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It's in the Bag

Kim Durfey, "It's in the Bag," Ensign, June 2005, 68
When my husband was called to the bishopric, I faced the seemingly insurmountable task of caring for my three young children alone during sacrament meeting. My first few attempts didn't go well, but over time I began to succeed. One of my key discoveries was taking a well-prepared bag of only the essentials. By packing it each Sunday after Church meetings, I always had it ready for the next week. This advance preparation allowed me to carefully select a book and one or two toys for each child. If I selected too many toys, we experienced chaos the following sacrament meeting. The same was true for snacks. In fact, I could usually eliminate them altogether if I fed my children an hour before church. Because times of meetings vary, some parents may need to pack a few snacks, but I recommend keeping it simple.

With my bag in hand each Sunday and children in tow, we began arriving 15 minutes early thanks to effective Saturday-evening clothing and bath preparations. Though arriving early was difficult at first, the extra time allowed us to listen reverently to the prelude music, thus setting a peaceful precedent we had rarely experienced before.

Initially, I thought I would be alone in my endeavors to care for my children at church. But other gracious ward members have helped. Together we encourage my children to stay in one place during the meeting—no wandering. With a little preparation, I have been able to help even my youngest child to sense the sacredness of sacrament meeting.

Kim Durfey, Colorado Springs 17th Military Ward, Fountain Colorado Stake

Gospel topics: children, preparation, reverence, Sabbath

[illustration] Illustrated by Joe Flores

Résumés That Work

R. Larry Choate, "Résumés That Work," Ensign, June 2005, 68
In today's competitive job market, you need a sharp résumé to make a good first impression. As the human resource director of a power-supply business, I review many résumés, the bulk of which are not prepared carefully. To represent yourself as a professional, consider what makes a résumé work:

Be truthful and accurate in stating your education and job experience.

Research the possible employment opportunities available and tailor your résumé to highlight applicable skills and experience.

List related skills through volunteer and Church-service work. This information can be especially helpful if you have a limited job history. For instance, full-time homemakers can highlight skills acquired through managing a home and family or volunteering outside the home.

Proofread with meticulous care. Let others read it and offer suggestions.

Use high-quality paper and dark, readable type if you're submitting your résumé in person or by mail. If applying online, make sure the file is easily accessible.

R. Larry Choate, Big Thompson Ward, Loveland Colorado Stake

Gospel topic: employment

Determining Your Body Mass Index

"Determining Your Body Mass Index," Ensign, June 2005, 69
Body Mass Index (BMI) can be a reliable indicator of total body fat for adult men and women. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, determining your BMI is one of three key measures in assessing your risk for developing obesity-associated diseases.

To automatically calculate your BMI, you can input height-weight information on a variety of Internet sites. Or you can use one of the equations at left.

Though a good indicator, the BMI isn't perfect. It may overestimate body fat for those with muscular builds or underestimate it for anyone who has experienced muscle mass loss. Your doctor can help you evaluate your BMI and discuss any healthcare concerns you may have.

Weight in pounds (Height in inches)²	x 703	or	Weight in kilograms (Height in meters)²
Example:	Weight = 160 lbs. Height² = (69 in.)²	x 703 = 23.6 BMI

BMI	Status	BMI	Status
Below 18.5	Underweight	25.029.9	Overweight
18.524.9	Normal	30.0 and above	Obese

Gospel topic: health

Family Home Evening Helps: Family Night Themes

Anita Wells, "Family Home Evening Helps: Family Night Themes," Ensign, June 2005, 69
With our young children, we have found that short, repetitive lessons provide our most successful family home evenings. One year we devoted 13 weeks to learning the Articles of Faith. Each Monday night we'd discuss the meaning of a particular article of faith. Then the following week we'd practice reciting it every day at breakfast. During the subsequent family night we'd repeat all the Articles of Faith we knew and add the new one. Our Primary-age children soon learned all 13, and our one-year-old even chimed in on "We believe."

Since we like to choose themes for family night, we have also studied the missionary discussions, the Ten Commandments, President Hinckley's Six Bs, and the 15 latter-day prophets. The Gospel Art Picture Kit (item no. 34730; U.S. $30.00) makes this last idea particularly easy to implement since the back of each picture contains information about each prophet. The pictures could also be checked out from your meetinghouse library.

Successful family home evenings don't necessarily require a lot of advance preparation. Your family may want to add more activities, but we have found that starting with simple lessons helps us to gather consistently each Monday night.

Anita Wells, Aspen Hills Ward, Sandy Utah Granite South Stake

Gospel topics: family home evening, teaching

[illustration] Illustrated by Beth Whittaker

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