Bread Recipes

For those of you who enjoyed our fun and delicious Bread Making Workshop last Thursday night, here are the recipes you've been asking for:

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Heidi's Basic Bread Recipe

This basic bread recipe will make a loaf of bread. However the dough can be used for rolls, pizza base and more.

• 1 c warm water
• 1 tsp sugar or honey
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 2-3 c flour
• 1/2 tsp salt

In a mixing bowl blend 2 c flour, active dry yeast and the salt. Add warm water and sugar or honey. 

Mix together with your hands until dough forms. If dough is too sticky, add more flour (but only enough to remove stickiness).

Knead bread by hand or machine until pliable (about ten minutes). The more you knead, the better your bread texture.

Let dough rest and rise in a covered mixing bowl until double in size. This may take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour depending on ambient temperature.

Preheat oven to 180°C.  Punch down dough and knead again for five minutes. Shape dough and place in bread pan. Allow to rise again.

Once bread has doubled in size, place in oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden.

Let bread cool on a wire rack before slicing.

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Renee's Fried Bread

• 5 cups Self Raising Flour
• 5 tsps Baking Powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups luke warm water or more if needed
• 1 litre oil (vegetable, olive, grapeseed, which one you prefer)

Mix all dry ingredients in large bowl together. Make well in middle of dry ingredients gradually add water and stir together with knife until well combined.

Once combined to a dough place onto to floured surface, kneaded mildly till smooth texture.

Roll out with rolling pin or press out with hands till dough is 2-4cm thick.Cut into slices, like scones, pricking each one with a fork.

Place each piece of dough into pot or frypan with very hot oil. Turn dough pieces over with tongs when golden brown.

Eat with butter,  jam,golden syurp. Yum.

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Phyllis' Rewena Bread

• 4 cups Flour
• 2 dessertspoons Sugar
• 2 cups of Bug agent (see recipe below)
• 2 cups of Tepid Water

Mix all ingredients well in large bowl.Once combined, place dough onto floured hard surface and knead until dough is very stiff.

Place in loaf tin and let it sit for 30-40 minutes till risen.

Place in oven for 1 or 1 1/2 hours at 260-300 degrees until brown.

Potato Bug (Raising agent for Bread)

• 1 cup flour
• 2 dessertspoons Sugar
• 1 cooked potato mashed in cool potato water
• 1 tsp baking powder

Mix all ingredients together and sit in warm area. It will rise, then use to make bread.

To keep it alive for frequent bread baking add:

• 1/2 cup Flour
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 cup of potato water

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Jo's Roti Bread (Indian Flatbread)

• 4 cups of Plain flour
• 2 cups Hot Water
• 1/2 cup oil

Make well in middle of flour, pour in hot water, combine with hands until you have smooth texture, slowly add oil as you knead into dough until evenly through.

Flatten with hand on clean hard surface, till thin and place on hot flat grill top or frypan. Cook till golden brown on each side.

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Debbie's Breadmaker

Breadmaker recipes vary from machine to machine. The order of ingredients, the ratios and more are specifically designed for each machine.

If you google "Recipe Bread [the name of your bread machine]" you can find plenty of good recipes.

Self-Reliance Principles

Dear Sisters,

The 2016 Pacific Area Plan lists several objectives to support its vision: "To strengthen families and individuals by increasing faith and trust in Heavenly Father and in Jesus Christ and His Atonement."

The second objective (Increase Spiritual and Temporal Self-Reliance) refers to the "My Path to Self-Reliance" Initiative.

This may be found under Self-Reliance Principles at www.lds.org.

Are you Self-Reliant? Self-reliance is the “ability, commitment, and effort to provide the spiritual and temporal necessities of life for self and family” (Handbook 2: Administering the Church [2010], 6.1.1).

The First Presidency has put out a "My Path to Self-Reliance" workbook that can help you become more self-reliant. By going through the assessments and practices in the workbook you will find specific ideas to help you gain greater self-reliance.
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12 Principles of Self-Reliance

Exercise Faith in Jesus Christ (D&C 104:15)

Use Time Wisely (Alma 34:32)

Be Obedient (D&C 130:20–21)

Manage Money (D&C 104:78)

Work: Take Responsibility (D&C 42:42; 2 Nephi 2:16, 26)

Solve Problems (Ether 2:18–19, 23; 3:1, 4)

Become One, Work Together (Moses 7:18; D&C 104:15–17)

Communicate: Petition and Listen (D&C 8:2)

Persevere (Hebrews 12:1; D&C 58:4)

Show Integrity (Mosiah 4:28; Job 27:5; Articles of Faith 1:13)

Seek Learning and Education (D&C 88:118–119)

Stay On Task, Receive Ordinances (D&C 84:20;D&C 136:4; 1 Nephi 18:2–3)

Relief Society Lesson Plan for 2016

The Relief Society lesson plan for 2016 is taken from Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Howard W Hunter. We encourage all sisters who have laptops, tablets or smartphones to download the Gospel Library app and access the manual through that. Help is available for those who are not confident using their technology. Hardcopy manuals are available to those few sisters who are unable to use technology.

