I may have reached the point where my brain functionality has reached a peak with respect to what it takes to master the internet. To tell you how I reached the conclusion, I have to go back a few days.
Recently our dedicated web server saw in increase in attacks from malicious internet sources. They could be the Russian Mafia, Romanian teenage cyber-thugs, or just a rogue internet thief looking to score some personal data. Whatever the source, the attacks were giving our old security setup fits. (NOTE: If you don’t believe your computer is under attack when it is connected to the internet, you are WRONG. Look at your software firewall log and you will be SHOCKED at everyone trying to compromise your computer. Imagine how much harder they try to get into known internet web servers.)
We experienced this once before; our Linux web server was compromised, however, no personal data was stolen or damaged; the perps simply used it to send out gobs of spam. At that time we elected to place our dedicated web server behind a hardware firewall, a device that filters and traps only allowed internet traffic through to the actual server machine itself. This really helped, but even then we had configuration issues in getting all of the services to run correctly behind the firewall.
So dejavu all over again; we asked our data center staff to ‘harden’ our web server to increase data security. Linux servers by default only have login password security; some have software firewalls running at installation, ours does not. Hardening increases web server data integrity by decreasing the ways and methods of getting to that data. This protects the system from hostile network traffic, Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks, and security breeches. It includes many steps that we will not outline here; why give you enemies your game plan? The hardening was done by our data center staff, but was not 100% error free the first run through.
I am only going to list here two problems we encountered along with their results. I do this to inform our users about times they were not able to take full advantage of our services. Of course we would have preferred a 100% error free procedure, but the long-term server hardening benefits we gained will far outweigh these short term disruptions.
1. After a reboot, the server did not load the correct IP information. Internet traffic getting through our firewall did not reach the server as it did not have the correct configuration. This resulted in a several hour ‘outage’ very early Friday morning. After I reported this to the data center, they fixed the problem and all of our web sites were again operational.
2. Email service for latter-dayvillage.com was down beginning at this same time. New security measures meant that name addresses (DNS) information for LDV’s email server was not updated properly. This is really a good thing, meaning a hacker should be able to maliciously change these settings. It took our data center staff a while to pinpoint and fix the problem (I provide mail server log information). Late Friday afternoon our assigned system administrator realized what the problem was and fixed it. Email service into LDV, including our email lists, was down for about eight hours on Friday.
There. Debra and I are feeling much more confident in our system security, and I have much more faith in our data center staff; they were very responsive and provided the information I needed to understand this upgrade process and its effects.
Yes, the internet is hard sometimes; harder than you would think to run an internet business. We are learning and getting better at it every day!
We have added a new Sunday School download subscription for the 12-13 year old Sunday School teachers! Lesson Supplements by SuZan Brown is now available to subscribe to. The manual for 2009 is “The Presidents of the Church.” This manual was especially written for this age group, and with SuZan’s supplements to assist you, teaching this course will be so much easier! She has done all the hard work of preparing posters, handouts, word strips, games and so forth for you! SuZan has selected pertinent articles from the New Era, Friend and Ensign to update and add pizzaz to your lessons.
You can check out the first lesson supplement FREE!
Scripture Mastery (SM) is the one area of a seminary teacher’s responsibility that is not covered very well in the teacher manuals. However, Latter-dayVillage.com carries many different SM teaching resources to help you turn students into scripture masters. If done correctly, this one single area of seminary instruction can become the most lasting memory imprint from your teacher efforts. Many of us still remember the scriptures we memorized even 40-50 years ago; in fact for this write, knowing the SM verses was a powerful missionary tool. I was able to quote prophetic scripture on the door, the street corner, and in our investigator’s homes. In every member missionary situation, having an instant library of God’s Word available to use, will benefit students and teacher alike.
In the next few Seminary News Flashes, we will focus on one of our SM resources, as well as listing much of what we offer. This Flash our attention turns to Scripture Mastery Resources! from Ken Alford. Bro. Alford, a long time seminary teacher has just joined the BYU Dept. of Religion faculty after retiring from military service. His resource packets are designed for quick duplication with using a copy machine; his CD’s are packed with images and activities proven to help with SM passage familiarization and memorization.
Inspiring Quotations (called “Glue Quotes” or “Glue-Ins” each one refers to a specific scripture and they’re all just the right size to glue into scriptures or journals)
New Testament. Volume 2 - This second activity packet does not duplicate first packet resources, but adds a wide range of New Testament teaching resources:
Jewish Holiday information (through 2005)
Scripture Mastery Anagrams activity
New Testament Tidbits (lesson “attention getters”)
“Who Wants to be a Zillionaire” New Testament game (complete with speed round questions, lifelines, and game questions)
Table of Contents (with all packet pages numbered)
Scripture Mastery Logic Puzzle (and solution)
As with the previous packet, there is to much to list here. See
the product page for a complete list of New Testament teaching aids.
ALL 100 Scripture Mastery CD - On this CD, designed for all four years (good scripture mastery involves reviewing previous year’ memorization), you receive:
400 SCRIPTURE MASTERY PICTURES
100 pictures with keywords and scripture references
100 pictures with references but no keywords
100 pictures with keywords but no references
100 pictures without keywords or references
These beautiful pictures can be used in handouts, activities, talks, games, flash cards, etc.
