enticings of Holy Spirit…unless humble, meek, …full of love…” Like Corihor, anti Christ in BofM…falsely teaching there is no God or Christ… asked for a sign and was struck dumb… “he said I always knew there was a God”  Light of belief is within you.. waiting to be awakened…you were born with the light of Christ.   Desire to know that God lives…with softened hearts we search and learn from the scriptures…ask sincerely in name of Jesus Christ if these things are true by still small promptings of the Spirit..undeniable knowledge that he lives…do not be afraid of ridicule, strength and peace that comes from knowing God make it worthwhile… your personal knowledge of God will bring the greatest joy you will ever have…” IN all humility sincerity and diligence….(that was so sincere)

 

Jorge Zeballos:  “BE perfect even as I am” 

Loving Father wants us to return to Him and forgives us if sincere repentant…consequences of the Attonement…by obedient Son always willing to do His will….Eternal Life is the greatest of all the gifts of God.   Should not this promise be the greatest incentive to be the best we can be?  OH ye that embark in the service of God, serve with all your heart,  might, mind and strength…with all our being…Obedience and diligence throughout out life.  Discover the talents and attributes He gave us… He knows our limitations…that a man should not run faster than he has strength…not require more than the best we can give,  that would not be just, neither can he expect less or that would not be just…”By Grace we are saved after all we can do” Do all that is within our reach.  Greatest gift to live eternally with our Father and our families.  “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, “ said Paul. 

Elder Ted R. Callister: “One of the greatest men who ever walked the earth, Peter…the man and his mission…

1)      God the Father and the Son are two separate beings…Son submitted his will to the Father.  “His only begotten Son”  Abraham “ if the Father is the same being  as the son…”  “For the spirit doeth not have flesh and bones”  Once Christ was resurrected, his body could never be separated from his Spirit

2)      God still speaks to man today…does God love us as much today as times of old? Do we need him as much today?  IF God is the same today and forever leaves little doubt that God does speak to man today

3)      2nd Coming would not come unless there were a falling away first…”for for this cause was the Gospel taught to the dead…”   Christ proclaimed the plan of salvation to the dead.. How a Third Heaven if no second or first?  Joseph Smith put rest of pieces in place to understand the plan.   Did not angels appear in ancient times?  Because JS was the instrument to restore the Gospel. Don’t trade what you do know for some small thing you don’t know.  Where will you go to learn the truth? “This is the only true and living church on the whole earth,” said the Lord.

 

Kent D. Watson:  “ Except ye shall be humble and full of love…tempered in all things…”  Why be tempered? Exercising restraint…refraining from anger…in spiritual sense a divine attribute of Jesus Christ…a gift available through the Holy Ghost, long suffering, goodness, meekness, faith and temperance.. not self willed, not soon angry, self control…set not your hearts on the things of this world…long suffering, being temperate in all things… not pride but diligent and temperate in all things.. examine our expectations, patient…windshield of car is tempered glass…under stress not easily breaking into jagged sharp pieces…one who is humble and full of love, has increased spiritual strength, moderation and tempered anger, vanity and pride…protect ourselves from dangerous addictions…in debt over our heads…impatient world full of contention…strife of words and contest.. avoiding the excesses of this world.   Keeping covenants…as our Savior, we should repent and become as a little child… with full purpose of heart…my kindness shall not depart from thee… be patient in afflictions… govern your house in meekness and be steadfast….He was oppressed and afflicted and opened not his mouth…  no anger… with unsurpassed self restraint.. his thoughts were of us… “

 

Neil L. Andersen: ( just called recently)  “ His arms outstretched.. of love…forgiving.. comforting…be wrapped in his arms…arms of mercy extended towards them.. repent and I will receive you…”  When we sin we turn away from God, when we repent we turn to God.   Return toward God.  The Savior is able and eager to forgive our sins.   There is no sin that cannot be forgiven except choosing to be son of perdition.  Joy and peace of conscience.  “That I may heal you.” For most repenting is quiet and private.  More a journey.  Requires swimming upstream…”If any man come after me, let him deny himself.”  Kindness and unselfishness.  WE feel the changes we need to make. Don’t excuse ourselves.  “it is too difficult to change?”  HE knows and has felt your pain, I have engraven ye on the palms of my hands.  Until we get close to the top of the mountain and look back to see our progress…see our life more clearly…HG working more strongly within us..  Why does sadness for our mistakes continue after repentance?  Scriptures don’t say we will forget, but the Lord will forget…forsaking of sins means never returning…anguish of our guilt will subside with time… relief will come in the timetable of the Lord… do not procrastinate… in this life it is never too late to repent.  Repentance blesses those we love… into our posterity…”