First Sundays are Presidency Messages of selected topics by the RS presidency, followed by testimonies.

Second and Third Sundays are taken from the manual.

Fourth Sundays, "Teaching for our Times" is taken from General Conference talks, topics determined by Stake.

Fifth Sundays are Bishopric's Messages of selected topics by the Bishopric. Relief Society combines with Priesthood for this time.

Last updated 27 Dec 2015.

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Jan 3 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Jan 10 Chap 1 "Jesus Christ--Our Only Way to Hope and Joy"
Jan 17 Chap 2 "My Peace I Give Unto You"
Jan 24 TFoT: Elder Bradley D. Foster "It's Never Too Early and It's Never Too Late" (Sat afternoon Session)
Jan 31 Bishop's Message

Feb 7 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Feb 14 Chap 3 "Adversity--Part of God's Plan for Our Eternal Progress"
Feb 21 Chap 4 "Help From On High"
Feb 26 Stake Conference Broadcast

Mar 6 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Mar 13 Chap 5 "Joseph Smith, Prophet of the Restoration"
Mar 20 Chap 6 "The Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ"
Mar 27 TFoT: Pres Thomas S Monson "Keep the Commandments"

Apr 3 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Apr 10 General Conference Videos
Apr 17 Chap 8 "Taking the Gospel to All the World"
Apr 24 Stake Conference

May 1 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
May 8 Chap 9 "The Law of Tithing"
May 15 Chap 10 "The Scriptures--The Most Profitable of All Study"
May 22 TFoT: From Apr 2016 General Conference
May 29 Bishop's Message

Jun 5 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Jun 12 Chap 11 "True Greatness"
Jun 19 Chap 12 "Come Back and Feast at the Table of the Lord"
Jun 26 TFoT: From Apr 2016 General Conference

Jul 3 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Jul 10 Chap 13 "The Temple--The Great Symbol of our Membership"
Jul 17 Chap 14 "Hastening Family History and Temple Work"
Jul 24 TFoT: From Apr 2016 General Conference
Jul 31 Bishop's Message

Aug 7 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Aug 14 Chap 15 "The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper"
Aug 21 Chap 16 "Marriage--An Eternal Partnership"
Aug 28 Stake Conference

Sep 4 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Sep 11 Chap 17 "Preserve and Protect the Family"
Sep 18 Chap 18 "We Believe in Being Honest"
Sep 25 TFoT: From Apr 2016 General Conference

Oct 2 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Oct 9 General Conference Videos
Oct 16 Chap 20 "Walking the Saviour's Path of Charity"
Oct 23 TFoT: From Apr 2016 General Conference
Oct 29 Bishop's Message

Nov 6 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Nov 13 Chap 21 "Faith and Testimony"
Nov 20 Chap 22 "Teaching the Gospel"
Nov 27 TFoT: From Oct 2016 General Conference

Dec 4 Relief Society/Quorum Instruction
Dec 11 Chap 23 " 'No Less Serviceable' "
Dec 18 Chap 24 "Following the Example of Jesus Christ"
Dec 25 Christmas!

Christina's lesson: "Here to Serve a Righteous Cause"

For those sisters who couldn't attend RS due to callings, illnesses or out of town, here are the salient points of Christina's excellent lesson, taken from Carol F McConkie's Conference talk "Here to Serve a Righteous Cause".

"The worth of souls is great in the sight of God."

We are here to serve a righteous cause. The Lord's righteous cause: Moses 1:39. We support His righteous cause of bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man by:

1. We are to do our best to choose the Gospel path, to make ourselves the best we can, receive all the ordinances and endure to the end.
2. We are to help one another, to uplift one another, to support and love one another.
3. When we do as He would have us do, we receive blessings. When we encourage others, we give them the opportunity to receive blessings.

May we choose to serve a righteous cause in the service of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Know Who You Truly Are

Sis Joanne Ryan, Relief Society President, presented today's lesson.

Know Who You Truly Are

How do you know how the Lord feels about you?  The Holy Ghost testifies to you of your Divine Nature.

Today's lesson was based on Sheri L. Dew's book No Doubt About It -- "Remember Who You Are... And Who You Have Always Been."  Sheri L Dew is a former member of the General Relief Society Presidency.

"Noble and great. Courageous and determined. Faithful and fearless. That is who you are and who you have always been.

"It is not for you to be led by the women of the world; it is for you to lead... the women of the world, in everything that is praise-worthy, everything that is God-like, everything tha tis uplifting and that is purifying to the children of Men."

