Today was Fast and Testimony Sunday, so we were pleased to have the Young Women join us in our meeting. Sister Emma Kuykendall conducted the meeting.
Sister Cindy Johnson was our teacher today for the first time as a member of the R.S. Presidency. The topic was on Sisterhood, taken from our manual on the History and Work of the Relief Society: Daughters in My Kingdom.
As she began the lesson, Sister Johnson related some information about how she felt about joining a church before she became a member. She said that even though she has sisters of her own and a close family, she was looking for a church to be a part of. One where she would feel welcomed by friends and not feel alone or left out. After she began meeting with the missionaries and attending church she realized that the feeling she was looking for was here! She says she is happy to be in a church that feels like family where she has developed close relationships with other members. She especially likes coming to Relief Society and feeling the sisterhood that we share.
The first paragraph of Chapter 6 gives us a perfect description of the place Relief Society has in the church:
"When the Prophet Joseph Smith met with Relief Society sisters in Nauvoo, he taught that in addition to giving temporal service, they were to strengthen people spiritually. . . With this counsel as a foundation, Relief Society sisters have found love and safety from the storms of life as they have served together. They have shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with each other and with those around them. Relief Society has become a shelter from the world - a place of refuge - and a center of light to the world - a place of influence."
Sister Eliza R. Snow, 2nd General President of the Relief Society, spoke to the sisters in Ogden, Utah, gratefully acknowledging their efforts to strengthen each other. She told them that even though the church did not keep a record of each and every donation they made to help others in need, the Lord kept a perfect record of their work. She said:
"I am well aware that a great deal is donated that never reaches the (record) books. President Joseph Smith said this society was organized to save souls. What have the sisters done to win back those who have gone astray? to warm up the hearts of those who have grown cold in the gospel? - Another book is kept of your faith, your kindness, your good works and words. Another record is kept. Nothing is lost."
Today, much is the same. As Relief Society sisters and Visiting Teachers, we perform many 'silent services'. An email or text message request is not particularly 'formal', but we respond to help with no questions asked. Generally, there is no specific record made of these services except in our heavenly record book.
Sister Stephanie Clark related a situation when their family had just moved to a new base and all their belongings were lost for two weeks by the movers. She had one toddler and was greatly pregnant with Ellise, no furniture, no dishes, no beds, nothing to entertain her small child and physically unable to do much about acquiring any substitute articles to get them through until their belongings were found and delivered. She immediately called the Relief Society President of what was to be their new ward and a rescue was put into action. Sisters came to help, bringing the basics that would be helpful - beds, bedding, dishes, chairs, toys, whatever they would need to see them through a couple of weeks in a new home. As ever in the Relief Society, no payment was required, no return favors were asked. The sisters were happy to help.
As Relief Society sisters we need to be willing to reach out to our neighbors - our community - to let others know we are available and willing to perform compassionate service. When we gain new neighbors, we can welcome them with some homemade bread or cookies and a few point of reference addresses and phone numbers for local businesses, information such as where the grocery stores are located, the dry cleaners, the public parks, local young women who are good babysitters, etc.
Sister Johnson remarked that she is generally a little shy with strangers, but she learned from Relief Society and the church, in general, how to approach others in a friendly way and know what to do for them in many situations.
Sister Johnson talked about the loss of a family member last year. This was extremely hard for the family to deal with because no one will talk about it. Avoidance is the general plan because the parents cannot handle the sad memory. Sister Johnson's desire is to be able to talk it out with someone and, over time, has been able to share some thoughts with another family member in private conversations. As sisters in the gospel this is one of the areas where we can help, by giving our attention to another's grief and listening with love and compassion to what they need to say.
In the mid-1900s when the world was suffering from the effects of wars and natural disasters, the Relief Society was able to provide a refuge for Latter-day Saint sisters and was an influence for good by increasing faith, strengthening families and helping those in need. In 1947, the general Relief Society presidency (Sisters Belle S. Spafford, Marianne Sharp, and Gertrude Garff) taught "Ours is a healing mission requiring the larger heart, the kindlier touch, the steadier will."
While the world was erecting physical walls and barriers to restrict people, the Relief Society was building spiritual walls of refuge to protect and include others. Elder Packer states that they "came together in a worldwide circle of sisterhood and invited others to join them."
There were many countries with oppressive laws that prevented open participation in religion, but members of Relief Societies "quietly remained true to their testimonies of the restored gospel and to the purposes of Relief Society."
Elder Packer tells of a visit he and Sister Packer made to Czechoslovakia in 1980. How they had to take great care in obtaining visas and making travel arrangements so they would not jeopardize the members' safety and well-being. Elder and Sister Packer attended a Relief Society meeting held in the upper room of a house. It was night, the blinds were drawn, sisters arrived one at a time and from different directions to avoid drawing attention. There were 12 sisters attending; hymns were sung from 50-year old songbooks with only words, no music. A lovely lesson was reverently presented from a homemade manual and Elder Packer said that "The Spirit was there. . ."
Elder Packer told the sisters that he would be speaking at a Relief Society conference when they returned home and offered to deliver a message from them. Several sisters made notes - each one, he said, "was in the spirit of giving - not of asking for anything." One sister wrote, "A small circle of sisters send their own hearts and thoughts to all the sisters and begs the Lord to help us go forward."