100 scripture mastery computer jigsaw puzzles
48 computer screensavers
100 computer background pictures
4 computer slideshows
4 scripture mastery guides
Picture Clues - The Picture Clues packet provides match the Picture Bingo clues from the Seminary Scripture Mastery Resource Volume 1 packets. Each Picture Clues packet contains:
4 Student Handout pages, which each contains all 25 scripture references, keywords, and picture clues from one Seminary year.
100 full-size picture clues (8-1/2 by 11 inches). These images are perfect for game/chase clues or classroom visual aids.
All Seminary Scripture Mastery Resources! - The activities in this packet cover the Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, Old Testament, New Testament at the same time! Review and preview all four Seminary years during the same activity.
Grettle Payne, one of our long-time seminary authors, recently discovered a hidden treasure in a storage unit she was cleaning out. Some time ago we converted most of Grettle’s out of print seminary scripture mastery titles to PDF eBook format; those downloads have been selling very well. What she found was several hundred copies of her books, some even that she was sure were all sold out.
We are now offering two of those books as an exclusive sell out; hard copies of these two volumes are now available until they run out.
We will continue to sell the download versions of these books; they are cheaper and have no shipping charges, but for those who prefer hard copy versions, now is your chance. Order now while we still have these in stock!
There are so many great themes this year for New Testament study in Seminary! We’ve had product lines for two great NT themes for over a month, and now we have added a new one!
“LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE” from Matthew 5:16 is one of my favorite scripture references and happens to be one of the Seminary Scripture Mastery Verses this year!
I tried my hand at designing a logo for this theme. I wanted to use a lighthouse, but I also included a number of other “light” symbols. You can see stars in the black night sky, and there are sun icons as well as two eyes in the borders of the image. I also used arrows because the light points the way we should go. I wanted to depict the contrast between darkness and light in the design, so I used a black sky.
Once when I was teaching the Primary song “I Am Like a Star” I had a neat discussion with the children. I turned off the lights and turned on a flashlight that had a star cutout on the end. I asked them why they could see the little flashlight glowing, and they said it was because it was dark. I reminded them that we only see stars at night because it is so dark. Even a little star shines bright in that black sky. We sang the song and I asked them to listen for what it was that helped us shine like a star. The words go like this:
I am like a star shining brightly
Shining for the whole world to see
I can do and say happy things each day
For I know Heav’nly Father loves me.
The reason we can shine like a star is because we know Heavenly Father loves us. In this world of darkness, we shine like stars because of that special knowledge. Those who do not have that knowledge can see the light shining from us and are attracted to it. We can share that light with others by helping them learn that they too are children of God, and beloved by Heavenly Father.
I had that in mind the whole time I was designing this logo. Also, I am an actress, and by nature, I have no problem expressing myself in public - but sometimes I’ve been accused of being a show off or big mouth (that was way back when I was a kid, but I still remember and feel self-conscious about it) so this scripture always brought me a sense of vindication and relief that expressing myself wasn’t such a bad thing. I’ve taught drama classes for kids many times, and directed a number of children’s shows and youth plays. I love getting to the end - the big performance - and watching the children who initially were shy and afraid shining like stars on that stage. It tickles me to no end when one of my most resistant students ends up stealing a scene once they understand how great it is to hear the audience responding to them. I’ve seen many a little life turn around from such an experience, and I love it!
I don’t know what it is about letting your light shine that makes it glow all the brighter - but perhaps it is like the parable - if someone had a candle and put it under a bushel, it would eventually go out, wouldn’t it - for lack of oxygen? When you remove the bushel, and let it shine for all those around, the flame will actually increase, won’t it, when it gets that exposure to fresh air? Yes, it surely seems to me that when we let our light shine it gets brighter - from my experience with performing, and also with sharing testimony. As we share our testimony, it grows.
So there is a super metaphor in this scripture/theme. But it didn’t stop there. I also looked up “light” in the online scriptures - narrowing it to the New Testament. There were MANY references and they were all interesting and powerful. Of course the Savior is the “light of the world!” to mention just one.
We are pleased to announce that we are now carrying lettering and tile kits from Cozy by Design. Here are a few examples of Jessi Bodell’s fantastic lettering designs.
I was recently contacted by LDS Behaviorist and Parent Coach, Tom Dozier of Southern California about the possibility of publishing some of his articles at LDV. I read his sample article and visited his website - LDSParentCoach.org to learn more about his work. Tom, a grandfather, has been providing parenting classes in Southern California since 2003 after several years of research and study, inspired by Dr. Glenn Latham’s seminal work in positive parenting, which they applied in their own family to turn around a troubled teenage son where all other professional interventions, including prescription medications and several rounds of therapy had done nothing to help.
Tom’s simple solutions are definitely in keeping with gospel principles and useful for behavior changes in young children to teens and beyond.
