Dear Sisters,

          I agree with Elder Gene R. Cook.  The perfect Christmas would be putting more of Christ into our Christmas.  What would Jesus Christ give if he were with us today?  Do you enjoy giving more than receiving?

         I remember when my children were little we would prepare cookies and candies.  Then we would climb into the car and go caroling to homes and deliver our goodies.  I love those wonderful memories of sharing at Christmas time.  We have also been the recipients of gifts at a difficult time in our lives and how thankful we have felt. 
        I wish that the kind acts that are so abundant at this time of year would continue throughout the year.  Don’t you love the music, smells, lights, the feelings at Christmas time.  People just seem to love a little more.  Gathering turkeys and the trimmings to leave at someone’s home,  then knocking and running as fast as one can so no one knows who the gift bearers are.

Elder Cook suggests a few things we might do to have a great Christmas.
1.  I will do acts of charity for others.
2.  I will seek to give of myself spiritually to others.
3.  I will find someone to help and to pray for.
4.  I will secretly fast for someone who has a problem.
5.  I will extend my love to all.
6.  I will comfort the sick.
7.  I will visit widows and the homeless and share with them the scriptures.
8.  I will sing with someone who needs to sing.

       The list of Christ like activities could go on and on throughout the year so that everyday would feel like Christmas.  May your home be blessed this Christmas and throughout the coming year.

Merry Christmas!

Love,
Bannah Hanover
1st Counselor, Stake Relief Society

November Blog

Dear Sisters,

Happy Fall!  I hope you have been able to enjoy the beautiful fall that we have had so far.  It’s one of my favorite times of the year.  It reminds me of the love our Heavenly Father has for us and the bounty which he shares with us. 

Another great event which happens in the fall is Stake Conference.  I heard so many great things at conference this year that lifted me up, inspired me, and encouraged me.  In particular, I appreciate the goals which our Stake leaders have given us.  It’s always good to have goals to motivate and help us to better ourselves. The New Albany Stake Goals for 2012 are first, to attend the Temple at least once a month and secondly, to invite someone into your home each month to meet with the missionaries or to join you for Family Home Evening.   What worthy goals for all of us to strive to meet.  I know that the blessings we will receive by meeting these goals will be amazing not only for us as individuals, but as families and as a Stake.

President Lunt, our new Temple President, spoke to us about attending the Temple with an attitude of worship.  He encouraged us to come to the Temple not just for the sake of attending, but for the purpose of worship.  What a significant difference.  President Hinckley promised that if every worthy member would go to the house of the Lord and renew his covenants in solemnity before God and witnesses, we would be a better people. “I make you a promise that if you will go to the house of the Lord, you will be blessed, life will be better for you. … Avail yourselves of the great opportunity to go to the Lord’s house and thereby partake of all of the marvelous blessings that are yours to be received there”

He also promised that:

      ·         There would be little or no infidelity among us.

·         Divorce would almost entirely disappear.

·         So much of heartache and heartbreak would be avoided.

·         There would be a greater measure of peace and love and happiness in our homes.

·         There would be a greater measure of appreciation and of mutual respect among us.

As President Porter was discussing the Stake goals, I felt like the second point would be a great opportunity for our family.  Family Home evening is so different now with three of our five children out of the house.  Inviting someone to join us will be a great encouragement for us and I’m sure will be a lot of fun as well.  We need to get out of our shells a bit.

Sisters, I am so honored and excited to be able to serve you in this new calling.  I look forward to these next few years as we learn and grow together.  I would encourage you to pray about the goals we have been given and see how they can be incorporated into your lives.  I know you will be blessed for your efforts.

Love,

Christie KastelerStake Relief Society President

My Dear Sisters,

This is my last entry in the blog as a Stake Relief Society President.  I wanted to thank all of you for coming to the Stake Relief Society Dinner & Broadcast.  I have never seen so many sisters in one place at one time in this stake.  We ate, we visited, we cried, we shopped, and we watched the broadcast together.  I went home on such a high just because I was able to spend the evening with you.  I loved it!!!

