We sure enjoyed Stake Women's Conference with each of you on Saturday! Below are some photos taken that day. Thank you to all who helped make our Women's Conference a huge success! We felt truly blessed by the spirit we felt through words and music from One Clear Voice and also from the company and food we enjoyed. We have a wonderful group of Relief Society sisters in our stake!

Stake Women's Conference Photos

Stake RS Women's Conference - This coming Saturday, January 28th beginning at 10:00am

Stake Women's Conference

We invite all Relief Society Sisters and Laurels to our annual

STAKE RELIEF SOCIETY WOMEN'S CONFERENCE

TRUST IN THE LORD

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Beginning at 10:00 AM

Lehi Utah Stake Center

200 North Center Street

Special guest speakers and musical performance by 

ONE CLEAR VOICE

Following our program, please join us for

a light brunch in the Cultural Hall

ONE CLEAR VOICE BIO

Separately their names are Tanya Barkdull, Johanne Perry, LaRene Tinney, and Tammy Robinson. Separately they have four husbands, fourteen children, and decades of studio and live performance experience. But put them together to sing and it all melts into One Clear Voice.

Since their 2006 debut album, One Clear Voice has earned four distinguished awards for: Inspirational Album, Sacred Song, New Artist, and Group of the Year.  Their second album, “Go Without Knowing” was released in December, 2009.

Johanne has been seen around the world on PBS in "Polly--A One Woman Musical".  While attending BYU she was a Young Ambassador and graduated in Music/Dance/Theater.  She is an organic gardener and makes the world’s best homemade bread.

Tammy is a Music Education graduate who teaches voice lessons and is always welcoming new students.  She has earned many prestigious awards for her singing and songwriting and writes the vocal arrangements for One Clear Voice.

LaRene enjoys dance and musical theater, holds a degree in Family Science and was also a Young Ambassador at BYU.  She was once thrilled to be an invited guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show.

Tanya has sung on over 1000 recordings, including music for, “Jay Leno”, “The Oprah Winfrey Show”, and Disney's "One Hundred and One Dalmations".  She’s been privileged to record with artists such as Collin Raye, Donny Osmond and Gladys Knight.  She wasn’t a Young Ambassador, doesn’t garden or write songs, ...but she’s funny!

Relief Society Spotlight - Sister Marilyn Adams

With many thoughts of giving on my mind lately, I have been thinking about several people…particularly Relief Society sisters who have affected for good my life and the lives of many others. I would like to share with you one such Relief Society sister and dear, sweet friend…who so many times…(well, alwaysJ) has been the epitome of a giving, Christ-like person. Her name is Marilyn Adams.

Sister Marilyn Adams is a beloved member of the Lehi 5^th Ward. She has spent her life in the service of her family and so many others. She supported her seven sons as they all earned their Eagle Scout Awards. Marilyn was very active in the Scouting Program, and I am sure her great influence helped many young men learn and grow not only in Scouting, but for life. I have often heard many 5^th warders comment on how Marilyn always taught her children how to serve others and that she would be right there with them helping someone in need.

Sister Adams is a very talented person…she has crocheted and knitted many things, such as: scarves, hats, sweaters, socks, earmuffs w/ pretty crocheted flowers on them, towels, wash clothes, hot pads and many things for humanitarian projects. All these things have been made with love for someone else. Her time and talents are surely put to good use.   

Marilyn always wanted to serve a mission with her husband Steve. She said that in order for it to happen they had to plan and focus on it in advance. This goal they worked for became a reality when they received their mission call to the Philippines, Bacolod Mission. They served there from April 2009 – September 2010. Marilyn said that she learned many things on her mission…she said that she realized the importance of slowing down and enjoying what is really important.  She learned that it’s good to relax… “It is what it is…and that we need to go forward.” She learned on a deeper level about how important family is and how important relationships are.  She said, since coming home from their mission, they have really focused on having good relationships.  Marilyn said, “So you can replace the worldly things, but if you don’t have good relationships – what are the worldly things worth?”

One of the things Marilyn focused on doing during her mission, was to write in her journal. She faithfully wrote in her journal every day. During their mission she filled 3 journals! Marilyn said her journals were for her children and grandchildren. What a great gift she has given to them!

Marilyn said that in the Philippines she noticed how Christianity was so important to the people there. She realized what a great influence it can have in our lives if we let it shine out more. Well… Marilyn, you are a shining example of a Christ-like person to us all!

Marilyn said that her all time favorite quote is, “NO ACT OF KINDNESS IS EVER WASTED,” and her favorite Hymn is #219, “Because I Have Been Given Much.”   

Thank You Sister Marilyn Adams  for your never ending, sweet, loving example and influence of giving your time, talents and all your heart to each one of us…We surely do love you!

This story was shared with the 1st ward Relief Society on Sunday. We received permission from Sister Shirlean Stone to share this on our blog.  This is a beautiful true story about giving and receiving, from a beautiful, sweet sister in our Stake.   
Thank you Sister Stone and Sister Williams!

The Christmas Doll Parable

By Peggy K. Williams, (written as she remembers Shirlean telling her.)

My husband and I had the pleasure of living next door to Kay and Shirlean Stone for several years when we were first married. We were additionally fortunate to have this sweet couple as our home teachers while we lived in the Lehi First Ward. It was during a home teaching visit one December that Shirlean shared the following Christmas experience from her childhood.