He was inspired by the words "circle of sisters", and he could see them standing in a circle that reached beyond their small room and circled the world. He said, "I stood, for a moment, in that circle and felt the impulses of faith and courage and love coming and going on either side."
President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency, said in speaking of the heritage of Relief Society, "You pass the heritage along as you help others receive the gift of charity in their hearts. They will then be able to pass it to others. The history of Relief Society is recorded in words and numbers, but the heritage is passed heart to heart."
Sister Johnson remarked that when the time came in her life to purchase a home, she was very specific that it had to be within our ward boundaries so she could maintain the fellowship and sisterhood with her ward family. She says that attending church and Relief Society on Sundays gives her a sense of peach and strength to face the coming week.
The Relief Society is an inspired organization the whole world over. No matter where we go in the world, we are all on the same page - our lessons are the same and church services are the same, no matter what language they are given in. We can feel comfortable, welcome and at home.
We are able to influence the world through sharing the gospel.
Sister Cunningham told of a visit she and John made to Quebec and on the Sunday that was Father's Day, they attended a ward in Quebec City where the meetings were all in French. They felt the same warm friendly spirit throughout the meetings and as the Relief Society sisters presented a token of appreciation to John, along with the other fathers, even though it was in French, the spirit of love was felt in their presentation.
Serving in Relief Society can give new members opportunities to serve and to lead. Sister Silvia H. Allred, formerly a counselor in the General Presidency of the Relief Society told of how her mother in San Salvador was called to be Relief Society president of their branch. She was only 30 years old, not highly educated and had devoted her life to caring for her husband and seven children. She did not think she was qualified, but the Branch President called her anyway.
Sister Allred says of her mother's experience:
"I watched my mother rise to the occasion. While serving, she learned leadership skills and developed new gifts such as teaching, public speaking, and planning and organizing meetings, activities and service projects. She influenced the women in the branch. She served them and taught them to serve one another. The sisters loved and respected her. She helped other women to discover, use, and develop gifts and talents; she helped them become builders of the kingdom and of strong, spiritual families. She stayed faithful to the temple covenants she made. When she passed away, she was a peace with her Maker."
Olga Kovarova was a doctoral student at the university in Brno where students were regularly indoctrinated with atheism. Olga yearned for a deeper spiritual life and sensed the same feelings in many of her friends and colleagues.
She happened to meet Otakar Vojkuvka, a 75-year old Latter-Day Saint man. In describing him, Olga said, "He appeared to me seventy-five in his age, but in his heart nearer eighteen and full of joy . . . I saw that he was not only educated but knew how to live joyfully."
Through her friendship with Otakar and his family, Olga learned about the church and received a copy of the Book of Mormon. Olga was converted to the restored gospel and she decided to be baptized. Because of the political situation, she had to be baptized at night in the woods. There were many fishermen in the woods that night, but after Olga and her friends waited a while they offered a prayer and the fishermen left.
One of the Church members attending the baptism asked her if she knew why there were so many fishermen by the water that night. He said, "Remember that Jesus, as he walked by the Sea of Galilee said to Simon Peter and Andrew . . . 'Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Olga felt that this meant that she would soon "be an instrument in God's hands to bring young people into the Church."
Many years later Sister Barbara W. Winder traveled with her husband traveled to Czechoslovakia where he had served his mission. As they entered a home where a meeting was to be held, they were greeted by a young woman who introduced herself as "My name is Olga, and I am the Relief Society president."
Olga Kovarova, as Relief Society president of her branch was an "influence for good in a world of political oppression and religious persecution. . . " She had helped provide refuge for others who had joined the Church and became members of Relief Society.
We should be so thankful for the blessing of living in a great land of freedom where we can speak freely and worship as we choose.
We can strengthen our sisterhood as we perform acts of service to others in need.
President Monson spoke of how expressions of charity strengthen the ties of sisterhood in Relief Society.
Sister Johnson asked for words of description for charity, or the pure love of Christ. Being tolerant, being forgiving, being patient were some of the answers. President Monson said:
"I consider charity - or 'the pure love of Christ' - to be the opposite of criticism and judging. . . I have in mind the charity that manifests itself when we are tolerant of others and lenient toward their actions, the kind of charity that forgives, the kind of charity that is patient.
"True charity is love in action. The need for charity is everywhere."
We need to be loving and kind to others in all circumstances. We need to choose our words so that they relate to circumstances, not to a person. We should be giving no offense - we should not judge others. In today's world we cannot be reactionary if we want to get our point across without conflict.
President Monson says we each, as sisters in the Relief Society, wear the mantle of charity and that we should try to do our best to help out.
He said: "Charity has been defined as 'the highest, noblest, strongest kind of love,' the 'pure love of Christ . . .; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with (her).'
"'Charity never faileth.' May this long-enduring Relief Society motto, this timeless truth, guide you in everything you do. May it permeate your very souls and find expression in all your thoughts and actions."
Let us strengthen ourselves by sharing the love of our sisterhood.
Your bloggess,
Karen
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