In case you didn't attend the Stake Relief Society Dinner & Broadcast, I was released as the Stake Relief Society President.  Starr Logsdon was released as the 1st Counselor and Bannah Hannover as the 2nd Counselor.  The new president is Christie Kasteler from the New Albany Ward.  The 1st Counselor is Bannah Hannover and the 2nd Counselor is Pat Yingling from the Charlestown Branch.  Madelyn Ripley will remain as the Secretary.  Starr is moving on to another calling with her husband.  I will be going to the temple with my husband.  He has been called to serve in the Temple Presidency as the 2nd Counselor and I will be an Assistant to the Matron.

I am so excited for the new presidency.  They will be marvelous in their callings and will be such an inspiration to you all.  I hope you will love and support them, as you have us.

There is a wonderful story that I want to share with you.  I heard it from a friend and some of you may have heard it, but it bears repeating.

When I was a kid, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage, and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his Biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits." Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your momma put in a long hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides... a burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!" You know, life is full of imperfect things... and imperfect people. I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each others faults and choosing to celebrate each others differences, is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship. So...please pass me a biscuit. And yes, the burned one will do just fine! And please pass this along to someone who has enriched your life... I just did! Life is too short to wake up with regrets... Love the people who treat you right and forget about the ones who don't. ENJOY LIFE NOW - IT HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE!.

So, as this new presidency moves forward, rejoice in the differences.  It's what makes the world interesting.  I love you all and will miss you.  But, as I said on Saturday night:  "This is not goodbye.  I will see you in the temple!"

Love,
Pat Romney

Dear Friends,

As I often tell you, I am amazed at the speed with which time passes.  I feel that the days, weeks, and months fly by so quickly that there will never be enough time to do everything that needs to be done.  I like the quote by President Julie B. Beck, the General Relief Society President.  She says:

“A good woman knows that she does not have enough time, energy, or opportunity to take care of all of the people or do all of the worthy things her heart yearns to do. Life is not calm for most women, and each day seems to require the accomplishment of a million things, most of which are important. A good woman must constantly resist alluring and deceptive messages from many sources telling her that she is entitled to more time away from her responsibilities and that she deserves a life of greater ease and independence. But with personal revelation, she can prioritize correctly and navigate this life confidently. The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life." —Julie B. Beck

Elder Dallin H. Oaks said in a recent General Conference: "Most of us have more things expected of us than we can possibly do. As breadwinners, as parents, as Church workers and members, we face many choices on what we will do with our time and other resources. ....We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families.

I hope that each of us will find the most important works that need to be done.  That through prayer and meditation, we can attend to the best things in life and become all that our Heavenly Father knows we can become.

I love you all and look forward to seeing you at the Stake Relief Society Dinner & Broadcast on September 24th at 5:30 p.m. at the New Albany Stake Center.  I think we will have a lovely time and it will be a joy to be together.

Love,
Pat Romney

Dear Friends,

August!!  How can it be that we are looking at the beginning of the end of summer?  For those with children and grandchildren, the back-to-school rush has begun.  The school supplies and new (or new-to-you) clothes are being purchased and everyone is busy getting ready.  For teachers, it means the end of summer vacation, but the beginning of paychecks! (Yeah)  For some it just means we have finished the month of July and we are moving on...nothing too different.  Whatever it means to you, it is true that we will now be looking towards cooler weather, maybe some rain, and harvesting gardens, along with preserving what we harvest.  We were looking forward to a bumper crop of blackberries this year and couldn't understand what was happening to them because we knew we weren't picking them.  Then we realized that the starlings were eating all the ripe berries before we even made it to the back yard.  What is usually several hundred pounds, turned into about 20 to 30 pounds this year.  More than a little disappointing, but life is like that.

Often, we plan to do one thing and something gets in the way.  We find ourselves frustrated that we can't go where we planned because the car breaks down.  We can't see our favorite television show because the weather is bad and all that is showing is maps with storms and the weather guy talking and talking (not that it isn't good to know what is coming, but you know what I mean.)  Our kids get sick, our work needs us to stay late, traffic is bad so we are late, or we forget an important project.  Life is funny that way.  I read in Reader's Digest a quote by John Lithgow.  He said "Time sneaks up on you like a windshield on a bug."  I loved it.  It is exactly what happens.