Every sister in Relief Society received a small silver box of wisdom. When opened, they were able to know who they truly are and to see themselves as God would see them.  It does not matter what superficial features your mortal body has. Look past the flaws to see you are truly a Daughter of God.

Being United in our Family--Mortal and Eternal

As taught by Sister Helena Hodges

Who is our Family?

Consider the Plan of Happiness - it is all about family.

We all belong to a family. In the premortal life, we were spiritually born to a divine Father and Mother. We are all brothers and sisters. We are born into a family on earth.

As families we need to be united. What are some things we do to help each other out in our mortal family?
Feed the family. Family Home Evening. Making members feel loved and wanted. Show unconditinal love without expecting anything in return. Teach and lead by example. Teaching social skills. Spending time together. Ask about their day. Read to one another.

The Family Proclamation specifically says:

"ALL HUMAN BEINGS—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.

IN THE PREMORTAL REALM, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally."

We need each other to unify and come together. Unite with our talents, our skills, our experience, our wisdom. Serve one another and teach this to the next generation.

Service for our Family

Service is the Gospel of Jesus Christ in action.  Service blesses both the given and the giver.

Serve Heavenly Father through obedience to His commandments. Support one another thorugh action.

The purpose of Relief Society is to save souls. We can provide temporal relief and spiritual relief.

Ultimately, we all want to return to our Heavenly Father. We can provide service to our family to help them achieve this beautiful destiny.

Temple Provides an Easy Way to Serve our Family

Thinking back to the Plan of Happiness, we can serve our family by helping them complete their Ordinances.  For those who did not have the chance to receive Temple blessings while on earth, we can serve them by helping them complete their work.

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One thing we ask our sisters to do this week:  Think of one important thing we do in our family to bring them together. Use that act on someone who's not a member of your family or the Church.

Helena's lesson: "Returning to Faith"

Due to Self-Reliance lesson last week, this week's lesson, taught by Sis Helena Hodges, is from Sister Rosemary Wixom's April 2015 Conference talk, "Returning to Faith"

Returning to Faith

Sis Rosemary Wixom

The Lord can only teach an inquiring mind.

Sometimes we have doubts or questions. It's a natural part of our journey. However, we can get discouraged and lose our faith and testimony.

Sister Wixom tells a story of a faithful Latter-Day Saint woman who, as an adult, had questions in her life: "But as the questions grew harder, so did the answers. And sometimes there were no answers—or no answers that brought peace. Eventually, as she sought to find answers, more and more questions arose, and she began to question some of the very foundations of her faith." It was a difficult and confusing time. She wanted the satisfaction of answers.

Through this time she had the love and support of her family and ward, but she had to work through the question of what she truly believed on her own.

Sister Wixom shares, "In a 1953 letter, Mother Teresa wrote: “Please pray specially for me that I may not spoil His work and that Our Lord may show Himself—for there is such terrible darkness within me, as if everything was dead. It has been like this more or less from the time I started ‘the work.’ Ask Our Lord to give me courage.”

"Archbishop Périer responded: “God guides you, dear Mother; you are not so much in the dark as you think. The path to be followed may not always be clear at once. Pray for light; do not decide too quickly, listen to what others have to say, consider their reasons. You will always find something to help you. … Guided by faith, by prayer, and by reason with a right intention, you have enough.”5

"My friend thought if Mother Teresa could live her religion without all the answers and without a feeling of clarity in all things, maybe she could too. She could take one simple step forward in faith—and then another. She could focus on the truths she did believe and let those truths fill her mind and heart.

President Uchdorf said, "Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith."  (Oct 2013 General Conference)  See what is causing your doubts and question that.

This sister had to focus on what she knew.

She started her journey back by looking at what remained of her testimony. Much of her testimony was in ashes, but what remained was a belief in Jesus Christ. She also had a desire to rebuild her faith.

She began with the basics--Primary songs, those deep, beautiful songs we teach our children. Soon, scripture reading and prayers became a priority.

Sister Wixom shares, "She learned that when she came up against a statement that caused her to doubt, she “could stop, look at the whole picture, and make the gospel personal.” She said, “I would ask, ‘Is this the right path for me and my family?’ Sometimes I would ask myself, ‘What do I want for my children?’ I realized I want them to have temple marriages. That’s when belief came back to my heart.”"

"I was reminded that “it is upon the rock of our Redeemer” that we all must build our foundation. I was also reminded of the counsel of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: “Hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes.”"

We may not know everything, and we may not have answers to every question in our heart. However, if you know that it is good, hold to that goodness and build your faith upon that. Take one step at a time. Trials come to us all. We may all go through the darkness, but we can come through the other side. Focus on truths to fill your mind and heart.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said: “We are all pilgrims seeking God’s light as we journey on the path of discipleship. We do not condemn others for the amount of light they may or may not have; rather, we nourish and encourage all light until it grows clear, bright, and true.”