This Weekend: Stake Conference!

We hope you can all attend what is sure to be an uplifting and wonderful conference!

In case you missed it, here are the details:

March 1-2  

Adult session will be March 1st at 7:00 PM (this year ages 12 - 107 are invited to attend the Saturday session of conference) at the Stake Center

Sunday session will be at 10:00 AM-
This session will be live in the Stake Center and broadcast to the Wildcat, Foothills and Colorado buildings.

If you would like to learn more about how to take advantage of conference, please see this excellent news article printed in the LDS Church News!

And, to try and get you in the Spirit of Conference, here is a nice quote to remember:

Highlands Ranch Stake Youth Variety Show

Come one, come all to the Highlands Ranch Stake Youth Variety Show!

Here's the skinny:

Showtime: Friday, March 14th

7 PM

Stake Center

Try-outs: Friday, February 28th at the Stake Center

Required Tech Rehearsal: Tuesday, March 11th at 6:30 at the Stake Center

Required Dress Rehearsal: Thursday, March 13th at 6:30 at the Stake Center

Youth are needed to assist with things such as publicity, sound, lights, and stage crew. Experience or a willingness to learn is required!

Questions? E-mail Sister Wilson at wandabwilson@gmail.com

Missionary Monday: Sister Oborn Serving In Reno, Nevada

Here are a couple of letters from Sister Oborn, written to her family here in HR:

How was your New Years?  

Our was pretty good.  We couldn't do much.  If we didnt have a set appointment after dinner we had to return to our homes. So we got back home about 8:30pm. Then we cleaned a little bit then planned.  Not too exciting.  But we had an awesome "French Picnic" at the Giles home, and Dan joined us.  It was super fun and I was super full!  But we had a great time.

So it was baptism week!  This past Saturday our investigator Dan was baptized!  I just cannot tell you all how great it was to experience that.  We asked Dan later on how he felt and he said " Words really can't describe what I am feeling."  AHH!  So such a great answer! Then as a surprise.. My companion and I and the other sister missionaries that we serve together in our ward.  We all sang a song.  My first time singing a song in a small group in church. It was really really good.  We had Richie record it so now I will soon have a copy of it. That was a rare experience. 

After the baptism Richie who was baptized about 4 months ago planned for everyone to have a brunch.  We had crepes GALORE! It was so so good too.  Alot of investigators showed up along with alot of Elders who are in our district.  Such a fun experience.

Sunday Jan. 5th, 2014  was confirmation day!  We had 4 confirmations and a baby blessing. So didn't partake of the sacrament till about 11:45am.  Then we had just a few who were able to bare their testimonies.  Then in Sunday school our Ward Mission Leader asked Dan how he felt when we came out of the water and he said " I felt clarity" Ahh! He just has such perfect simple answers. 

We got transfer calls last night.  Sister Toft and I are staying together for at least one more transfer.  The other Sisters Knight and Coy are being split up.. Its sad to seem them be apart but, they have been serving together in this area for over 6 months together. So they are pretty sad today.  But they are being separated for a  reason.  

Well we have a busy week ahead of us.  Gotta find more people who's hearts are ready to hear and learn of the Gospel.

Love you all be safe in all that you do!

Sister Oborn

And one more:

Entering into week 8 here in Reno.  This week was one of the funnest weeks yet. 

This week  Sister Toft and I decided to ride our bikes. It has been soo nice here 

weather wise. Of course we live in the hilliest area in Reno.  So up and down the 

biggest hills all day is such a great workout!  Along with the burning of the 

muscles, there were some great laughs coming from both Sister Toft and I.  
 
Lesson wise,  we had 30 lessons total this past week.  Now looking back I don't 

even know how we are crawling into bed at night.  We have met some new potentials 

this past week though.  One of them her name is Allie, she is about 19 or 20. 

She is super nice and very open to learning more about our church.  
 
I was able to have authentic Indian food this past week at Pushpa's house. 

We were sitting down with a few dishes of different kinds of curry infront of us. 

As we were serving ourselves, Pushpa and her mom kept bringing more dishes out to

us!  There had to have been like 20 different dishes on the table.  Most of the 

dishes were so spicy! My mouth was on fire!! then once Pushpa and her mom sat 

down.  We found out that they were fasting that day, and that when they break 

their fast they only eat vegetarian dishes.  WHAT! haha here there are like 20 

different dishes and only like 4 of them are vegetarian.  Sister Toft and I did

the best that we could to eat what we could.  It was all super good though! 