So, what do we do when life happens?  We have a choice.  We can realize that things happen and be patient or we can become agitated and work ourselves into a "stew."  The Lord said in Psalms 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God."  I love this.  When I feel like the bug on the windshield, I try to relax and realize that there is a plan and I need to let it play out.  Our Heavenly Father loves us and will help us make it through anything if we let Him.  I remember someone once saying "Our lives are like being in a horse-drawn carriage with the Lord.  We want him to guide us through the ride, but we won't give him the reins!"  I know you are smiling because you know it's true!

I hope that as we move through this month we will work a little harder at letting go and letting the Lord work in our lives.  When we feel like the bug on the windshield, just smile and picture yourself handing the reins to the one person who can get us where we want to be.

Love to you all,
Pat Romney

My Dear Friends,
July is here, and along with it comes summer weather.  There are all kinds of activities to do in the summer because they typically are done outside and so usually done in the summer.  Kids love to swim, ride bikes, skateboard, play outdoor games, and generally spend most of their time outside.  Parents are busy with gardens, lawn care, outdoor home projects, and shuttling children to summer activities.  There are summer camps such as YW Girls' Camp, Boy Scout Camp, and Cub Scout Day Camp.  Youth conferences abound for the young people in the Church.  So summer is a busy time.  And, in busy times we tend to forget about the things that aren't exactly summer activities.   Church attendance may fall into that category. 

When school is in session, our schedules are pretty much set and we get into a routine.  We are probably not on vacation, the beach is not calling our name, and we aren't busy taking care of
"summer stuff."  I have talked to sisters about their vacations and they have been surprised when I ask what the Church was like in the area where they were.  Sometimes a sister will tell me that they don't go to Church while on vacation because, after all, they are on vacation...even a vacation from attending their meetings.  I'm not sure I undestand their reasoning.  How would we feel if Heavenly Father or the Savior were to say "I'm sorry, we aren't taking prayers today, we are on vacation."  or "I know you need that blessing right now, but I'm in the middle of this big project and, well, I'll get back to you."

I truly believe that we have the obligation and opportunity to attend our meetings and partake of the sacrament no matter where we are.  There are chapels within driving distance in most areas of the world, and it is such a blessing for us to be given the gift of the ability to attend every week....vacation or not. 

Elder Dallin H. Oaks said in General Conference:

"How can we have the Spirit of the Lord to guide our choices so that we will remain “unspotted from the world” (D&C 59:9) and on the safe path through mortality?

In modern revelation the Lord gave the answer in this commandment:

“And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;

“For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High” (D&C 59:9–10).

This is a commandment with a promise. By participating weekly and appropriately in the ordinance of the sacrament we qualify for the promise that we will “always have his Spirit to be with [us]” (D&C 20:77). That Spirit is the foundation of our testimony. It testifies of the Father and the Son, brings all things to our remembrance, and leads us into truth. It is the compass to guide us on our path. This gift of the Holy Ghost, President Wilford Woodruff taught, “is the greatest gift that can be bestowed upon man” (Deseret Weekly, Apr. 6, 1889, 451). 

We need to qualify for the cleansing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We do this by keeping His commandment to come to Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit and in that wonderful weekly meeting partake of the emblems of the sacrament and make the covenants that qualify us for the precious promise that we will always have His Spirit to be with us (see D&C 20:77)."

It is my hope for each of us, that we will realize the importance of Sacrament Meeting attendance not only through the school year, but during the summer, and even when we are on vacation.  Take the time to look for a chapel close by and be a part of the great blessing of the Sacrament.

Have a wonderful July!!

Love,

Pat Romney

My Dear Sisters,
Last Sunday, Brother Eric Blackwell gave a talk in our ward that touched me deeply.  He asked each of us to think of 5 trials that we have right now.  He then talked about the trials of the Savior and how the Savior suffered for each of us in Gethsemane and on the cross at Calvary.  Eric talked about the trials that he has endured in the last 22 months with a tumor of the pancreas (2 out of 96 turn out cancerous - he was one of the two), several surgeries, a hernia, and the fact that he still has an open wound on his abdomen that is not healing very well.  He told us that he is grateful for the trials he has and that they make him stronger.  As he talked, I thought about my trials and how small and insignificant they seemed by comparison.  I realize that I live a wonderful life and am truly blessed.  I asked several sisters in my ward how they felt about Eric's talk and each of them said they felt the same way I do....we all feel very blessed.

