Author: Leisa

Written by Leisa Parsons

I love the trend of focusing on a word for the year rather than a list of resolutions that may or may not happen. I do a lot of online fitness classes, and subscribe to a couple of different streaming programs. During one workout, the instructor was using the correct Sanskrit names for many yoga poses and terms — there were no “downward dog” poses. We were doing “Adho Mukha Śvānāsana” (yeah, I realized quickly that this workout was beyond me!) One word that I remembered and didn’t have to Google was “drishti”.  A “drishti” is a specific focus point that is held while maintaining a yoga position. Often times it is very difficult to stay balanced while trying to hold a certain pose, but if you pick a point on the mat or the wall to focus upon, it becomes much easier to stay upright. Essentially, a drishti is a visual anchor that helps you to keep your balance. (If you think it sounds hokey then try standing on one foot with your eyes closed) I have learned that I can hold yoga poses much better when I focus on a drishti and let other distractions fade away.

In a similar, more spiritual manner, I can avoid falling into danger if I focus upon the Lord. Just as a yoga drishti helps keep me anchored and balanced, focusing on the Lord will keep my spirit safely anchored. I’ve thought a lot about a word I want to help define 2022 for me (this is hard because there are so many great words!) however, I have decided “focus” will be my word. 

I want 2022 to be full of joy and I know it’s achievable as I focus on my Savior. I know President Russell M. Nelson’s promise is sure, he said, “The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives. When the focus of our lives is on Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives.”₁  I want joy in 2022!

I just returned from the baptism of my twin nephews Max and Milo. Their church leader gave them both a blanket and embroidered on each was the phrase “Always Remember Him” I love this! I want one embroidered for me! I want to be more intentional on where my focus is this year. I want to focus on Jesus Christ — His incomparable life and perfect example. I want to focus on how I act, rather than on reacting. 

Continue reading “Focusing During 2022”

by Leisa Parsons, Area Media Specialist

Santa and his elves have nothing on our indefatigable group of youth and members from the Seguin congregation! Yesterday, they teamed up with additional members from the Cibolo Valley Stake and delivered household furnishings and goods to 14 refugee families in one day.

Bishop Tim Bird described the day as “…an incredible crazy, organized, chaotic day…!” They were able to help furnish previously bare apartments. The Afghan community is close knit. They help and share with each other. As a result, yesterday the members from the Cibolo Valley area were able to identify an additional 15 families in need of assistance.

If you would like to assist with ongoing deliveries to help the newly settled refugees please consider checking out their “Stable Project” ministry. Check out their Facebook group. They have an Amazon registry set up or you can purchase IKEA gift cards for larger items at a better price. Also, share this post with others to help spread the word.

by Leisa Parsons, Area Media Specialist

At this time of year our list of “to do’s” seems to grow exponentially as the holiday season rolls forward — too quickly for parents and agonizingly slow for children. Clad predominantly in red “Light the World” t-shirts, a congregation in Seguin ditched their lists in favor of what the Savior Himself would do — they went about “doing good.”

“Doing good” is probably an understatement! Youth and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Seguin spent their last Saturday before Christmas helping six Afghan families receive much needed household furnishings and supplies. Bishop Tim Bird said: “Many years of moving families in and out of wards prepared us for today. We have been on moves when it rained, been on moves where they were on the third floor of a building, been on moves where you couldn’t park close enough to the home and had to carry stuff a mile away.” They encountered all of that on Saturday, but the spirit of what they were doing propelled them on.

They had started the day with a plan to deliver to four households, but as they were moving furniture and dishes they became aware of two other families that had nothing. This group from Seguin can’t look the other way — they are too invested in their work of bringing comfort to others. 

The families were living in empty apartments before the Seguin congregation showed up. The sizes of the families they helped sound a little like the song “12 Days of Christmas”. They helped a family of nine, another family of eight, two families of seven, a family of six and an apartment of five single men. Continue reading “Doing Good”

By Ken Jarvis, Area Media Specialist

It was a pleasant, warm south Texas Saturday. Volunteers from the Bulverde Ward, Hill Country Stake, gathered at SJRC Texas, formerly known as St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, in Bulverde. Their goal, to decorate the campus for Christmas.  