 

Elder Boyd K. Packer:  “ NO father would send his children without way to communicate with Him and return to HIM.  None of us left here alone.  The Spirit can prompt you and protect you.  Works in all men and children. One of the Adversary’s sharpest tools is to convince us we are not worthy of inspiration.  Your mind is in charge and the body the instrument of the mind.  Ye shall feel that it is right…burning in your bosom.  Prayer is your personal key to heaven.  With the temptation is the way to escape it. “

 

I listen to Paul Cardall's uplifting and beautiful music every week on Sundays because it is so relaxing, and attended his Benefit concert and spoke with Sam Payne, Kurt Bestor, the promoter and others who love him so that night. He honored us with one of his compositions, I will never forget what a gift to us all this man is. Let us all remember Paul in our prayers:  Thank the Lord:  He has been blessed with a heart transplant!!!

By Carrie A. Moore

Deseret News

Published: Sunday, Aug. 23, 2009 10:21 p.m. MDT

 

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A Vision of LDS Youth Today

From The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Friday, February 27, 2009 at 10:24am
A video produced by a Salt Lake City seminary teacher, explores the questions and challenges that LDS Youth are facing in the world today.
It's from a new LDS themed web site http://www.ldswhy.com... (read more)

Preparedness

1 Thes 5:1-9 ye need not let it overtake you...

Community Food Co-op of Utah

how to join:  https://foodco-op.net/the_basics/how_to_join.html

locations to pick up your food:  https://foodco-op.net/distribution_site/list

monthly food selections: https://foodco-op.net/the_food/monthly_food_selections
 

RECIPES: https://foodco-op.net/the_food/recipes

order form attached

you have to volunteer 2 hours in exchange.  there's a schedule of available times.  the minimum is $5 to sign up.

UTAH COUNTY:  https://foodco-op.net/distribution_site/list

thank you  Victoria Klingonsmith
 

This is some great set of basic tips I never found anywhere else about basic preparedness:



1- What's going to happen is going to happen. 2- Don't let it overtake you.
Journal of Discourses 21 pg 264
If we fail to listen, we fail to see these things that have been predicted. God planned ahead. We are the only covenant people. There are lots of "faith promoting" rumors- DON'T fall for them! Follow the brethren, and "Do it." When the children of Israel were in the dessert, God took care of their needs (manna, water, clothes). When they got to the promised land, they had to start taking care of those needs themselves. When we have done all we can do, He will take care of the rest for us.

WATER- MUST HAVE!
Reccomendation- 1/gal/person/day For pets, large dogs, same as people; small, 1/2 of that. Think of your pets now! "Homeland Security" recommends 3/gal/day/person. If it's clean when you put it away, & in a clean container, it will be good for a year or so. *********** It will take the taste of anything it's on or around, like if it's sitting on concrete, or in a garage with chemicals.**************** If you use an already used container, it will take-on or percolate in whatever was in it. Soda bottles and anything you'd drink in normal times, is ok to store water in. Somethings may be ok for handwashing or other non-drinking uses.

You can leave your blue barells outside but leave 4" headroom for freezing. Algae is natural and it will happen if stored too long. Some is ok for us too.(?) He suggested covering it with green kool-aid- YUCK! Clean water - there is not 1 perfect solution. Each way brings a different problem to the table. Every solution has good and bad. Boiling- must have a lot of wood or other energy, and a pot to boil it in. Zeolite- it's expensive.Iodine shortens exposure time- to radiation? Filters are expensive. Batteries are expensive and run out. There are solar battery chargers! Drops or pills- expensive. Purifier- takes room. bleach- 95% fillers that are NOT good for our bodies. It has 1 year shelf-life. After that, the chlorine is gone and all that's left is the 95% fillers! Swimming pool chlorine is just chlorine. You use just 1/4 teaspoon of it for a 55 gallon barrel of water as opposed to 1/4 cup of bleach! It's slow and needs 24 hours to be effective. Let it sit another 24 hours to dissipate. Don't ration your water in a crisis. Drink it and find more as you go or tomorrow.

In an earthquake 9,000 die from lack of water, then 35,000 die from the extended lack of water! Have a realistic plan. Father never tells us to wait and it will be perfect. It won't! Our stake is getting powdered chlorine in bulk this month (April) if you want me to get some for you too. It's $14.50 at wally for a canister of ~2 lbs.

