Love Manteca April 8.

Love manteca is happening in Manteca April 8 8:30 to noon.  This is a day of service.  There are lots of projects and you can sign up for one ahead of time.  Among other things spreading bark at parks, working at the cemetery, spreading love to local service providers, yard work at local shelters etc.

Pack Meeting: Caroling at St. Jude's Nursing Home

Sheri and I went with Tony to the nursing home to sing a few songs for Cub Scout Pack Meeting this Saturday.    Some of the kids did solos and played instruments.  It was fun.  Some of the patrons really appreciated it.  We had quite a large group.

Lift: The Power of Service

This is an incredible story about Kathy, a woman with Multiple Sclerosis, and the men who help put her in bed every night.  It would be hard to ask for this help, and it would be hard to give.  It is amazing how these men overcame their resistant; and this is a service that has been going on for years.  It exemplifies "lifting."

Dec 1: Jesus Lifted Others’ Burdens and So Can You

This is day one of the #LIGHTtheWORLD campaign.  It starts with a day of service.  I am praying for opportunities to serve,

Light the World: Starting Thursday Next Week

Here is a project for Christmas, 25 days of giving, called Light the World.  Each day of December is filled with challenges, to love and serve as Jesus did.  Hopefully many of us can do this, because the world will be better as we serve.

JustServe.org: A website for those who Care to Serve

Just Serve.org
This is a website set up by and supported by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; however it is of benefit to anyone who is looking for volunteers, or looking to do volunteer service.  If you have doubts check it out, you will find several projects in your local area.  Currently in Manteca there are projects at the Union Cemetery, Boys and Girls Club, Manteca History Museum and the Second Harvest Food Bank.

Memorial Day 2016: Picking up Crosses and Picking up Trash

Our Memorial Day this year did not include any outings.  We were at Woodward Park at 8 a.m. to help with the clean up.  This yer as a stake we loaded the 8,000 crosses.  It was fun, and a different project other than just picking up trash, although we got to do that as well.  It was counting for Cub Scout service so the kids wore matching blue shirts.

Bittersweet day as well as we say goodbye to the Christiansen family whose company moved to Utah and so they are moving to Lehi today.  I started teaching primary and had Camille in my class.  She brought a last Sunday snack.  I also subbed considerable and taught both Jared (Tony's class) and Ali at times.  Sister Christiansen came and played piano one year for a Christmas sing-a-long.

Bye Bye Jared

As for the rest of the day, we did go to In N' Out for dinner.  We wanted Chubby's but it was closed with a moving sign on the door.  I din't think their new location has opened yet because we looked for it.  

The Old Shoemaker

This is a very good story about an old man who is expecting to see Jesus.  He finds him in his own acts of service.

JustServe.org: Service Opportunities.

We had Fifth Sunday today, and a presentation on  the website: http://www.justserve.org/  This website is a way to connect those wanting to volunteer time and those looking for volunteers.  It is sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  But it is more than a church sponsored vehicle.  It is available for all groups to use and post service opportunities, and for people to sign up to provide service.  If you want to give greater service, this is a great website, no matter were you live.  However it is being rolled out in stages.  It is especially active in California.  I noted that opportunities to serve for the Manteca weekend were on the site, and I understand hundreds of hours of service were provided.  I am not sure if this includes the final cleanup where hundreds of people converged on Woodland Park to help with the cleanup.  Anyway, it is not a bragging kind of a thing.  In fact, we all know that he who serves is often blessed more than the person being  served.

Member Missionary 13: Pray for opportunities to Serve

Some words from Caleb who is a missionary in Iowa:

Pray everyday for an opportunity to serve others.  The promptings that come won't be for big things, but it's the little acts of kindness that go a long way.  So keep going and serving.  It's a true blessing to be able to answer someone else's prayer.  Just remember that after the Lord asks so many times , he will stop asking!  So make sure you act on promptings you receive

Wisemen Still Seek Him

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-12-019-wise-men-still-seek-him?category=topics/christmas

This short shows three stories of people who are seeking Jesus in their own way, but all through service.  We too can find Jesus for when we serve others, we are only serving God. 

They Give Up Their Christmas: Madera Grape Farm

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-05-01-they-gave-up-their-christmas?category=topics/christmas

People serve Christ in many different ways.  These people pick grapes,  and turn them into raisins, which are shipped to all the world.  This is a very moving story.  For their efforts you have to love these Saints who live only an hour and a half south of where we live.

Saints Helping Hands

This last year, in May Caleb, Miranda and I went to Saints Helping Hands day.  We were in a upper part of Sanborn park and pulled a yellow weeds all day.  It was an invasive species.  It was really quite fun.  There were big weeds and their were small ones, and we pulled them up.  Sometimes we used a weed pulling tool which they provided.  We had piles of weeds all over the meadow.

California wide 70,000 people participated, and 500 from our stake.  They worked on beautifying and trails; and made a good impact.

Caleb with shovel

Caleb blue beanie

That's my backside and Caleb with the tool

Miranda on right

Pictures from Martin Jeffries

At stake conference they announced we will have another day in April.  It would be cool if we could top 100,000 statewide, and over 1000 in our stake.  To do that we need to get others involved with us, because providing service is something people from all faiths like to do.