And I asked why she made so much food for us. She said that in India when you 

have guests come over you make really big meals.  It was super nice of them to 

make this food for us but we definitely did not need all of that food for just 

2 of us who were eating. 
 
So yesterday Cleave and Gloria came to church! They are both in the late 70's, 

and they are both less active.  The CUTEST couple EVER! They remind me a lot of 

my mom and dad.  Cleave is white and has a fun stubborn personality, and Gloria 

is Spanish with a fun bubbly personality but helps everyone that she can no matter 

what.  So i think that is what my parents are going to end up looking like. I 

would be okay with that.     Anyways we have been talking to them about getting 

sealed in the Temple.  We have met with them every week.  But the past two weeks 

we have been talking to them about the Temple.  Each meeting was just amazing! 

They are both them are talking with one another and keeping their commitments 

that we give them each week.  This past week their commitment was for them to 

come to church.. AND THEY DID! They both enjoyed it and had great comments.  We 

are going to stop by this week and see how they are feeling.  
 
Well transfers are in 4 weeks.  We decided to do a 40 fast in our ward. 

So each family that signs up.  We ask them to fast for that day that they are 

feeding us. They are going to be fasting for a missionary opportunity. 

Then at the end of the 40 days we are going to be holding a fireside and have a 

little testimony meeting.  So excited to see how that goes.  We started it all 

yesterday so we shall see! 
 
Well new and exciting things are coming!  Love you all and miss you! 
 
 
Sister Oborn

Sister Oborn is serving from the Northridge Ward in the Reno, Nevada mission.

Sunday's Pinnable Quote: Sister Marriott

Why Mormons Build Temples

Throughout History, the Lord has commanded His people to build temples. Temples are literally houses of the Lord. They are holy places of worship where individuals make sacred promises with God.

In Highlands Ranch, we are lucky enough to live within just  few minutes of the Denver Temple, which is located in Littleton.

Would you like to learn more about Mormon Temples? Check out this video!

Project Linus

Members of the Summit View Ward partnered with Project Linus and JustServe.org to make blankets for kids!

Started right here in Denver, CO, Project Linus is now a world-wide service organization that provides blankets to children in crisis. The blankets are a small but significant gift that bring comfort, peace, and love to children all over the world when they need it most.

To find out more about Project Linus, please visit HERE.

Missionary Monday: Elder Trotman Serving In Pennsylvania

Here is a recent post from Elder Trotman's Blog:

The Savior

Well I'm currently experiencing my first cold/sickness on my mission. My head hurts, I can't breathe and I just want to sleep all day but other than that, all is well.

We've been getting fed a lot because our bishop talked about us during Sacrament Meeting and said that the ward is big enough that we should be in a member's home for dinner with a non-member friend every night. The ward has positively responded and our fridge has been given an over-whelming amount of leftovers. It's starting to get colder here, which is nice.

My favorite hymn right now is "A Child's Prayer" because I know this is not just a song, but it is a true prayer:

1. Heavenly Father, are you really there?
And do you hear and answer ev'ry child's prayer?
Some say that heaven is far away,
But I feel it close around me as I pray.
Heavenly Father, I remember now
Something that Jesus told disciples long ago:
"Suffer the children to come to me."
Father, in prayer I'm coming now to thee.

2. Pray, he is there;
Speak, he is list'ning.
You are his child;
His love now surrounds you.
He hears your prayer;
He loves the children.
Of such is the kingdom, the kingdom of heav'n.

Heavenly Father does answer every child's prayer and as the scriptures tell us to be as a child, we are to pray. We are His children and He answers our prayers. He loves us. He watches over us.

I would like to add one more thing. We had Zone Conference on Thursday this week and it was so inspiring and touching. An elder stood up and said, "Whenever I think about the pre-mortal life, I imagine our Father saying: "I have a plan of happiness for you my children. For this plan to work, it is necessary that one of you go down before your brothers and sisters and teach them about my plan. However, and no matter how much you love them, they will crucify you. You will be filled with immense pain and sorrow, but know, I am here. Who is willing to go done and sacrifice yourself for my children?" Then we see this little figure at the front of the congregation stand up and say, "I will Father. I, Jehovah, your first son, will sacrifice myself for my brothers and sisters.""