FOOD
Joseph of Egypt stored 7 years' worth of food for Egypt and had enough to spare/sell. We were originally told to have 7 years too. Then it was changed to 3 years, then ONE. Our leaders have not budged from that. Now the baby steps are 3 months worth and work up to 1, 2, 3 years. We have been counseled to have 72 hour kits. Fema/le has taken this idea and doesn't credit where they got it from! They also recommend having 1 year's worth of food at home. The recommendation is 300 lbs wheat for adults. The church sells 95% white wheat. It's easier on the body that hasn't gotten used to eating it in "normal" times.
75 lbs lentils and legumes recommended. Old ones make good shot! If the food is rancid, even chickens won't eat it! And have SALT! Every family is different so pay attention to your needs and act accordingly. From people who survived WW2, they recommend having cooking oil, alcohol, yes, the kind for drinking! nylons, chocolate, little presents, and shells. The Germans planned for 300 lbs of wheat for each prisoner. That provided a tiny "loaf" of bread about the size of a dinner roll- 2"x3"x4"- that was their breakfast, lunch AND dinner!

3 months version -if there is a job loss, a broken leg, child in hospital,... this buys you time to transition to long term storage. We should also have comfort foods, things for special days- birthdays, holidays.

The Titanic builder, Anderson, said it had 5 chambers to keep it afloat. Well, we know who said what... and that they didn't observe the warnings they had, so lt us find our chamber that will keep us afloat.

SANITATION

A port-a-potty, a different colored bucket! Fill it with stuff you need.
A garden pressure sprayer. Keep it new- put it away and do NOT use it with round-up!
Keep it clean from day one. Psycologically, it will be very important to keep clean. Privacy will be very important. Make a privacy shelter or buy one. Build an outhouse, a slit trench, or use an old chair with a hole cut in it! If people don't relieve themselves, it will cause different problems! It needs to be close enough and still be private. Think of the ages and abilities you have to deal with. It takes time to dig a trench.
Have a handwashing station. A water jug with holes in the top, or one with a nail in the bottom- pull out the nail and water comes out. Plug it up again with the nail. A jug painted black will absorb the sunshine.

WASTE DISPOSAL-

Rules- NEVER leave it on the surface- it attracts rodents and is UNSIGHTLY! Have it a minimum of 200' from water source, drains, or living areas.
Have digging tools- shovel, post hole digger, pick, mattock. Cover the pit, or with ashes or lime. It will keep smell down and animals out. Can use a garbage can lined with 2 garbage bags with a layer of shredded newspaper or ashes between bags. Put a bungee cord across the top to keep it closed tightly. Secure it to a tree or ? to keep it from falling over. Use biodegradable bags so if and when things return to normal, you don't feel like you have to go dig it up. YUCK!!! Spray with dilutes bleach spray to keep it clean-ish. Keep it out of high traffic area. Garbage is anything that will attract pests- more liquidy, foodscraps, diapers...
Trash is consumer leftovers. Burn what is possible use the ash to put over toilet. Avoid piles and think of how things can be used over like they did in the great depression.
Lice- use denorex shampoo. It killsthem! But use it sparingly, not everyday. It's a coal-tar extract.
*If you take care of someone who is contagious, put another set of clothes on top and take them off before you go home or inside. Don't take chances, burn them if neccessary.*

HYGIENE-
Wash hands as often as neccessary. Use waterless handsoap, have LOTS of lotion too! And powder for feet. Sponge baths with vinegar on sponges. Keep hair pinned up and covered. Brush your teeth! Dishes- have a bag for each person to hang them in and keep off the ground, use paper plates and burn them.

LAUNDRY-
Have a plunger and galvanized tub, or washboard, or a hand washer with a handle. Keep clean!

Find out of your town has a plan. Practice- go camping and see if you are ready!

EARTHQUAKES-

The gov says if there's one in Calif or Utah, they will survive because they are self-sufficient! Are we??? Dan Rather said about Y2K, "If you get in trouble, see a Mormon."!!! Get 6 mil clear plastic to cover your windows - 2 layers - 1 inside 1 outside and use duct tape or staple gun to secure it. If it gets ripped by wind, cover over that. The more layers the better! Make sure you have clear plastic because if you use blankets and it's dark, you'll be causing another problem, especially if you don't have enough blankets to keep warm. * Light keeps people from despair.*

HEAT and LIGHT-

Light keeps people from despair. Light presides in darkness. 2- 55 gallon drums of kerosene will do for a Utah winter Buy a kerosene heater ~ 30 BTU's with a tremblor switch, if it falls, fuel shuts off. It's 99.9% clean. It gives off carbon DIOXIDE, good for us! Propane gives off carbon MONOXIDE, not good for us! oil lamp- creosote, Get it home and fill and burn it 3 times to prepare it. If you wait until you need it, it's too late. Kerosene- Store off the ground, it doesn't care about heat, light, or cold, but water will kill it. It lasts 5 years. A product called STABILE makes it last 25-30 years!

