Wendy Leneham Cohen

Wendy Leneham Cohen grew up in a home filled with love and laughter. Born and raised in Queensland, Australia she now lives in Bountiful, Utah. Wendy has served in many church callings which include; Primary presidency, YW presidency, RS president, seminary teacher and now serves in primary as a Faith in God leader as well as a Sunday school teacher to the 14/15 year olds. Wendy and her husband Robert are parents of four children. Wendy loves ice cream and cereal for birthday breakfast, doing laundry, any opportunity to teach, people watching, making people smile, and hearing her children say ‘I love you mum’.  Wendy not only has her own blog (that she readily admits isn't kept as up to date as she'd like) but is also an occasional writer on A String of Pearls, an international e-magazine for women. www.astringofpearls.org

Presentation information:

‘Don’t give a darn day’

As women we get caught up in our busy day to day lives taking care of everyone around us. We sometimes forget that in taking care of people we also need to take care of ourselves. This presentation is full of fun and laughter as Wendy points out the importance of taking time for YOU.

‘Uniquely You’

It is the differences in the flowers that make a beautiful bouquet or the different voices that make up a beautiful choir. Oscar Wilde once said “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” In this fun presentation, Wendy discusses how we are the same, but different and how to love and accept those things that make us different...or unique.

Each presentation runs about 30-40 minutes long.

TESTIMONIALS:  

Wendy tends to downplay her gifts and talents. She has a heart of gold and arms that reach around many, many people. Wendy knows what Christlike service it, and she lives is. A presentation by Wendy will delight, inspire, and give you the gift of laughter. Wendy sees the humour in day to day life.  Spend time with Wendy and you will see your world differently.....Jane (Brisbane Australia)

Sister Cohen's sharp wit and down-to-earth humor will lift and inspire, cause you stop and reflect on the truths she speaks, and then send you joyfully on your way, much richer for the experience......Marilyn Atkinson (Hyrum, Utah)

Wendy Cohen teaching or speaking is an event not to be missed. I love the way she teaches, she is able to talk in a way that motivates and uplifts.....Lynette King (Brisbane, Australia)

Laugh-out-loud good times!.....Julie Kland (Bountiful, Utah)

True wit and wisdom delivered with an Aussie accent - what could be better than that?! Listen, laugh, and learn - this amazing lady will change your life! .....Stacie Stone (Bountiful, Utah)

Wendy is 'just what the doctor ordered'. She reminds me of an LDS 'Erma Bombeck'. She has a wonderful sense of humor and can make you laugh one minute and cry the next. She is very knowledgeable about the gospel and has an uncanny ability to tie everyday life into gospel principles. I smile every time I think of Wendy and am blessed to have her in my life........Juleen Bell (Bountiful, Utah)

Wendy is resourceful, she is sensitive, she is direct and will always give her honest opinion.
I have left Wendy's company knowing at least three things
1. I can do it
2. I am happy again
3. I am blessed
.......and remember to laugh...........Kirsten Faloon (Limerick, Ireland)

Uniquely You

Last night I enjoyed sharing this topic with the ladies of the North Canyon 3rd ward. We had a lot of laughs together. As promised, here are the quotes that I used in the presentation...plus a couple of extras. Thank you all for a wonderful night....and the yummy fruit pizza.

Click here to download this picture.

I Don't Give a Darn Day.............

Yesterday it was my privilege to be a presenter at a women's conference. The topic of my presentation was "I don't give a darn day". Around the board behind me I had displayed a number of very funny signs and quotes. I thought it much easier for people to come to my blog and see them than for me to email everyone where I found them. So here they are. If I have done it right then you simply need to click on the picture and it will take you to the source of the picture.

Here are a few links to articles I have written or used during the presentation that may be of some interest:

Girl in a Whirl (This is the wonderful poem I read at the beginning. Written by Vickie Gunther)

Erma Bombeck, 'Treat friends, kids the same'

A String of Pearls: International Women's Day

Babies Don't Last but Dishes Do....

To scrub or not to scrub.... 

Erma Bombeck: 'If I had my life to live over......'

