My Guide Dog Puppy CODY

About five months after we moved here, I found a service dog school to raise another guide dog puppy. The school I found is called Freedom Guide Dogs and they are in Cassville, New York. On December 10, 2007 I got my new guide dog puppy to raise. He was a smooth coated collie named Cody. It was fun getting to raise a collie after raising two Labrador retrievers. I took him every where I went, like: Wal-Mart, Tractor Supply, Sam’s Club, JoAnn’s, Michaels, the Library, the beach, restaurants, bookstores, the mall, church, and other places.

When I was raising him I had to make sure he was used to stairs, traffic, crowds, cars, loud noises, all kinds of people, kids and animals and etc. People in Corry especially at the library and Wal-Mart were always supportive and helpful.

One of Cody’s favorite places to go was church. Every time I took him to church everyone was excited to see him and he was happy to see them too. Sometimes during each meeting he would be crazy, but as soon as the meeting started he would calm down. Everyone in my branch played a role in helping me to raise Cody. The kids would take turns walking him with me. I would sometimes sit with him during primary. And he would be ok. Everyone was happy to see him and was supportive and patient with him and me. My branch was his second family and I am thankful for their support and help when I was raising Cody. Today he is a guide dog working in Albany, New York. I am starting over raising another guide dog puppy and again my branch is being very supportive and patient with a wiggly, noisy puppy at church.

When I see the picture of Cody with his new blind owner it makes me happy to see that I have helped a stranger see the world through a different pair of eyes.

Laura Chaney, Corry Branch

Service - Impacts My Life

The only family I have is my community. Like Jesus told his mother and step father, I am about my father’s work for the kingdom. You see I was not wanted from birth and yet I live, because he lives in me. All of my life growing up, I help others to tell the truth, etc. I meet so many people young and old hungry for Jesus and to understand what is it all about. When I get an invite, or the spirit says so, I talk about the gospel. The work - service- impacts my life, all this year because it is he who sends me. I talk about the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon. I don’t boast or take pride. I love being in the midst of things. Like when I went to the old folks home, disabled people and handicapped, they welcome a smile and a hello from me, even the sick. My health is failing but my spirit is still kicking. Service - what a wonderful impact. I hope one day to be in the temple. Jesus is action and so am I and so should we all be.

Sister Carmen Austin, Erie

I Asked and I Received Bountifully!

Sunday as I drove home from church, I was overwhelmed by the outside work I needed to do the next week. The big job was weeding two flower/shrub beds. Even with Olivia's (my daughter) help it would take all week. Plus the garden needed to be weeded and hoed. Since my health limits what I can do, I knew I needed HELP. I thought of my visiting teachers. After discussing my need with the RS president she called my visiting teachers. Sis Barnhart contacted me right away to set up the service. By the end of Sunday she reported back to me who was coming, the day, and time. I was SO EXCITED and relieved! I looked forward to their arrival on Tuesday. Olivia mowed the yard Monday. Tuesday I began the garden work. Tuesday early evening 7 people came to weed: Sis Barnhart, her 2 daughters Jen & Adrienne, and grandson John; and Sis Miller, her daughter Miranda and nephew Chris. We began just after 6pm and we finished both beds by 7:30pm. That is only 1 1/2 hours to weed 2 large flower beds. That is equal to at least 12 hours for one person. The beds look beautiful now! It gives me such peace and enjoyment to look at those beds. They are free of weeds! I can enjoy the beauty of the shrubs and flowers! It was GREAT to work with these special children of God. It was an easy, fast job with so many working together and very enjoyable. I am SO GRATEFUL for their help. My heart is full of tender feelings for my 7 angels. I asked and I received bountifully!

Jean Rolls, Warren Ward

St. Susan's Center

In the Service of Fathers

The sisters made boutonnieres for Father’s day out of chocolate kisses, floral tape, & artificial leaves. The sisters also accented them with small flowers.
Fun was had by all that participated and the priesthood liked their tokens of our appreciation for them and all they do.

The sisters that did not participate in the boutonniere activity were being taught how to crochet a prayer shawl by Sister Madelyn Crawford. It is not as easy as you might think, but we finally got it.

A Day Filled with Service

Having been called as a new Relief Society Presidency, myself and my enrichment counselor went out to do some visiting on Thursday morning, April 30, It was a pleasure to visit Sister Janet Haveron and have her show us her house and all of the work that she has done on it. It was great reconnecting with her as we have not see her in a while. We then stopped off to see Sister Sue Thompson and she was as busy as a little bee taking care of weddings at her bridal shop. It was nice just to stop and say Hi. We visited with Sister Donner who is recovering from hip surgery. She always loves to have visitors. We then headed for the Salvation Army where we assisted Sister Georgia Ognibene in donating $500 worth of humanitarian food to their food pantry. It was great to be part of that service. It is a great thing that our church is willing to donate to these different places in our communities. It not only benefits many people in providing needed food, but it shows our communities what our church represents. I am very grateful to be part of this gospel. One of the gentlemen helping to unload had been to our house with the missionaries for dinner on Christmas Eve. Maybe some seeds were planted and he may seek out the elders again and want to come to church. Service is a wonderful thing. Service helps us to feel better about ourselves. I know that I am always happier when I can do something for others. It was a wonderful day visiting and delivering this food.

