Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Exercises for the Soul

In case you haven't already guessed, I am using the first four principles of the gospel as indicated in the fourth Article of Faith for topics in these FHE lessons. Today the lesson will be on Baptism. There are two baptisms in our family this year, Jack Manwaring and Reese Kern. So they have been on my mind. There are also several grandchildren that have already taken this important step.
Start by displaying a picture of Christ baptized by John the baptist. Ask what important things does this picture suggest that we need to know. (It is so important that even Jesus was baptized. It is done be immersion [explain if necessary]. etc.)
Ask: What is a covenant? (An agreement or promise between two persons that each will do certain things).
Who are the persons involved in the baptism covenant?
What do you promise when you are baptized? (Read Mosiah 18:10)
What does Heavenly Father promise? (Read D&C 33:11, D&C 20:37 and 3Nephi 11:33.)
Why do you think our Heavenly Father has asked us to make a sacred covenant or promise to obey his commandments when we are baptized? (Because he loves us, he wants us to be happy, and he wants us to be with him in the kingdom of heaven.)

Story:
My sister,Stephanie, was baptized in Sinkut Creek by our house in Canada. My dad found a place that was surrounded by trees and was deep enough for her to be baptized by immersion. On the day she was to be baptized, we all walked down a trail to the place and my father baptized my sister. There were others there too, the full time missionaries, and others they had invited including Granny Hobsen, a nonmember who lived in town. Afterward we had a big dinner at our house for all in attendance. Even though it was different than a baptism at a stake center, it had all the important elements that Heavenly Father wants at a baptism. She was baptized by immersion by my father who had the proper priesthood authority with the approval of the mission president.

Suggested Songs: Any if the Baptism Songs from the Primary Children Sing songbook

Persons of the week Jack Manwaring and Reese Kern who are planning to be baptized soon.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Rhubarb Criso

We have a patch of rhubarb in our back yard that came with the house. It is very good rhubarb and is one of the things that grows well in this climate. It was getting big so Hailey and I decided to do something with it. I do not like all rhubarb recipes but feel obligated to use it because it's there and it is free. Last week the neighbor brought over some rhubarb quick bread but neither Ralph nor I cared for it. It was kind of like zucchini bread which has never been a personal favorite. My mother used to make rhubarb/strawberry jam which to me seemed like a good way to ruin strawberries. We just took the recipe for Apple Crisp and used rhubarb in place of apples.

Rhubarb Crisp
Wash and cut stalks of rhubarb into 1 in. pieces. (Leaves should have already been cut off as I have heard they are toxic if eaten.) Fill the bottom of a 9x12 pan with one layer of rhubarb pieces. Sprinkle about 2/3 c. of white, granulated sugar over the top. (You can adjust this to your taste and the sweetness of the rhubarb.) Then mix the following ingredients and spread or crumble over the top of rhubarb pieces.
2 c. flour
1 c. brown sugar
16 shakes of salt (from a salt shaker not the box)
Mix and add 2 cubes of butter cut into slices
1 1/2 c. oatmeal
Mix thoroughly and spread over rhubarb pieces.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 min.

This is good served warm with vanilla ice cream. It is quite tart to me but everything tastes sour to me these days.

Friday, June 18, 2010

JAR CAKES

This week Hailey and I tried an experiment and made Jar Cakes, a recipe found in Family Fun magazine. They tasted marginal in my opinion. It was presented as an idea to take camping but it is probably like foil dinners which taste much beter in the open air around a campfire. I know because once I cooked them in the oven for supper one night - not as good as when you are in the mountains and really hungry. At any rate, I will include the recipe below:

Jar Cakes

Mix in a large zip-lock plastic bag:
3/4 c.flour
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp.baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix in jar with screw-top lif (pint jars or jelly jars)
1/2 c. water
3 T oil\
1 1/2 tsp.white vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
(At this point jars and zip-lock bag can be packed for camping.)
When ready to cook, pour contents of jar into zip-lock bag containing dry dry ingredients. Seal bag and knead with hands through the bag. When mixed, snip off corner of bag and squeeze out batter into 4 clean jars. Screw on lids. (not too tight)and then carefully place in rapidly boiling water. (about an in. deep or a little deeper, just enough so the jars don't float) Cook about 35 min. Let cool 10 min. Cake will be softer than most cakes. Serve while warm. Makes 4 servings.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Exercises For The Soul - Repentance

When I was baptized. I was excited because I would be totally clean from every mistake I had made but I knew there was a chance I would make another one. Then what would I do? Throughout my life I have made more mistakes but I have learned that we get to recommit every Sunday when we take the Sacrament and have Jesus' wonderful gift called repentance.
I got a little feel for what life would be like without repentance when I was in 2nd grade. We lived on Castle Drive in Boise. Idaho across the street from a building site where my father was working on a new LDS Church. Sometimes my friend and I would play in the partly finished building. One day there were some classroom blackboards delivered and we discovered we could write our names in the dust on them. That night my father called me to him and explained that he had to admit to the foreman that his little girl was named Connie and listened to the foreman tell him that possibly the names were permanent and could not be removed. My father asked me if I had written my name on the blackboard. I admitted that I had. I will never forget the awful feeling that I had made a mistake that could never be fixed.
I have not been back to that meetinghouse to see if my name is still on the blackboard but I have been grateful for the principle of repentance every time I use it.