We will be including a series of articles by Tom in upcoming issues of The Villager and archiving them in our Free Sampler in the Family - Parenting category.
I especially appreciate that while these principles can be applied in any relationship, and any family, Tom is sensitive and experienced with the unique needs and lifestyle of latter-day saints. Since LDV has a reputation of providing resources for teachers - I also feel that the principles Tom promotes are as effective in the classroom as they are in the home.
Tom is available for personal coaching by phone, in person or by email. Visit his site for more information and some great resources now.
We have two new digital Pioneer Collections, and one veteran collection to choose from in our store. This wonderful LDS clipart is from two gifted LDS photographers, Courtney White and Terrell Moffett and our talented illustrator Elsa Remund.
Martin’s Cove Photographic Collection by Terrell Moffett. Terrell and I met at an Adobe Photoshop Seminar sponsored by NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals) in April of 2007. We walked into the Salt Palace together and just stuck together the rest of the day. I don’t know what I was expecting at a Photoshop seminar but still, I was surprised that most folks attending were photographers. I am not a photographer. Terrell told me about his work as a fine art photographer - and when it came time to join NAPP - you know they exert some friendly pressure to join, Terrell said he highly recommended it, and said it was the most valued membership he maintained -their almost monthly magazine alone was worth the subscription. So I took his advice and joined. I haven’t regretted it at all - and believe me, I make plenty of dumb purchases, but this one was terrific. After the seminar I visited Terrell’s website and got a look at his work. I only wish Nampa was not so far from Saratoga Springs, because he’d be worth apprenticing with. I asked if he were LDS and once we established that I asked if he might be interested in doing some photography for LDV. Time passed and along came Pioneer season and I thought I didn’t have a pioneer collection that would be ready. So I contacted Terrell who I knew had gone on a handcart trek and put together a massive slide show for his stake. He sent me some great photos and I practiced some of my acquired Photoshop skills to turn them into an art collection with scrapbook papers. I wanted to frame some of his photos in period frames - so I scanned a bunch of old frames and books I have inherited from my ancestors and created digital frames to go around his photos. All in all it was a lot of fun and the collection turned out very well. If you have been on a trek or are going on a trek or like celebrating Pioneer Day - this is a great collection for you!
Courtney White went on the big re-enactment Pioneer Trek in 1997 and took wonderful photographs, which she now has turned into a beautiful digital scrapbook collection with artistic effects. The photos come in full color, watermark and sepia tones. Also included is a beautiful set of ready-to-print Pioneer Trail Notecards - featuring the photos with quotes from pioneer songs and journal entries.
At the tail end of a difficult pregnancy, Courtney finished several pending collections one right after another - and despite her discomfort in sitting at the computer, she did a fabulous job as always.
And I have to remind everyone of the beautiful illustrated collection by Elsa - this was from our 2007 Club, but it is also available in our store. Elsa has such a gift for capturing emotion with her designs. This beautiful collection includes posters, cards, bookmarks, stationary and scrapbook papers, tags and borders that are perfect for Seminary, Youth Trek, Primary, Ward/Stake Activities, printed Sunday bulletins or personal use.
BTW - Elsa had her first baby this Spring - congratulations Elsa!
I hope you will have a great Pioneer Day this year!
A competitor of ours in the LDS resources market makes this claim on their website:
“[domain name] is now the largest collection of helps anywhere online.”
Here’s another one: “Welcome to [domain name]: the largest repository of LDS-related content on the internet.”
We beg to differ. It is a given that lds.org is the single largest collection of LDS helps on the planet. Who can really compare with the resources the church provides; e.g., years and years of magazines, music downloads, images? This is a very good application of our tithing dollars in my estimation.
Who then comes in second? I believe that position probably goes to one of the online LDS libraries; LDS Library or Gospelink, both of whom boast thousands of book titles indexed. LDS Library, my favorite, even indexes much of the lds.org material; Gospelink advertises the same.
Latter-dayVillage.com is not even in the same volume league with those sites; however, we specialize in focused content in certain areas. For those markets, we have some impressive resources (counts as of 7/1/2008):
Seminary Articles:
4875
Seminary Downloads:
3935
Primary Articles:
1600
Primary Downloads:
1033
Primary Music Articles:
493
Primary Music Downloads
887
General Articles*:
522
General Downloads:
478
Clipart **:
4312
We continue to expand our online store product line, with the latest additions from our new line of Zazzle products. Our product line includes 885 products now with more on the way. We are working with several new vinyl products vendors and will add their products shortly.
So perhaps we will just claim to be a ‘pretty good LDS resource’.
*General articles are free with a membership registration and include everything from FHE, homeschooling, and Relief Society to Young Women.
** Includes more than just LDS specific clipart. A large majority of our clipart collection comes from open source image repositories that we have formatted in more industry accepted file types.
We have found a way to easily share some of our artists creativity by creating a store through Zazzle. Similar to CafePress, our Zazzle store offers our unique designs on appearal, mugs, and other consumer products. Even though we are just in the startup phase, we have quite a few products to showcase.
We have added a new Sunday School download subscription for the 12-13 year old Sunday School teachers! 