I can't even fathom the love Jesus Christ has for us. He has felt your greatest pain. He has felt every tear drop that falls from our eye on His own face. He knows you. He is the only one that can truly comfort you. As He tells John, he tells you personally and individually, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27 I bear my testimony and give unto you my witness of The Savior's peace and love. He loves us more than we will ever comprehend. He will never leave us, even if we try to leave Him. He will, and constantly does, comfort us. He has paid the price and gives us life. He is the son of our God and Father. Our Father hears our prayers and answers them more often than we think. They love us. I love you with all my heart. In the name of Jesus Christ, our dear brother, Amen.

Love,
Elder Trotman

Elder Trotman is currently serving in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania mission from the Daniels Park Ward. You can e-mail  him at derrick.trotman@myldsmail.net. For more information regarding Elder Trotman's mission, please visit his blog at: http://elderderricktrotman.blogspot.com/

Sunday's Pinnable Quote: President Monson

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

Volunteers Jacob McGee, left, and
Jason Hawkes help spruce up the
exterior of a Highlands Ranch
home as part of a partnership
between the HRCAand Just Serve.
The projects involve volunteers
improving distressed properties.

Chris Michlewicz

Posted 12/10/13

as seen in the 
 Highlands Ranch
Herald

In a community of 30,000 homes, there are bound to be a few unkempt yards. 
But it’s not always due to wanton neglect.Over the summer and fall, the exteriors 
of a dozen Highlands Ranch homes were spruced up by a group of enterprising 
volunteers. The homes belong to families in distress, those incurring financial 
hardships, and those who are physically unable to perform upkeep required by the 
community’s covenants. 

“Sometimes they’re elderly or someone who is disadvantaged,” said Mike Bailey, director 
of community improvement services for the Highlands Ranch Community Association.
“A lot of these properties are not necessarily compliance issues; they’re just people who 
need a helping hand.”

That’s where the willing volunteers come in. The series of clean-up projects, 
mostly focusing on landscaping, marked the beginning of the HRCA’s partnership with 
Just Serve, a service organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 
Local Mormon churches were looking to get involved in the community, and the HRCA 
is identifying those in need and facilitating the work.

With 18 full-time missionaries from the U.S. and other countries currently staying in Highlands Ranch, there are plenty of eager, capable hands to pitch in. Each of the missionaries seeks 10 hours of community service every week.

In fact, there are more volunteers than available volunteer work, and Steve Grover, a member of Highlands Ranch’s Just Serve committee, established an e-mail address, highlandsranchjustserve@gmail.com, to solicit ideas from the public. Grover referred to JustServe.org, the clearinghouse for such endeavors, as “Craigslist for service opportunities.”

Jerry Flannery, president of the HRCA, said he wanted to appropriately address the issue of covenant control at distressed homes, and enlisted Bailey’s help to make sure community volunteers were utilized. The partnership also provides a chance for people to see a different side of the HRCA, he said.

“Sometimes we get identified with just enforcing all the time. I wanted to see if there was a way to show residents and community members that we want to help as well,” Flannery said. “When people are facing a hardship, a crisis, the last thing they need is to get a citation from the community association.”

It is Bailey’s job, in part, to make sure that there are extenuating circumstances in each case that result in a legitimate need. The homeowners who receive aid are “entirely grateful” to the volunteers, some of whom return multiple times to make sure the job is finished, Bailey said. He credited the Just Serve coordinators with diving in head-first and making a big difference.

“One thing we can do is provide a lot of people in a hurry for a lot of different projects,” said Ralph Walker, stake president of Highlands Ranch for the Mormon church.

Flannery said the partnership is a “good symbiotic relationship” that will continue to grow in the coming years. He called it a “win-win-win” for those involved and said the HRCA can keep facilitating creative, organic ways to improve Highlands Ranch.

“Even though we’re not a city and county, we’re a public service agency and our goal is to add value to the community. This is a way to can do it,” Flannery said.

My Conversion Story

When I was 16 years old I had a friend by the name of Sarah Nordstrom. Sarah and I used to walk home after school and during this time she would share the gospel with me. I still remember when she shared with me the story of  “The War in Heaven”. I remember thinking that it was the coolest thing ever to hear that we had lived with Heavenly Father before we came to this earth. I grew up Catholic and we were pretty devout. We attended the Catholic Church regularly and my father would read to us out of the Bible or he would make us read out of it. My Father was a very controlling, and abusive man. He would not allow my mother to join us while we read scriptures, her job was to cook and clean.