COOKING-

A kerosene heater can be cooked on too! He recommends a pressure cooker.

You can fix it now. D &C 19:33 counsels us that if we slight this counsel, the miseries will be on ourselves. This is an area we CAN be perfect in!

Food Storage 411


by Ashton Kelley

Don’t know where to start on food storage? You’re not alone. Now it’s time to set aside the excuses and overcome the typical obstacles with a few simple tips.

 

Preparing a one-year supply of food can be expensive and time consuming - not to mention frustrating. But never fear! Experts Donnie Saba, owner of food storage company Better to Be Ready, and Crystal Godfrey, food storage expert and author of I Can't Believe It's Food Storage, have helped identify what barriers people face in preparing their food storage and how to overcome them. While you may find yourself nodding along with these common problems and food storage misconceptions, if you use the tips that follow, you can make your food storage useful, affordable, and best of all, tasty!
 


 


Problem: Too Much, Too Fast
 


Many people get overwhelmed by the thought of accumulating the recommended amount of food storage. But don't confuse the goal with the first step. A one-year supply of food storage is not something that can be thrown together in one day. If you do it all at once, your wallet and your determination will both call it quits.
 


Solution: A one-year supply is something that needs to be worked on a little bit at a time. Start by purchasing a few extra cans of soup or jars of spaghetti sauce at the grocery store each week. Then, try purchasing a week's supply of food and gradually build your reserves from there.
 


Misconception: Food Storage Belongs in Storage
 


The majority of families who store food neglect to do anything else with it. It just remains in storage until it rots. They think that, once it is all put together, it will just sit there and be ready when that big emergency comes. If you want to have food storage that you can put together once and not worry about again for twenty-five years, store freeze-dried foods that have a twenty-five year shelf life. However, storing extra supplies of everyday foods are important, too.
 


Crystal Godfrey says, "People don't realize that emergencies happen every day. We run out of milk, forget to bring cookies to something, etc." Food storage is not a someday-useful space eater; it will prepare you for both the big and the small emergencies that come daily.
 


Problem: What Food to Buy
 


One of the big mistakes people make in their food storage is buying a full year's supply of one product at a time. For example, to start off, you might buy a one-year supply of ingredients for wheat bread.
 


Solution: "People get very tired of eating the same thing meal after meal for extended periods of time. Instead, they should buy a little of many different things so that there is more of a balance," says Donnie Saba. "If you don't know how or you don't like to cook, I recommend you go with freeze-dried food storage because it is the easiest to prepare - just add water!" Mill Harvest food storage has some delicious freeze-dried options, such as beef teriyaki, lasagna, and chicken a la king.
 


Misconception: I'll Have to Learn New Recipes to Use the Storage
 


When people imagine cooking with food storage, they think of cooking a meal of oatmeal and powdered milk. Very tasty. But don't be fooled into this notion! Preparing your own food storage is a great opportunity to make sure that if an emergency does come, your family won't have to adjust to a new diet on top of all the other stresses.
 


Prepare your food storage according to what you like to eat. If your family loves vegetables, buy vegetables that can be stored, and then incorporate those into your daily meals. If they love meat, you can buy dried meats that can be cut up and used in your meals. You don't have to learn any new recipes; just plan your food storage around the family favorites.
 


Misconception: It Never Tastes Good
 


Maybe you had powdered milk everyday as a kid and are forever tainted against food storage. But food storage meals have come a long way, and there are countless ways to spice up a meal cooked from food storage supplies. One way to do this is to keep your storage stocked with herbs and spices to give flavor to your meals. This way, your food will taste fresh and savory. "It is also a good idea to have some sort of candy, or ingredients to make your family's favorite dessert," Saba adds. A real catastrophe will be difficult to bear, and some goodies will help lighten the mood.
 


Misconception: All I Need Is Food
 


Don't forget about the most essential part of your meal - water! Humans have been known to survive weeks without food, but the body can only survive three to five days without water.
 