Elder Uchtdorf: 'Forget me not'

Vanilla Slice

Recently I have been making an Aussie favourite, obviously called Vanilla Slice, and had many requests for the recipe. So here goes:

Ingredients:

2 sheets of puff pastry
2 packets of Vanilla pudding
container of cream (around 450ml)
1 cup milk


Roll out pastry sheets to fit the dish you'll be using. Cook them on a cookie sheet as per package directions.

Allow to cool.

Mix remaining ingredients.

Put one pastry sheet in bottom of dish. I put mine with the puffy side up. Pour mix over pastry. (you can see my pastry sheet doesn't fit perfectly. No big deal. It's still going to taste DELICIOUS.)

Spread the mixture all over the pastry.

Put the other pastry sheet on top. This time with the puffy side facing down.

Now mix some icing sugar with a little milk and spread over the top. It is to be like a glaze. I didn't have any food colouring but adding a colour would be much nicer. The colour of choice is pink.

Eat and ENJOY!! Be sure to tell me all the wonderful comments you got when you served yours up.

9/11...a view from an Aussie

There are things happen in our life that we will always remember where we were and what we were doing at the time. September 11th 2001 was one of those days.

We had just moved into a new house. We that is, except my husband who was back in America visiting his family. The children were all in bed and I was on the computer chatting with friends from all over the world. One of my friends mentioned that a plane had just hit the world trade centre. I was asking questions like "Was it a small plane? What was it doing so close to the buildings?" etc. He of course wasn't able to answer the questions I was asking then all of a sudden he said "Another plane!!! Another plane has hit!!!"

I then informed the other friends I was talking to what had happened and left the computer to watch TV. I thought for sure it would have made it to the 24hr news station in Australia....and it had.

I sat up all night watching, and crying, in shock. I needed to talk to somebody but who? Everyone I knew in Australia would be asleep. So I sat on my bed sobbing and alone. I couldn't call my husband because he was at a hotel somewhere in Vegas and this was way before we had the convenience of mobile phones.

I watched with horror as the first tower collapsed.....then the next.

I seriously needed to talk to someone and NOW!!!

By this time is was a respectable time to call my friend in Utah...so I did. She answered the phone all cheery so I knew she knew nothing about what was going on. I told her to turn the TV on. She asked "why?". I responded with "Girl, you've just lost the world trade centre!!!!" With that she turned on the television and all efforts for her to get ready for worked stopped. I was glad to finally talk to someone but it could only last a short while because she did have to get to work.

Again I sat watching the screen.

I continued to watch the screen for many days that followed. My children were all young and don't remember much except 'mum was freaking out and was always watching tv'....and it's pretty much true. My husband was due to fly home any day but now all flights were grounded and I couldn't get a hold of him to at least discuss this.

Finally I did get a hold of my husband and he arrived home only days after his was supposed to.

How did my life change because of this horror?

Well I learned more about Islam because I was afraid. I was afraid because the stories focussed on the terrorists being Muslim and we were an 'American family' with a Jewish surname, living in a community surrounded by Muslims. I wanted to know more so I asked...I didn't ask Catholics about Islam...I asked those who follow Islam about it.

I had a neighbour who was so lovely and brought over a plate of treats for us because she knew my husband was American and she couldn't think of what else to do. Not only that but a year later on the anniversary she came over again with a plate of treats because she knew I'd be thinking about it. What a kind, thoughtful gesture. I have tried to be a little more thoughtful like my kind neighbour.

I am more fearful. I jump at little things. I worry more. I don't take my security for granted wherever I am. And I especially don't like planes now whether I am the one flying or a loved one of mine.

I rely heavily on my faith. I believe there is a God who loves us and in His son, Jesus Christ. People have said "If there is a God why did he let this happen??!!" Well I believe that God has given all man their agency to act as they choose. With that comes those who choose to act in evil ways. If God stopped men from acting in their evil way then He would be taking away their agency and therefore couldn't be judged for them when they stand before God on judgement day. A great example of this is found in scripture in the story of Alma and Amulek as they watched women and children being thrown into a fire because they believed in God.

This year as the anniversary rolls around, I will be watching very little about 9/11. I believe my children should so they will watch with my husband. But I cannot. My heart isn't strong enough....even though I wasn't there. I weep at the TV commercials of shows that will be shown. I just can't do it.

Where were you when you heard about or saw the planes hitting the building? Has your life changed because of it?