Relief Society
**PRESIDENCY MESSAGE**
Dear Sisters,
As the world around us is waking up from winter and peak bloom of the cherry blossoms is happening in DC, I am reminded of, and grateful for, a Father and Brother in Heaven who want us to be surrounded by a world full of beauty. Trees flowering in the spring didn’t have to be a splendid sight, but they are. Flowers and foliage that dot the ground didn’t need to be a spectacular symphony of colors, shapes, and sizes, but they are. The various animals who are coming back out since warmth has returned didn’t need to sing different songs, be graceful, and fascinating to watch, but they are.
We are surrounded by all of this diversity and beauty, and yet, sometime we look at ourselves and think, “unremarkable, average, not worthy.” Sisters, if you, like me, are struck by the beauty of the earth around you, please also allow yourself to accept the possibility reality, that your loving Father and Brother in Heaven took the same amount, if not more, time and care to create you.
Splendid, beautiful, a spectacular symphony of diversity, fascinating, full of beauty, full of Grace—all of these adjectives and more absolutely and most certainly also describe you, Their crowning creation. You are a beloved daughter of God, Sister. You are beautiful, wanted, needed, and are meant to change the world with Christ’s power.
With Love,
Joy
April Calendar
**4/3 Stake RS Emotional Resilience 10am (Stake Center)
-RS Activity 7pm at church
**4/5 General Conference
**4/6 General Conference
**4/10 Stake RS Emotional Resilience 10am (Stake Center)
**4/12 Ward Temple Day
**4/13 RS: TBD (Taught by: Elizabeth Foote)
**4/17 Stake RS Emotional Resilience 10am (Stake Center)
**4/19 Stake Primary Easter Activity
**4/20 Easter Sunday
-SS: D&C 2-9, 30-36
**4/26 Ward Talent Show 6pm
**4/27 RS: TBD (Taught by: Gabriella McDermott)
***Join us on GroupMe or our text group! (See Flyer>)
Upcoming Events
BIRTHDAYS
4/3 Murray Manzione
4/4 Kelly Clements
4/6 Freda Fahey
4/5 Tatiana O'Dell-Biagioni
4/7 Evelyn Cohn
4/8 Lauren Thorley
4/10 Denise Kirkpatrick
4/10 Hieng Oeung
4/16 Denise Robertson
4/17 Liz Johnson
4/23 Ivon Coronado
4/25 Kristin Herrera
4/27 Katie Palmer
4/28 Samantha Bentley
4/28 Kristen McAlister
*SPOTLIGHT *
Margaret Backus
I was born and raised in Payson, Utah to goodly parents.
I met my husband while attending USU. I graduated and taught school for several years.
We were married in the Manti temple.
Our five children were born in America while my husband worked for engineering companies and then he got a job with the State Department, so our children grew up in Islamabad, Pakistan, were teenagers in Fairfax, VA and Maadi, Egypt. Then we moved to Almaty, Kazakhstan and back to Fairfax, VA.
We went on a LDS mission to Budapest, Hungary and then served two FamilySearch missions.
My husband died in 2022.
I enjoy company, taking care of the house and yard, crocheting, knitting, embroidering, cross stitching, making baby quilts, learning new skills, helping others and I am very thankful when my children and grandchildren come to visit!
P.S. I also enjoy volunteering for Find A Grave and playing PHASE 10 with grandchildren!
SERVICE CORNER
There are many community service opportunities, should your family be looking for more ways to serve. Check those out on Just Serve (link button below).
*Have other volunteer questions? Please contact Karin Floyd-Annandale JustServe Specialist (703-772-6959)
April 27, 2025
TBD
(By: TBD)
Taught By: Gabriella McDermott
Book Recommendations from Oct 2024 RS Activity
**disclaimer-comfort-level with language and subject matter varies from person-to-person; because of this, not all books on this list may be "squeaky clean reads" according to your preferences.**
⁃ The Big Rock Candy Mountain by Wallace Stegner
⁃ Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
⁃ Barking to the Choir by Gregory Boyle
⁃ Star Wars X-Wing: Rogue Squadron by Michael A Stackpole
⁃ I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
⁃ Julian of Norwich: The Showings by Mirabai Starr
⁃ Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
⁃ Joe’s Boys by Louisa May Alcott
⁃ Little Men by Louisa May Alcott
⁃ Marmee by Sarah Miller
⁃ Just Mercy by Brian Stevenson
⁃ The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton
⁃ The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict
⁃ The First Ladies by Marie Benedict
⁃ The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin (clean)
⁃ The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Emma Carey (not the cleanest read)
⁃ Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
⁃ Enola Holmes series by Nancy Springer
⁃ The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier
⁃ The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
⁃ Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber
⁃ The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
⁃ The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
⁃ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
⁃ The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
⁃ Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
⁃ Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
⁃ The Teen Interpreter by Terri Apter
⁃ Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
⁃ Northwoods by Daniel Mason
⁃ The Charm School by Nelson DeMille
⁃ A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park
⁃ A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park
⁃ The Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park
⁃ American Culture Patterns: A Cross-Culture Perspective by Edward C Stewart and Milton J Bennett
⁃ Outcasts United by Warren St John
⁃ Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
⁃ Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys by Steven James and David Thomas
⁃ Teaching From Rest by Sarah McKenzie
⁃ When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
⁃ Being Mortal by Artul Gawande
⁃ The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
⁃ Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
⁃ Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
⁃ My Jesus by Anne Wilson
⁃ A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus
⁃ Insights from a Prophet’s Life by Sheri Dew
⁃ Positive Match by Tony Chiu