pjs party!

there we have it! i have successfully made it through my second additional relief society meeting (homemaking for the old school?) and this time round? a pjs party. prayers journals scriptures.

we had the evening in the chapel overflow - which we made into a lounge room - using the chapel couches - heaps of cushions and some throw rugs. all the sisters in our ward were asked to wear pjs (or at least an item of pyjama type attire eg. slippers, beanie, bathrobe - something) as though they were getting ready for bed. cause that's what it was all about... the three things we should focus on before going to bed each night.

we had three of the sisters in our ward speak on one each of the topics - and pass along some pearls of wisdom which we also included in a handout...

prayer

· pray always and I will pour my spirit out upon you.

· be specific in your prayers

· kneel at your bed when you pray

· when you ask heavenly father for guidance, be sure you follow his counsel

· standing tall: you reach the greatest heights while on your knees

· prayer is the best exercise of all for toning, building and shaping up your life

· let your requests be made known to god

journals

1. be consistent

make journal writing a habit by planning a specific time or day when you will write in your journal, such as every evening before you go to bed, before you have breakfast, or during lunch. if you don't have enough time to write every day, pick a specific day of the week when you will write. sundays are perfect for since journal writing makes a great sabbath day activity, one the whole family can enjoy. writing consistent journal entries will make future reading more enjoyable.

2. be complete (date everything!)

the ensign article, "my journal, a vital record" teaches: "in addition to sharing thoughts and feelings, your journal is a record of your life’s events. for future reference, be sure to include complete information: names (first and last), dates (including the year), and places (city, state, or other information applicable to your country). don’t assume that people and events you know intimately will be familiar to your future readers. it may seem tedious at first to add these details, but future readers will be grateful for your efforts." (preston draper, sept. 2004, 72)

3. vary your entries

make sure you write your feelings and thoughts about the things going on in your life. "don’t become obsessed with fact to the exclusion of emotion." (my journal, a vital record)

4. be organized

do you have more than one journal?

do you save letters, calendars, poetry, or other journal entries?

get everything together

make an index of all your items

write down each item, the dates (beginning and end), and a description of the actual item

keep all your journal items together in a box, notebook, or other organizational kit

place your index at the beginning with your first journal

5. asking yourself questions:

what would you like to remember about yourself?

what has the lord done for you?

what would you like to tell your children or grandchildren about yourself?

don't give up!

no matter how much time has passed since your last entry, don't be discouraged, what's important is that you write in your journal today!

scriptures

love the scriptures

“wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of god and of all men. wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the father: ye shall have eternal life.” -2 nephi 31:20

“and it supposeth me that they have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of god, yea, the word which healeth the wounded soul.” -Jacob 2:8

study the scriptures using preach my gospel (chapter 3 and chapter 6)

“liken” what you learn to yourself -1 nephi 19:23

substitute your name in a verse of scripture to personalize it

make a list of your favourite scriptures

memorize your favourites and share them often

we finished the evening off with winter soup, maori bread and desserts. yummmm. and of course - the swap table. love it!