My Neighbors Keeper

I live in Spring Court, which is a small Senior Citizen Complex in Olean, New York. I am one of the younger people there. The rest are mostly women in their late 80's. Housing has this lovely habit of springing inspections on us. So a little over a year ago, I decided that I would help Julia by cleaning her kitchen every Friday. She can't see, and has two daughters that are busy with their own lives and can't help her. Then after a bit , I took over her medicines. I put them in a daily holder so she can take them without having to get them out of the bottle. Otherwise, she wouldn't take them like she should. In all this time, I have not missed a Friday, except once when she went to the hospital over the weekend, once when she took a trip down south to see her son and one weekend when I was sick. Although, I was able to go to the apartment and do her meds that day anyways. I fully enjoy the time spent doing the job, although it doesn't take me long.

Sister Rose Lafrenz, Olean Ward

Setting the Example

At some point every day , there is an act of service being done somewhere in the world and thank goodness for that! Some people like to be “served” while others enjoy being the “server”. While both are needed in our crazy busy world, I prefer, for many reasons, to be the server.

Recently, I have had to face some unexpected health issues and the word “blindsided” does not even begin to describe the feelings this new information has introduced into mine and my families lives! As I flip-flop between feelings of self-pity and depression versus worthlessness and little to no hope, I try to grab onto that very thin string of love that my Heavenly Father has for me. Of this I have no doubt…so in order to pull myself out of the abyss of sadness that I feel on an almost daily basis, I do the only thing that I know will benefit myself and others. That is to lose my thoughts and myself in the act of service! By doing for someone else, I am also doing for myself, so serving is really a two-fold mission for me and my family . There is no better medicine or therapy!

At this point in our lives we still have two of our four children at home. My son is 15 and my daughter is 13…aahhh-teenagers!! Getting them to give freely of their precious time can be a challenge to say the least. Besides doing service projects for Young Womens and Young Mens, Relief Society, Boy Scouts, the local Y.M.C.A. and a Boy Scout camp close our home, well our kids tend to feel very “put upon” to say the least!!! Whenever the words service project come up it is usually followed by some very loud groaning and complaining. So how do we make it “FUN”? well I don’t think fun ever springs to mind but I do know that when my children are able to see a calming difference come over their mother when she is in the midst of serving or talking about the joys of helping others they are affected by that. They are able to see how both sides benefit from the blessings of serving. There is no better way than to be an example!

Anonymous

Warren Baskets - Service In Our Midst

Feedback from a Sister who delivered baskets:

As I delivered the baskets on Sunday the sisters were so happy to be thought of. I truly felt that it was an uplift to their week and a testimony to them that we care about them. It is always an awesome feeling to be an instrument in the Lord's hands in giving service to others.

Jamestown Baskets - Service In Our Midst

Response from Sisters who received a basket:

Please extend my thanks to the R.S. Sisters for the surprise package of "goodies". It was so thoughtful. *D* and I had a "cookie and milk party" Sunday afternoon. The cards were especially nice and it was like an early birthday gift. I really love you all so much and miss being with you especially on the special occasions.
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she was thrilled with her amazing basket...she loved it and had tears...

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Wow, I didn't know I would get a basket. How neat and lovely and surprising that was and is.. Thank you so much for the idea, as it sure has lifted my spirit to no end. In fact, going to have a roll for my dinner tonight. Not eating much, so that will do me up fine and dandy right now. Just fun finding the goodies in there... Inspired, I would say.

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Feedback from a Sister who delivered baskets:

As I delivered the first basket it was to a dear 90 year old sister, that used to play piano in Primary and Sacrament meeting for years, until she became too sick to attend church. When we arrived, her husband was a bit beside himself, so my mother talked to him and calmed him down, while I had the sad pleasure of holding her hand and telling her how beautiful she was, as she lay in bed unable to sit up any more and in so much pain that she hurt when you touched her. I don't think she cared so much about the basket in her sadden state, so maybe the delivery was for me. I think I was sent to see what condition this family was in. Maybe that basket will be for her husband to cheer him up.. he's been taking care of her day and night. The sisters and brethren in the ward began to take charge , and within the week this sister was taken to the hospital and it was found out she had a broken hip and wrist.... she was operated on and she is doing much better now... it all started with the basket...

The second basket went to a single sister in our ward with two daughters, one just about ready to go into YW and one just out of YW, that I had tried to re-activate while I was in the YW presidency. It was good to see the whole family and they made me feel right at home with big hug from each. They were grateful for being thought of.

The third basket went to another special sister in our ward, who I used to pick up for church the first year she joined the church. She is a very special lady and stood in Relief Society on Sunday to thank us publicly for the basket. She also told us she needed our prayers for her grandson, Jace, whose heart was not working properly. We told her we would and we would also add his name to the prayer rolls in the Temple. We didn't know that he was sick, but we knew we wanted to give her a basket to let her know how much she meant to us. There were several bags of baked good left over, and when I delivered her basket, I gave some to her grandchildren that live with her. (I didn't want them to eat up all of hers, and now she doesn't have to share..ha ha)

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I had the honor of taking one to Beverly Hallowell. She was very sick, but she told me that now she knew the sisters loved her. My heart jumped a beat just to know she knew that. She enjoyed the food with her daughter, Nora. This sister died three weeks later.

Sister Carrol Shephard, Jamestown Ward

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I delivered my basket to LB. She was receptive, very happy and surprised to receive the basket. She took each item out and looked at everything. I had a nice visit with L., her daughter and the dogs. She's been having a hard time with her back since her car accident. She said she would have to come to church to thank the sisters in person for the lovely basket which she really enjoyed. She appears to be a happy, gregarious sister. She's fun with a good sense of humor.

Sister Eunice Benson, Jamestown Ward