As a child, Shirlean loved her dolls. She had a special place in her room just for them. Despite the fact that she played with them often, they were kept in perfect order and condition because she cherished each one dearly. While all her dolls were loved, Shirlean had one doll of which she was especially fond. Of all her dolls Shirlean thought this particular doll she had named Diane was the most beautiful.

One December day when Shirlean was 9 or 10 years old, her mother came to her and told her there was a nearby family that was struggling financially. Shirlean’s parents had decided they wanted to make Christmas a little merrier for this family and they extended the invitation to their children to help. There was a little girl in the family that was about Shirlean’s age. Shirlean’s  mother asked her if she’d like to give one of her dolls to the neighbor girl for Christmas.  Shirlean thought it over and agreed.

“Now which doll do I give away?” she thought to herself.  Shirlean studied each doll, made her selection and took her second favorite doll to show her mother. “Well, if that’s the one you want to give her, okay,” her mother said with a hint of disappointment in her voice.

Shirlean felt a twinge inside as she walked back to her room. She knew how she loved to receive nice things. She also knew that her second favorite doll’s hair didn’t look quite as beautiful as Diane’s hair. Her second-favorite doll also showed the wear of having been ‘loved’ longer than Diane.

“If Jesus had to pick which doll to give away He would give Diane to the little girl,” Shirlean thought to herself. Once the idea ‘I want to be like Jesus’ entered her mind, Shirlean knew what Jesus would do. She knew He would give His best, and she picked Diane too!

With her very most favorite doll in her arms, Shirlean and her mom went to visit the family. As her mother briefly explained the purpose of their visit and handed the parents a box full of Christmas cheer, Shirlean offered their little daughter her beautiful, beloved Diane. Shirlean’s emotions were mixed as the transfer was made. But once Diane was nestled in the little girl’s arms, Shirlean felt complete joy. The little girl’s lips curled into a smile of appreciation as she hugged her new doll. The visit was brief; Christmas wishes were exchanged; and the door closed behind them.

As Shirlean and her mother returned home, a warm feeling spread through her little body bearing witness that she had given “the good gift” and that Jesus was proud of her act of charity. “This is a beautiful Christmas,” she thought to herself.

On Christmas afternoon  Shirlean  and her family piled into the car to visit nearby friends. With the small house full of four adults and the children from two families,  Shirlean and a her friend decided to take a walk. The two girls engaged in conversation as they continued for some distance. Suddenly  Shirlean recognized the house she and her mother had visited earlier to deliver the Christmas goodies. Her smile at the memory faded quickly as her eyes caught sight of something lying in the snow. In disbelief her brain tried to make sense of what she saw. Diane? That couldn’t be Diane! Her beloved and beautiful Diane was lying askew on the cold frozen snow.

Immediately tears welled up in Shirlean’s eyes. How could her “good gift” be left abandoned in the snow? How could the little neighbor girl care so little for the doll Shirlean sacrificed to give her? There was a lump in Shirlean’s throat. A lump that repeated swallowing would not remove. Shirlean had never felt this way before.

Later Shirlean poured out her heart to her mother. Tears streamed down  Shirlean’s cheeks as she relived her devastation. A very wise mother then taught her that they had given their gifts to cheer up the family and to make the little girl happy. That purpose had been accomplished. She continued to say that Heavenly Father blessed Shirlean for the perfect gifts he gave freely. He didn’t bless her for the way the gift was received by another.

Shirlean never forgot the lesson she learned at Christmas so many years ago. Her mother’s words have guided the way she has chosen to give throughout her life. Always she gives “the good gift” to others and leaves the rest to Heavenly Father.

What a touching story. Every time I think of Shirlean’s experience I am reminded of another gift. The gift I refer to was given at Christmas time over 2,000 years ago when a loving Father in Heaven sent His Son as a gift to every soul who had and would be born on this earth. Our Father loves His Son in ways we can’t begin to comprehend. Truly He loves His perfect, obedient Son just as His Son loves Him. We are the recipients of their love—each and every one of us whether we accept that love or not.

I wonder when our Heavenly Father looks down upon His children if He shakes His head in disbelief. I wonder if His eyes well up in tears at what He sees His children doing with His gift. I wonder if His heart aches when He sees that His gift to the world is cast aside or left “lying on the snow”?

This wondrous, amazing gift was freely given. To accept this gift all we need to do is live our lives as our Father and His Son would have us live.

I invite you to ask yourself this question: “Have I accepted His gracious gift with love and appreciation?"

In Luke 2:19 it says,

“But Mary kept all these things,

And pondered them in her heart.”

I have been thinking about that scripture and everything it teaches us.  I have thought about the things that Mary ‘kept’ and what ‘all these things’ were. I have also been thinking about what she may have ‘pondered in her heart.’ What a thought provoking scripture on motherhood. Heavenly Father trusted Mary, because she had a mother heart.

On the Mormon Channel Relief Society Program, Sister Sharon Eubank interviews Sister Julie B. Beck on the role of Motherhood. It is a message that can strengthen all women.  To listen click on the Mormon Channel Relief Society Program to the right hand side of this blog, then scroll down to select episode and click on the arrow. Click on episode 11 - Motherhood, in the Question and Answers section.