Around Christmas time Sarah decided to give me a present. When I got home I opened the gift and found that it was a book. No one had ever given me a book as a gift before so I thought this was very unique. I remember reading the cover of the book, which read “The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ”. I thought it was ok to read because it was about Jesus Christ. Shortly after I received it I started reading it. One day as I was sitting on my bed reading the book, my father passed by my room and asked me what I was reading and I said (in Spanish) oh, I’m reading this book called “The Book of Mormon  Another Testament of Jesus Christ”. As he proceeded to enter my room he grabbed the book out of my hands and began tearing out the pages and with anger he began saying things like ‘this is of the devil and I never want to see you reading this ever again. He then started walking away and as I followed him I saw him throw the book in the garbage. I remember feeling like he had invaded my space and destroyed something that mattered to me. I was pretty upset about it, and now I really wanted to read that book. So when I saw Sarah the next day, I never told her what had happened with the copy of the Book Of Mormon that she had given me, all I said to her was ‘Hey Sarah can I get another copy of that book you gave me?’ and she said yeah, sure. It took Sarah a couple of days but she got me another copy. I remember taking it home and waiting until I knew my father was in bed. I would then take the book out from it’s hiding place underneath my mattress and I began to read it. As I began to read the Book I couldn’t put it down. I was so touched by the words and the stories. I had never read something so amazing and wonderful. Growing up in my home Peace was something that we didn’t have much of. My family experienced a lot of pain and abuse growing up. Fear was something I knew very well. The Book provided me with some of that peace that I so yearned for.

I remember one day my father turned to me and out of nowhere he said 'from this moment on I never want you to talk to me, to look at me or have anything to do with me from now on.' So I didn’t and I began to charter my course in life. One of the very first things I did was ask Sarah If I could go to church with her and she said yes, so I started attending church. Soon after I met the missionaries and they started teaching me about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Being the second oldest of seven I felt that my two sisters needed to hear the gospel as well so the missionaries taught all three of us the gospel. We couldn’t have the lessons at my home because I knew my father would not allow it so we had some of the lessons at Sarah’s house and at other times at the park. When it came time for Baptism, I was only 17 years old and I couldn’t get baptized unless I had my parents’ permission. I remember thinking ‘oh no this is never going to happen.’ It was then that the Bishop agreed that I only needed permission from one of my parents. So I went home that Sunday and I asked my mother to write a letter where she would consent for us to be baptized. In her best third grade handwriting in Spanish she wrote a note stating that she gives us permission to be baptized. I remember taking this note to the Bishop and translating it for him and that was all he needed. The baptism was scheduled, my father never knew what we were up to and my mom was not able to attend since she didn’t know how to drive or speak English. The baptisms were performed and we became members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter–Day Saints.

After that, we kept attending church and soon after I left to attend college. I remember driving back home on the weekends so that my sisters and I could attend church. I did that for about a year or so and then I couldn’t do it anymore I was too busy with work and school.  A year later, I became inactive because I was dating a catholic boy and he wanted us to attend the Catholic Church together. Once we broke it off, I decided that I would study abroad in Spain for a year and take it from there. This was a trying time in my life. I needed to decide if the church was going to be in my life or if It wasn’t. So I found a ward near by and began attending it.  After about my second visit the Bishop noticed me and asked me to visit with him. It was then that he wanted to know all about me and about my plans for my future. When I shared with him, my plans for studying abroad he asked ‘Have you ever thought about going on a mission? I told the Bishop that I had never thought about it because I had only been a member for three years and all I knew was the Book of Mormon and nothing else. He then said, why don’t you go home/school housing and read your Patriarchal Blessing. I remember receiving my patriarchal blessing but I could not remember where I had left it. After I found it and as I began reading it I couldn’t believe what I was reading. In about the fourth paragraph it said “Now, young lady, you have much to do in the next few years. The Lord wants you to fulfill a mission. I bless you that you will have the strength and the ability and the desire to fulfill a mission for this church. I bless you that you will be a successful missionary.” I remember thinking how did the Bishop know?  I had received the answer as to the direction I was to go.

