Did you know, that each month the moon has a name? In September it's always a large full "Harvest moon" In October, on the eve of the 15th, it will be a full "Hunter's moon". Looking ahead, a full moon mid-month, also means that come Hallows Eve, there won't be much of a moon at all, so a dark spooky night it shall be.  October also holds national pizza, cookie, and dessert day. After all that, maybe they should include a national visit-your-cardiologist day in October too!

October for us also means General conference.  We hope you were able to hear the inspired messages, and have hope and peace whisper to your heart the things you were hoping to hear.  So many good messages.  Each of the talks are all now available to listen to or watch in the gospel library app or at lds.org here.

Amanda Hart taught Relief Society this week, and opened with some thoughts and feelings I'm sure we have felt at one time or another.  "Are you feeling lost? Do you know who you are? What kind of things do you do? Are you good enough, doing enough, pretty enough?... Wow. Some of the thoughts she shared are her own, and some of which she has heard others around her express.  She wrote two things on the board that we can do to help overcome some of these struggles we may be facing.

1. Take time for you!!! Do what you love. Try new things.

AND

2. Build your relationship with Christ

She shared a time where she was just feeling frazzled with her kids and busy life. Her husband lovingly told her to go spend some time alone.  Naturally she thought, great, I can run to the grocery store, pick up those pants her son needed, run her errands etc.  Again her husband said "NO, don't spend time doing for others, spend time doing something YOU want to do".  The problem was, she didn't have the faintest idea what she wanted to do.  She wasn't sure what things she enjoyed anymore. Have you felt that way? Wondered who you are and when the last time you participated in a hobby or even remembered which hobbies you enjoy? I have found myself on more than one occasion standing in Target having some "me" time only to have an identity crisis similar to Amanda asking myself, what do I even like anymore? I can do anything right now, and I just want to lay in my bed, or take a nap.  While balance is important and our lives should not be all about "me", it is important to not give until our well has run dry and we having nothing more to give ourselves or our families. Amanda drew a beautiful parallel with the help of several talks from general conference between how the work we do to build our relationship with Christ, and the work we can to do to strengthen ourselves both require some time and effort.  For example, do you like to exercise? Does 2 days of exercise prepare you for a marathon, or opening our scriptures begrudgingly once in awhile strengthen our testimony of gospel principles? She shared some of the following quotes to help illustrate her point.

-Referring to Christ: "Do we only know about Him? How can we come to know Him? - Elder Bednar
- "Prayer is a gift from God.  We need never feel lost or alone" Sis. Mckonkie
- "Faith is a strong conviction about something we believe--a conviction so strong that it moves us to do things that we otherwise might not do." President Uchtdorf

Amanda challenged us to simplify our lives, and focus on those things that really matter.  She closed with this beautiful thought- "The only opinion that matters is what our Heavenly Father thinks of us."-Elder Cornish  ...Such good council.  I think I'll print that quote out and hang it on my mirror to read over and over again.  Thanks Amanda for the beautiful lesson and important message.

Announcements:

14th- 6:30-7:30, Those with girls in activity days have a halloween activity at the church.  Bring your pumpkins and carving tools.
Saturday 15th-9am  You guessed it, Super Saturday! Come have some fun, eat, craft, then run off to all those other activities you're involved in.  Thank you to all those women who have put in many hours of work and planning, so we can have a fun day.
-The Tony Tunnell family has moved out this week, and we wish them well.  Thank you to Ellaina for your faithful help with our music. Charlotte Tunnell will still be with us, so at least we get some of them :)

Autumn time activities



-Thanksgiving point Scarecrow festival Oct 17-24, 10am-6pm each day
- Visit a Pumpkin patch in the area, my favorite is Hee-Haws in pleasant grove.  A smaller and more manageable patch than some others
- How about U pick? Google places to pick your own fruit in season like apples.
- The "I Am the Light of the World Garden" at Thanksgiving point is now open.  from their site, "a new two-and-a-half acre garden inside the Ashton Gardens with artwork and themed landscaping.  The garden includes a total of 15 scenes and 35 statues, with 14 scenes from the New Testament and one LDS Church-inspired scene depicting Joseph Smith’s First Vision. The sculpture garden offers guests a walk through the life and miracles of Jesus Christ."
More information is located here
and may I add, and God knows and loves you.  Have a good week!