Eric also talked about how our trials help us to grow and to be stronger and better members of the Church, if we will let them.  I realize that all the trials and problems I have had over the years truly make me the woman I am today.  I am thankful for the things that have made me stronger.  I also realize that my Father in Heaven blesses me more and more each day through the little "bumps in the road" that come regularly.  I am sure there are blessings I am totally unaware of as I move through my life.

I know that each of you has trials and hardships that you struggle with as you live your day to day life.  I am hopeful that you can let these things make you stronger and help you to become even more amazing than you already are.  One of the ways that we can grow from these trials is to seek the help of those around us.  As we lean on our sisters in the gospel, we can share the tremendous load we carry.  There is strength in numbers and the more we share and help each other, the more we grow and learn.  We can seek out our visiting teachers, our presidencies, our friends, our sisters.  Ask for help and when asked, give all you have to give.  We can volunteer as soon as we see a need and not wait to be asked.  By helping others, we see how much we are blessed and we can share the blessings with those around us.

My love to each of you and my gratitude for the tremendous service you give and for the difference you make in my life.

Pat Romney

Dear Sisters,

Today is May 1st.  It is also May Day for those of you old enough to remember this traditional day.  The tradition was to deliver a small basket of flowers to those you love.  We would place the basket on the door knob or on the porch and then ring the bell and run so the recipient wouldn't know who delivered the basket.  I remember doing this as a girl.  As I moved into the Relief Society and was a new visiting teacher, I would enjoy doing this for the sisters on my route (I didn't run, I just gave the flowers to them).  I am sorry to say that I have not done this for several years.  I think about it each May, but then like so many thoughts and plans, it gets lost in the recesses of my brain.

One of the nicest parts of the May Day Tradition was the I was able to visit my sisters early in the month.  It allowed me to let my sisters know that they were important to me and that I wasn't hurrying to get my visiting done by the last day of the month.  When we contact or visit early, it leaves the rest of the month to contemplate on the needs of our sisters and to think of them in an entirely different light, one of compassion and love, and not one of duty.

My prayer for each of us is that we will learn to feel a great love for our sisters.  We will want to share in their lives and to be a part all that happens to them:  To feel sad with them at sad times and to feel joy when they experience joy.  If we are not visiting early and often, we will probably miss these wonderful opportunities. 

I send my love to each of you and hope that you will forward this blog on to those with whom you serve. 

Pat Romney
Stake Relief Society President

Dear Sisters,

I love April.  This month we have several birthdays in our family, which makes the month extra special.  Spring is popping out all around me and the sunshine is starting to peek through the clouds more and more.  Spring is such a time of rebirth and change.  The trees, grass, and flowers all start to grow after spending the months of winter resting and preparing for this glorious time called Spring.  As I walk each day I am amazed at the beauty that surrounds me and the constant change in the world.

Change.  An interesting word.  My sister-in-law put a quote on facebook, a few days ago,that said "Nothing in our lives is so constant as change." As I thought about it and pondered on the changes that take place in our lives, I realized that she is right.  We receive callings that encourage us to stretch and change and become better.  We have trials and problems in our lives that help us to become stronger in the face of evil.  We have situations that help us realize that we need to rely on our Heavenly Father even more than we already do.  Every day in many ways we are called upon to change our actions, our thoughts, and our lives.

Many times we are afraid of change.  We get comfortable in our world and we are fearful of moving from the comfort zone we have created.  Even if we are in a situation that is harmful or problematic, we still choose to stay there because it is familiar and stepping into the dark is anything but familiar.  These changes can cause us to be fearful of the future.  The Lord has spoken on this matter, hoping to help us deal with the fears in our lives. 

In the Doctrine & Covenants 68:6 we read:  "Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come. "

In Isaiah 41:10 the Lord tells us:  "Fear not; for I am with thee:  be not dismayed; for I am they God:  I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; year, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

And so, my dear friends, as we move into the springtime of change, and as we move through the inevitable changes that come to us on a daily basis, my hope for each of us is that we will be of good cheer, be full of hope, and look to our Heavenly Father and our Savior for the love and guidance we will need as we change and grow to become the women we are meant to be.

My love to each of you,

Pat Romney
Stake Relief Society President

My Dear Sisters,
Because February is such a "short" month, March sometimes creeps up on us without our noticing. I heard many sisters on Sunday gasp a little when they realized that there was only one more day to get their Visiting Teaching done. I totally understand. I needed to visit one more sister, myself.

