Europe Area: Medical gifts appreciated

KIEV, UKRAINE - A 40-foot container with six tons of urgently needed humanitarian assistance from the Church recently arrived at the Kiev Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery. The shipment included such things as artificial blood circulators, medical books, operating room gowns, and probes for cardiac chamber investigation. Included also were two large boxes of toys for children undergoing treatment at the hospital.

The gift was suggested by Dr. Donald B. Doty, Ronald D. Vetch and Dr. Scott N. Hurst, a Utah medical team that visited the Kiev facility and performed surgeries at no charge.

A special staff meeting was held at the hospital to express appreciation for the efforts of the medical team, and for the supplies. The shipment from Frankfurt, Germany, was coordinated by Dr. Talmage Nielsen, the Church's coordinator of medical and humanitarian services for the Europe Area Office in Frankfurt.

Philippines/Micronesia Area: Sisters visit hospital

ILAGAN CITY, PHILIPPINES - The Relief Society sisters of the Ilagan Philippines Stake contributed to the community recently by visiting the charity wards of the Don Gregorio T. Lluch Memorial Hospital. The hospital is a government-owned facility that serves poor and indigent families near Ilagan City and Lanao del Norte.

The Relief Society sisters brought bread and milk to about 60 patients and distributed handmade cards containing spiritual messages.

North America Central Area: Co-hosts of family fair

AURORA, COLO. - In support of the International Year of the Family, members of the Arapahoe Colorado Stake and St. Michael the Archangel Parish Center co-hosted a family fair for the community recently. Various classes on strengthening the family were taught by members of both congregations at the fair.

"We want to be a positive influence in the community," said Pres. Randy Funk of the Arapahoe stake. "By uniting with local congregations, we can emphasize similar values, strengthen families and better our community."

He said the friendship between the two congregations went back to 1982 when St. Michael's Parish offered its facilities to the stake after the stake center burned down.

North America Southwest Area: `Cookie blitz' for less-active

BULLHEAD CITY, ARIZ. - Members of the Bullhead City 1st Ward, Kingman Arizona Stake, conducted their annual "Cookie Blitz" recently.

Begun four years ago in an effort to reach out to less-active members, home and visiting teachers gather every year on a Saturday morning, and, under direction of the priesthood, have a quick breakfast followed by prayer. Then, armed with plates of cookies, a spiritual message and lots of love, they hit the streets of the Bullhead City, Ariz./Laughlin, Nev., area. The goal is to make personal contact with every family on the ward list within the day. Then, on the following Sunday, they report the results of those visits to ward leaders.

Because of rapid growth in the area, keeping accurate membership records has been an overwhelming challenge in the past. Now, home and visiting teachers search out each home, verifying members' addresses and gaining additional information about family members. They also try to get information from neighbors about members who have moved from the area.

The central purpose of the personal visits, however, has been to touch the numerous less-active members living in the area.

Bishop R. Patrick Young said: "This work comes not by way of commandment, but by the earnest desire of active members of our ward who seek to bring the joy of the gospel back into the lives of their brothers and sisters within our ward boundaries."

North America Southeast Area: 78 from ward attend temple

NASHVILLE, TENN. - Members of the Nashville 2nd Ward tripled their temple efforts in response to the counsel of President Howard W. Hunter to "establish the temple of the Lord as the great symbol of their membership."

Ward members, including youth, traveled to the Atlanta Temple several times in the past year. Then in February, they arranged for an early morning session for the ward, and most recommend holders participated. They said their effort created the equivalent of a "ward in heaven."

After the session, "it was an awesome experience to have 78 members of the ward in the celestial room at the same time," said Bishop Craig Smith. "It was a spiritual experience that will be permanently imprinted in my memory throughout eternity."

He said the temple trip created a strong spirit in the ward. As one ward member said, "Creating a ward in heaven has brought a little more heaven into our ward."

North America West Area: Community TV honors program

OCEANSIDE, CALIF. - A public access television station here honored the Church for providing the station's longest-running program, "Moments of Reflection," which aired weekly for more than five years.

During segment broadcasts in mid-February, KOCT's "Spectrum" program host presented an engraved plaque to high councilor Bruce L. Carter, representing Vista California Stake Pres. Robert D. McKinley. The plaque reads: "Special Thanks to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for producing `Moments of reflection,' the longest-running public access show on KOCT, from January of 1988 to October 1994 on Community TV."

"Moments of Reflection" was a series devoted to education, personal achievement and family values produced under local Church auspices. KOCT is also carrying a program of lectures by well-known LDS scholar Hugh Nibley.

North America Northeast Area: Firewood warms friendships

FARMINGTON, MAINE - Because of the long, cold Maine winters, heating is always a challenge here, especially for needy families. So as a service to members who may have a need, priesthood holders in the Farmington Ward recently held a firewood gathering project. Experienced wood cutters Eldred Rolfe and Robert Godbout felled a stand of trees that had been purchased. Then other ward members clipped limbs and cut the trees into four-foot lengths.

A team of oxen, Tim and Jack, dragged the trees to the nearest road. A total of 16 cords of wood was prepared. "The project not only served as an economical means of providing fuel assistance, but it also helped strengthen the love, appreciation and understanding for one another," said Brother Rolfe.