SJRC Texas cares for children and families who have been affected by trauma, abuse and neglect. These kids had to be removed from their homes by the Department of Family and Protective Services. The Bulverde ward has had a long relationship with SJRC Texas helping clean and repair the buildings and grounds. But this time the need was to convert the campus into something special for Christmas. 

Kim Bodily, the Relief Society Service Project Coordinator said, “My assignment was to find a group that was in need and would let us help with a hands-on activity for this Christmas season. SJRC Texas was a perfect fit.”  Continue reading “Hill Country Congregation Brings Christmas to Children in Need”

by Leisa Parsons, Area Media Specialist

The Texas Giving Machine, with its crew of youth and adults clad in red “Light the World” t-shirts, is gearing up to provide the first of many full apartment furnishings this Friday evening to a family of 10. 

The Giving Machine built by youth from @churchofjesuschristsat Seguin congregation has been showing up all over the area. From parades to Seguin City Hall meetings and other community events. The Giving Machine has pictures of 72 items displayed that people can purchase. 

They can purchase items directly and drop them off at the First United Bank in Seguin, where the machine will be during the day. Or they can go through the Amazon registry and scan the QR code on the back of each item’s picture. Continue reading “It’s the Season of Giving and Gratitude”

by Leisa Parsons, Area Media Specialist

By the end of the year, members and missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will have donated a whopping 3,000 volunteer hours in 2021 working at the Christian Cupboard, a food pantry, in Seguin, Texas!

Today, a few of those same volunteers helped unload a truckload of food for the Christian Cupboard, representing the largest single donation of food in the Cupboard’s history. The truck was sent by the Church’s humanitarian services in response to a request made by Bishop Tim Bird, of the Seguin congregation. 

The Christian Cupboard of Seguin finally finished erecting a warehouse for storage, making today’s shipment possible. Bishop Bird said that often times the folks at the Christian Cupboard have had to purchase items off the shelves at HEB to keep their pantry stocked, so they are thrilled with today’s delivery, especially during this holiday season.

Members and missionaries helped unload 24 pallets of food ranging from green beans to chicken soup, applesauce, rice and other pantry staples. Of course there were two pallets of the perennial favorite of any food bank — peanut butter! Pallets of laundry and dish detergent were also donated.  Want to volunteer like the youth and folks in Seguin? Find opportunities for service at JustServe

by Leisa Parsons, Area Media Specialist

Service opportunities are as varied as the people who perform them. Over the past week, thousands of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from around San Antonio have metaphorically come together to help feed the more vulnerable in our city.

The word went out just over a week ago that Catholic Charities needed help filling their Thanksgiving boxes. They had turkeys but they needed side items. Members went into action with different congregations assigned different items to donate —from apples and oranges to potatoes, stuffing, corn, sweet potatoes, marshmallows and other items needed to round out a Thanksgiving meal. 

Continue reading ““The Lord Works””

By Leisa Parsons and Ken Jarvis, Area Media Specialists

Most of us are familiar with the saying “Think Globally, Act Locally”. The plight of the Afghan refugees is a global story that has inspired many to get involved. This particular story starts in Germany, ends in San Antonio by way of St. George, Utah. It is the epitome of acting locally to alleviate the suffering of others across the globe.

“As soon as I heard about the Afghan evacuees flying to Ramstein Air Base in Germany, just an hour from where we are living, I hoped there would be an opportunity for me to help.” said Valarie Olson, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints living in Germany, where her husband is stationed with the military. 

Members of the Kaiserslautern Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ mobilized quickly and emails were sent requesting volunteers. “Count me in” Olson responded, “I remember standing in the hangar on Ramstein Air Base, surrounded by carts full of donated clothes. Afghan refugees urgently needed clothing, as many had arrived with only the clothes they were wearing, some even barefoot. I was one of the many volunteers that morning sorting items into packets to distribute.” Continue reading ““Be a Helper””