I had received a call to serve in the Texas Fort Worth English speaking mission for a year and a half. A year after returning from my mission, I was married in the Los Angeles Temple with my husband for Time and all Eternity. We now have three beautiful children and I have been able to do some Temple work for my ancestors. 

It took me about a year to read that hidden Book of Mormon cover to cover.  It has now been 22 years since I have spoken to my father. I don’t regret anything I have done. The Lord has blessed me in more ways than I can think of. I have a testimony that I know that this is the restored gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ. I know that our Heavenly Father is aware of our circumstances and if it hadn’t been for a good friend,I would be missing out on so much. I am so grateful she wasn’t afraid to share the gospel with me. It has made an eternal impact on my life, and I am so grateful for it.  I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, my Savior, Amen.

Leticia Shifflet

Stake Relief Society Women's Conference

Attention all Relief Society Sisters: Please join us on

Saturday, March 8th

Highlands Ranch Stake Center

9 AM to 12:45 PM

For the 2014 Stake Relief Society Women's Conference

This year's theme is "Engraven Upon the Heart"

There will be four workshops to choose from (you get to choose two) and lunch will be served.

Workshops:

THE WISE WOMAN BUILT HER HOUSE UPON THE ROCK: Strengthening our relationship with Christin perilous times.

THOU ART AN ELECT LADY: Knowing who you are...and who you've always been.

ANCHORS IN THE SEAT OF MARRIED LIFE: Building relationships that can weather the storm.

TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE WAY HE/SHE SHOULD GO: Parenting to raise responsible, emotionally mature, resilient children.

"But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the House of Israel; after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people." Jeremiah 31:33

Sunday's Pinnable Quote: President Uchtdorf

Mormon Olympian

                                  

In honor of the upcoming Olympics, here's a video of Olympic swimmer Andrew Rutherfurd, who competed for Bolivia during the 2012 London games. Andrew is a world-class athlete and a devoted member of the Mormon faith. Learn about his journey to the Olympics and his faith in God.

Missionary Monday: Elder Lawson Serving In Honduras

Here is a letter that was sent home by Elder Lawson- reminding us all of the importance of member missionary work:

Hey Fam + Friends,

How's everything at home?!  We had a pretty tough week this week here.  We're struggling without the support of our ward.  Everyone wants to give us food but nobody wants to give us references.  I'm actually getting really sick of it.  All we want to do is teach.  They just keep telling us "no but they're Catholic" or "No they do drugs" who cares!  Maybe right now they do drugs or are Catholic, but later they could be a super strong pilas member of the church!  You got to give them a chance!  We beg and beg for the members for references and all they give us is more and more food.  My new weight gain total is 15 pounds net and 25 pounds since I was in Choluteca.  I now weigh around 160.  Yuck.  We've resorted to knocking doors and haven't had much success.  Everyone knows that contacting doesn't work very well.   I can't imagine what missionaries in the States do.  They must never have anything to do.  Poor guys.  

I think that is the number one thing I have learned on my mission is the importance of sharing the gospel.  Before I just read articles in the new era about kids who gave Books of Mormon to their friends and thought, wow how cool, maybe one of my friends will come up to me and ask me about the church and he can get baptized!  Haha, boy was I wrong.  That's not how things work!  We can't just sit and wait for the people that lack this gospel in their lives to ask us about it.  We need to confront them and tell them about it!  If we don’t we WILL hear about it on judgment day.  They will be suffering and come to us crying asking us why we never shared the most central part of our lives, the thing that makes us most happy, with them!  I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to find myself in that awkward situation… haha.  After the mission I’m gonna go 100% gospel sharing.  Because really, it’s not an optional thing, it’s a commandment to share the gospel with those around us.  So go out there and do it!  Stop giving those poor missionaries food, and give them what they really want, a friend!  And that way you can all be happy together with the new knowledge you all have.  :)

This is a really cool video I want all of you to watch.  Together we can change the idea that missionary work is only for the missionaries!! (http://bcove.me/s54yqhi1)

Should be a fun week ahead, we're going back out to Danli.  I'll make sure to bring my camera this time!  It should be fun.  

Thanks to Grandma for the package and to the Armstrongs for the Christmas card!  

Love yous,

Elder Lawson

Elder Lawson is serving in the Honduras Tegucigalpa Mission from the Westridge Ward. For more information about his mission, you can visit his blog at http://elderlawsonhonduras.blogspot.com/.

Sunday's Pinnable Quote: Elder Perry