When we talk about tithing, a large portion of us say that the tithing check is the first one we write. When we think of Sundays most of us think of our church meetings and getting there on time (or maybe even a few minutes early). When we are working on a special project, we often think "I need to be ahead of this and ready, so I don't have to hurry at the last minute."

What is it, then that keeps us from staying ahead of the game with our Visiting Teaching? Why is it that we are hurrying at the last minute to finish? Do we think our sisters don't realize and know that they have been left to the end of the month? Often, we go to visit and find that they have been ill or had an emergency. Had we contacted them sooner, we might have been able to help.

How much better would it be to start our visits at the beginning of the month and then have the rest of the month to relax and contemplate the visit. If we are there at the beginning, the Spirit can work with us on the needs of our sisters. We will be more in tune with what we can do to help them. It is a lot like tithing. When you take out the 10% early, there is usually enough to go around for the rest of the month and we receive blessings to help us make it, financially, through the month. It seems to me that the Lord would be able to bless us equally as much if we were to visit early in the month and have the rest of the month available for other things. Our minds would be able to focus better if we don't have the persistent thought "I need to visit my sisters" running through our heads all month.

I am sure you have heard or seen the object lesson of putting the large stones in the jar first and then adding the smaller and smaller stones and finally adding the sand. I am pretty sure that visiting teaching is one of the larger stones and I am hopeful that this message will sink into my brain, as well. Please feel free to forward this blog to the sisters in your unit.

Love to each of you.

Pat Romney

Dear Sisters,
As I sit at my computer and contemplate the message for this month, I am, more than ever, aware of the role that we play in the lives of our sisters. We can be there for each other in times of happiness, times of sadness, times of stress, times of joy.....in all times. This "being there" can come in the form of a phone call to see how thing are going. It can be a trip to the local Walgreens or Sav-A-Step to pick up some ginger ale for a sister who is ill. It can be in the form of a hug, a smile, or just a touch on the shoulder as you pass in the hall. We, as sisters, have been given the challenge and the blessing of giving service.

The text to the hymn As Sisters In Zion by Emily H. Woodmansee helps us see more clearly about the service we can give. I am including the text here and hope that you will take the time to really read and understand the role we play in the lives of our sisters, both in and out of the Church.

As sisters in Zion, we’ll all work together;
The blessings of God on our labors we’ll seek.
We’ll build up his kingdom with earnest endeavor;
We’ll comfort the weary and strengthen the weak.

The errand of angels is given to women;
And this is a gift that, as sisters, we claim:
To do whatsoever is gentle and human,
To cheer and to bless in humanity’s name.

How vast is our purpose, how broad is our mission,
If we but fulfill it in spirit and deed.
Oh, naught but the Spirit’s divinest tuition
Can give us the wisdom to truly succeed.

I am hopeful that we will all look for times to serve, to love, and to be angels to those around us. After all, isn't February the month for showing love?

Love to each of you,
Pat Romney

In Psalms 100, verse 4 we read, "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name." In Doctrine & Covenants 59:7, "Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things." Finally in Alma 34:38, "That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you."

These three scriptures remind us to have the attitude of gratitude to our Heavenly Father for the many blessings He gives us. Some of them we need, some of them are given to us for obeying His commandments and some, maybe even most, blessings are given to us because He loves us and wants to bless us. Each day we move throughout the day, sometimes recognizing the blessings and uttering a quick prayer of thanksgiving. Other blessings we may not even realize or look for in our lives. Sometimes, when I reflect on my life I think of the smallest things and am reminded of all the blessings I have. I think of being able to set this small electrical device by my bed at night to wake me up in the morning and it does! I think that as I move through my home the floors are comfortable to walk upon and the temperature in each room is quite inviting. I marvel that I can turn a lever and warm water comes out of the tap so I can shower. I realize I can go to my closet and there are many items of clothing to chose from in order to dress for the day. When I get to my destination I look around and think of all the things each person did in order to be in the same room as I am. Hundreds upon hundreds of miracles that often go thankless.

It is my prayer that as we move through this month and even on through the year, we will learn to see even the smallest miracles and offer prayers of gratitude for them. It will help us see all the good around us and let our Heavenly Father know that we are constantly mindful of all He does for us each and every day.

My love to you and yours,
Pat Romney