Display baby pictures of each family member. Have children guess which is each family member. Explain that all were pure and innocent when they first came from Heavenly Father to your family. Heavenly Father knew that we would all make some mistakes while we were growing up and learning to do right. He also knew that we couldn't return to live with Him if we were burdened down by sin. (See 2 Neph 9:23 ).
Show pictures of Jesus on the cross and at Gethsemane. Have a family member read D & C 19:16. Remind children that if Jesus had not atoned for our sins, we could not be forgiven and would continue to suffer for them. We should be grateful for repentance and the atonement of Jesus Christ.

As a family, take the following true/false Quiz.
1. The suffering and death of Jesus 2,000 years ago does not affect our lives today. (False. If Jesus had not atoned for our sins, we could not repent and grow. We could never return to live with our Heavenly Father again.
2. When we make a mistake or sin, Jesus stops loving us. (False. Jesus never stops loving us. It is because of this love that we have the gift of repentance.)
3. Because Jesus suffered and died for our sins, they ar automatically forgiven. (False. Jesus can only forgive those who are sorry for their sins and who repent of them. )
4. When we repent of a sin,we are completely forgiven and we do not need to worry about it any more. (True. When we have repented of a sin the Lord not only forgives us, but our sin is also also forgotten [see Isaiah 1;16-18, D&C 58:42)
5. When we repent of our sins, we can learn through correcting our mistakes and continue to grow and progress spiritually. (True. When we repent of our sins, we are free to go on and not be held back because of them. Our weaknesses can even become our strengths.[See Ether 12:27.])

Suggested Songs: "I Stand All Amazed" (Hymns, No. 80) or "I Want to Live The Gospel" (Sing With Me, B-65).
Person of the Week: Emily Manwaring who made a delicious chocolate/raspberry cobbler for everyone at the cabin.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Summer Salad

Today Hailey and I made a macaroni salad. I could not find the recipe so this is totally from memory but it smelled and tasted the same as I remember it. Also, I have always made it with alphabet pasta but Ralph couldn't find it in any of our grocery stores here. Maybe they don't make it any more so we used the small shell shaped pasta and it worked out just fine.

MACARONI SALAD

1 bag small pasta ( Alphabet or small shells work.)
1 can small shrimp
3 0r 4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
Other vegetables to your liking
I used chopped cucumber (I think this one is especially tasty).
I also used onion (green onions or a regular onion, chopped very fine,
You can use vegetables to your liking such as chopped celery, sliced radishes, etc.
You can also add black olives or small cubes of cheese, if desired.
Thw dressing is easy. I just use about 1 cup of Best Foods (Not Miracle Whip) mayonaise with a few squirts of Louisiana Hot Sauce in it. This does not make it spicy hot but just brings out the flavor. Mix ingredients well and serve chilled at your next barbecue or picnic.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Whole Wheat Muffins

I have used this recipe a lot. Like the ww cookies they don't "taste healthy". They are good with soup or with an egg-type dish like an omelette.

WHOLE WHEAT MUFFINS

Melt one cube of butter or margarine
Add:
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 egg
Mix well and add
! c. whole wheat flour
1 c. white flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla
raisins or nuts if desired
Mix and put in a muffin tin (greased or with paper muffin liners)
Bake in a 425 degree oven for 10 - 15 minutes.

ONE MORE RECIPE

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

CATCH-UP

My computer has been in the shop. It is nice to have it back but after a wonderful weekend at the cabin with Josie and Blake's family it is back to the everyday world and blogging. We made cheesecake for a couple weeks because it is easier than you would imagine when you get those fancy desserts in a restaurant. I made cheesecake for Ben's Open House in our back yard when he got married and we were eating leftover cheesecake for about a year afterward. I don't know how many I made but though delicious, they are rich and you don't eat several pieces in one sitting. It is a good recipe to have, however, so I have included the recipe for Company Cheesecake which I used. The second recipe is for Everyday Cheesecake which is much less rich and very easy.

Company Cheesecake

Combine 11/4 c. finely ground graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 c finely chopped pecans, and 1/2 c. melted butter. Press on the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9" springform pan.
Beat smooth 3 well-beaten eggs. 2 8 oz. packages cream cheese (softened), 1 c. sugar, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. vanilla, & 1/4 tsp.almond extract. Blend in 3 c. dairy sour cream. Pour mixture into crust and bake at 375 degrees for about 35 min. or just until set. Cool. Chill 4-5 hours. Serve plain or with your choice of toppings. Makes 12-16 servings.

Easy Everyday Cheesecake
Make a graham cracker crust and press into the bottom of a 9x13" pan. In a blender mix 1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding. Blend in 1 8 oz. package cream cheese. Pour onto crust and refrigerate several hours. Cut in squares and serve. (I serve it plain or with cherry pie filling for a topping.)



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