HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Happy New Year to all of the Crystal Shores members!!!

May this next year bring you much happiness as you feel the love of God, and share it with all His children.

At the begining of a new year, we all make resolutions that we hope to keep in the next year! I learned an interesting tidbit at a fireside about following the Savior's example even when setting goals.

It's relates to the scripture Luke 2:52- "And Jesus increased in widom, and stature, and in favour with God and man."

Those are 4 basic areas we can set personal goals for improvement. Intellectual, Physical, Spiritual, and Social.

The secret to accomplishing New Year's Resolutions is to keep them realistic, specific, and simple.

I found a great (short!) talk about keeping New Year's Resolutions that helped me! Here it is:

Do you start out each new year with lots of plans to improve your life but, after a few weeks, lose your enthusiasm? If so, here are a few ideas to help you keep the best of your New Year’s resolutions:

Make realistic resolutions. Don’t try too much too quickly. For example, if you are presently not reading your scriptures at all but your resolution is to read half an hour every day, you may be setting yourself up for failure. It may be more realistic to resolve just to read something, even if it is just a few verses, every day. After that becomes habit, then you can work on increasing your goal.

Set a series of smaller goals. Divide your big goal into smaller sections. Say, for instance, you want to save money. Instead of leaving your goal so vague, plan a reasonable amount to work toward in the first month, then a larger amount to have saved at the first quarter of the year. These smaller goals will keep you encouraged as you make progress.

Make reminders. After you decide the things you would like to work on, make several reminders for yourself. The old method of taping a sign on your mirror or somewhere where you will see it regularly might work. But if you usually ignore your signs, try something different. Sometimes simple things can work. Take the resolution to read your scriptures every day, for example. When you get out of bed in the morning, place your scriptures on your pillow. It will be difficult to say you forgot when you have to move them before going to bed.

Be kind to yourself. If you find you’ve made resolutions that are making you miserable, be willing to change them. After all, they are your resolutions. Sometimes you can resolve to do things that are really too big to handle. Instead of giving up as a failure, modify your goals so that they will be a true help and result in improvement.

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=34128254a4ddb010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1

Temple Christmas Lights

~ MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL~

Now is a very special season... it's the time when all the world pauses to reflect on

the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

This is a good time of year to share the joy of the gospel with those around you.

The best gift you can give the Savior this year is helping to bring others unto Christ.

If you have never been to see the lights at the Mesa Temple, this is the year to go! It's beautiful. Just being on the grounds of the temple invites the Spirit. I highly recommend you invite someone to go see the Christmas lights this year.

If you need more info, check out:

http://www.christmastemplelights.com/

The lights and nativity will be on display now through Wed. Dec. 31st.

Pioneer Day Celebration!!!

On July 26th, 2008 we held a celebration in honor of the pioneers.  There were fun games, great music and dancing, and a good old fashioned potluck feast.

Intro

I am excited to start this ward blog and to give our members an opportunity to share their testimonies, experiences, pictures and opinions with any who may enter into our gate. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints it is our responsibility to share our testimonies of the gospel in any way possible. I hope that all who come to our ward table will feast upon the Spirit of the Lord and the welcoming love we have for them. Thank you to all who made me feel welcome when I first came through the doors of the church.

Melanie Mason