Be sure to consider water storage as you prepare your food storage. Water can be stored in thoroughly cleaned water bottles or in large blue water barrels. Make sure to store at least four quarts of water for each person, per day, through the full year. Replace water every six months.
 


Problem: Food Storage is Too Expensive
 


It's true that if you go out today and purchase a full year's worth of food for your whole family, it will be very expensive. But beginning an emergency supply of food doesn't have to be.
 


Solution: Find ways to earn your food storage. Saba says that his company will help you by giving you some food storage in exchange for hosting one of their Emergency Parties. (Visit bettertobeready.com to find out how you can host a party for your neighborhood and get free food storage products.)
 


Misconception: It Will Go Bad Before I Ever Need It
 


Your food storage won't do you much good if it is spoiled by the time you need it. What a waste, right? "It doesn't have to be," Godfrey says. She recommends that you cook with supplies from your food storage every day, and when you go grocery shopping, replace it. That way you are not spending very much extra money (buying food storage is like buying other groceries), and your storage will be good year-round, for years to come.
 


One system that could help you keep your food storage fresh is one that rotates your canned foods for you, so that you don't have to keep track of which cans are oldest. Using a system like this will help you use your food, and keep it fresh.
 


Problem: What if the Food Storage Doesn't Survive a Catastrophe?
 


This is a scary possibility that can dissuade you from trying to put together food storage. Why put in so much time and energy if it's just going to get lost in a flood or house fire?
 


Solution: Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone said, "Now what about those who would plunder and break in and take that which we have stored for our families' needs? Don't give this one more idle thought. Do you suppose [God] would abandon those who have kept His commandments?" ("Food Storage," Ensign, May 1976, 116). Don't fear for your food storage. Find relief in the knowledge that even through economic difficulties and natural disasters, your family will know where their next meal is coming from.
 


Misconception: I'll Start Once I Understand It All
 


Being the type of people to search out knowledge, we may have the desire to become experts at our food storage before we start. But don't forget that practice makes perfect. You probably will not become a food storage expert until you begin your system through trial and error.
 


Get out there and get the experience. That is how you will find out what works best for your family's storage needs. Stocking food storage is an ongoing process as you figure out what works, and you won't know what products will work best for your family's diet until you try them.
 


 


 
Thought I'd pass this one on because, not only is it a good object lesson, but a marriage saver. I have practiced myself. An old saint I knew (who has passed over, along with his beloved wife, Rebecca) once gave his answer as to why his marriage was so long and successful. He held up three feeble fingers and said, "Three things . . . CARE, SHARE, FORBEAR." He placed a little body language on that last one, as it is probably the most important. Everyone has weaknesses. In a marriage, you want to scrutinize yourself FIRST, then your partner, and consciously seek to be strong WHERE THE OTHER MAY BE WEAK(er), without "informing" the other of the weakness, which only starts an undying verbal war. Keep it to yourself, and simply BE PROACTIVE in your mercies. It will (eventually) be reciprocated. thanks mm.
 

When I was a little boy, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said: "Baby, I love burned biscuits."

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides - a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!"

You know, life is full of imperfect things.....and imperfect people. I'm not the best housekeeper or cook. What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults - and choosing to celebrate each other's differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

And that's my prayer for you today. That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker! We could extend this to any relationship in fact - as understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!


 
 


If you'd like to contact our experts with questions, e-mail Donnie Saba at ds@bettertobeready.com, or Crystal Godfrey at crystal.godfrey@gmail.com.


"Virtue"
  -by Shauna Gibby

The Center of a Flower Conference Talk:
For more information on this topic read "A Return to Virtue," by Elaine S. Dalton, Ensign, Nov. 2008, 78-80.

Thoughts:
Virtue begins in the heart and in the mind. It is nurtured in the home. It is the accumulation of thousands of small decisions and actions.

(Elaine S. Dalton, "A Return to Virtue," Ensign, Nov 2008, 78-80)

Song:
"Hum Your Favorite Hymn," Children's Songbook, p. 152.

Scripture:
Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.

(Doctrine and Covenants 121:45)

Object Lesson:
Materials needed: A beat-up, dirty, rusty hanger; a new unused hanger; and a beautiful delicate article of clothing.

Procedure: Display the hangers and the clothing. Ask on which hanger you should hang the clothing. Discuss why.

Explain that when we allow our bodies or minds to be used in an unrighteous or worldly way our spirituality becomes dirty and rusty. Just as we would not want to hang our best and most delicate clothing on this hanger (hold up the dirty hanger), the Lord does not wish to cloak us with some very sacred, beautiful experiences (temple, priesthood) until our lives are in order and we are ready to receive them. (You may wish to discuss repentance and what could be done to make the hanger ready to be used again.)

(Beth Lefgren and Jennifer Jackson, More Power Tools for Teaching, [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1991], p.8.)

Story:
When I was about ten years old, we lived in a home surrounded by an orchard. There never seemed to be enough water for the trees. The ditches were always fresh-plowed in the spring, but after the first few irrigating turns, the weeds would spring up in the ditch bottoms and soon they were choked with water grass, June grass, and redroot. One day, in charge of the irrigating turn, I found myself in trouble. As the water moved down the rows choked with weeds, it carried enough leaves and grass and debris to lodge against the weed stocks and flood the water from the ditch. I raced through the puddles, trying to build the banks up a little higher, to keep the water in the channel. As soon as I had one break patched up there would be another one flooding over in another spot.

About that time an older brother came through the lot with a friend of his who was majoring in agriculture. He watched me for a moment, then with a few vigorous strokes of the shovel he cleared the weeds from the dampened ditch bottom and allowed the water to course through the channel he had dug.

"You will waste the whole irrigating turn patching up the banks," he said. "If you want the water to stay on its course, you have to make a place for it to go."

 

Activity:
Print the following on wordstrips:

  • Dating
  • Dress/Appearance
  • Friendship
  • Honesty
  • Language
  • Movies/Books
  • Music/Dancing
  • Sexual Purity
  • Sabbath Day

Refreshment:
Yvoni's Pineapple Cake

  • 1 yellow pudding-in-the-mix cake mix
  • 1/2 cup cream of coconut
  • 1/2 cup pineapple juice
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained

 


 

Behind Every Good Man
���- Excerpt by John Bytheway

A married couple holding hands Although it may be a righteous desire to want someone else to live up to his or her potential more fully, you can't order a change of heart for another person. That being said, however, there are many things that might help. So take heart!

A few years ago, at a Time Out for Women event in Cincinnati, I sat with a few of the faculty eager to begin a Q & A session. Near the end of our lighthearted exchange with the attendees, one woman raised her hand and said, "How can we get our husbands to take the lead on things like Family Home Evening and Scripture study?

We were stumped. At least I was. How do you answer a question like that in two minutes? You can't - at least not adequately.

The answer to the quesiton the sister asked in Ohio would begin like this:
 

  1. There are no easy answers.
  2. There are a number of things that might help.
  3. Service
  4. Even if the ideas that follow don't help with your specific problem, I have no doubt that they will bless your marriage in other ways.

 

Criticism Doesn't Bring Change

We know that the Spirit has the power to change people, and we also know something that doesn't. Rarely is anyone criticized into change. It just doesn't work. And criticism is offensive to the Spirit of the Lord, the very Spirit that is a vital ingredient to help our marriage grow.

Knowing what we know about marriage in the Lord's plan, it should be obvious to us that Satan wants us to dwell on the faults of our spouses. He loves it when we focus on their shortcomings and let our frustrations fester. Satan wants to see our marriages struggle. He delights in our resentments and our contention. He longs to hear criticism. He wants pride. As the evil spirit, he doesn't want the Holy Spirit anywhere near our marriages, because the Holy Spirit brings growth and humility and change for the better. When I'm tempted to think of the things I wish my wife would do, I simply think of things I should be doing, and I'm suddenly very forgiving. The critical spirit leaves, a spirit of humility returns, and my focus turns more inward.

The fact is, we need each other. Satan knows this, so he tries to turn us into adversaries. In our popular culture, women criticize men, and men criticize women. Current philosophies teach that women don't need men, and men don't need women, and that we would all be more "liberated" without marriage. One writer even suggested that marriage is "slavery for women."

Read More »

 

RECIPES:

Baja Bonanza Cilantro Chicken

  • 2 pounds frozen chicken breasts
  • 2 14-ounce cans chicken broth
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges
  • 1 handful chopped, fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons seasoned salt


Place the frozen chicken and chicken broth in the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. Squeeze lime juice over the chicken. Discard all but 2 of the wedges; place those in with the chicken. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Simmer for approximately 8 hours on low heat. When the chicken is done, take 2 forks and shred the chicken. Keep in the slow cooker and serve in natural juices over rice or as part of another dish. Freeze leftover chicken to use in burritos, tacos, enchiladas, or to make a great chicken sandwich. Serves 6 to 8.

 

 

  
   


 


 

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