An Important Scrap of History

(Image courtesy of josephsmithpapers.org)



Wow, a piece of history is now available through The Joseph Smith Papers project.  This is a page from the first meeting of the Relief Society.  And, through the miracle of technology, we can see it first hand.  Here is what the page says...

A

Book of Records.

Containing

the proceedings

of

The Female Relief Society of Nauvoo.

[4 lines blank]

The following appropriate frontispiece,

was found lying on an open Bible, in the room

appropriated for the Society; at its first meeting.

Written on a scrap.

“O, Lord! help our widows, and fatherless

children! So mote it be. Amen. With

the sword, and the word of truth, defend

thou them. So mote it be. Amen.”

[decorative lines]

This Book,

was politely presented to the Society by

Elder W[illard] Richards;

on the 17th of March, AD. 1842. [p. 4]

Organize every needful thing.....

This week our Ward (congregation) Relief Society had a wonderful lesson about the benefits of being organized.  Sister Patsy W. shared her experience of having to move into a new home (that needed significant updating), with new twins (and her other children), & with one car that her husband used to work and church service (which translates into long hours),  She shared how she found a way to plan and organize not only her home, but all the family's appointments. 

She shared some of her favorite tools.  She also taught that you need to have the correct tools, and quality tools.  They need to be available to you (in an apron, or how ever you need organize them) so that as you complete your tasks, you can stay on task.

Healthy discussion took place on finding solutions to frequent situations in many of our homes.

Plenty of visiting and sharing ensued.

Everyone enjoyed the evening, and lingered long after the class was over.....we all needed a break didn't we? Thank you sister Patsy and all those who made the evening so wonderful!

Our "Christmas by Candlelight" evening....

(Image courtesy of stnicholashamilton.org)

This week, we had our "Christmas by Candlelight" Relief Society Activity in our ward/congregations. 

We filled Santa's bag with lots of canned goods for the Utah Food Bank....thank you very much!

Enjoyed the cuisine of many of our talented sisters.....what a spread!

There was a lot to visit about.....

We took time to catch up with each other and share things happening in our families...

Then we all settle down for...a wonderful musical program offered by the Halliday and Heyrend Families.

Our High Priest Group leader was the Master of Ceremonies!

Many wished they had a tissue when we were regaled by our young sister who had been on a difficult, but miraculous journey sang for us.  This rendition of "O Holy Night" was very fitting.

We are very appreciative of everyone who attended (~40 sisters!) and our special guests.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

May you take the spirit that we were blessed with this evening and take it into our homes, our communities, and our hearts.

Because We have been given much.....

This is not my weekly shopping haul.  This is the generosity of our Ward Relief Society.  We gathered donations for the local Women's Shelter....and the truck is coming today!  My entire front hall was filled and you had to strategically walk around the donations to get anywhere else in my home.

Boxes and Boxes of Restaurant quality dinner and salad plates.

Gallons of Laundry Soap and lots of Trash bags.

Bags of Make-up.

Many bottles of Conditioner

Many needed Over-the-counter Medications...

Bottles and Bottles of Hand Sanitizer, boxes of Bar Soap.  Tons of Toothpaste and lots of Toothbrushes.  Piles of Batteries as well.

A tower of Paper goods (I wanted to say a 'Tower of Toilet Paper"...but that just wasn't appropriate... or accurate    :)

Large Thirsty Towels.....

“Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present."

 (Albert Camus)

"Don't say that you want to give, but go ahead and give! You'll never catch up with a mere hope."

(Johann Wolfgang von Goeth) 

Our Thanks to all of you for your Generosity!

What is a Relief Society Meeting Coordinator?

(Image courtesy of latterdaychatter.blogspot.com)

What is a Relief Society (Weekday) Meeting Coordinator?  Well, that was the question I asked when I was recently asked to fill this calling.  The Bishopric member was very patient with me as he attempted to explain.  With the recent change in terminology, I just hadn't realized that this calling corresponds to the former Enrichment Leader position.  You would think that someone who has served on our ward Relief Society Board for a few years now would have had a slight clue.........

Well, I decided that I needed to learn more about this quickly, so I started searching.  If you recall, Sister Julie Beck introduced the "Additional Relief Society Meeting" concept to us all in one of her fabulous talks.  I love the fact that we are to call the meetings what they are....Relief Society Meetings.  I love this quote from Sister Beck:  “It is time to get out of the entertainment business and into the business of salvation."  Did you know there were guidelines that are given to guide wards in holding these weekday meetings?  Here are some highlights from http://www.lds.org/: 

The Relief Society president counsels regularly with the bishop to help meet the needs of sisters. Relief Society leaders prayerfully counsel together about topics to be taught and how to teach them. Questions such as the following will bring insight during the planning process and help keep the proper focus:

What issues and problems are interfering with sisters’ preparation for the blessings of eternal life?


What do they need to learn and do in order to be strengthened?


What strengths and gifts do they have that could be used in service?


What would we like to happen in our sisters’ lives as a result of Relief Society meetings?

What are priorities for Weekday Relief Society Meetings?

Homemaking.



Marriage and family.


Provident living and self-reliance.


Temples and family history.


Sharing the gospel.


Compassionate service.

Each of these 6 areas comprise many opportunities for learning and service.  We all can be a part and participate. 

 

Finally, time is a real issue.  Many of our sisters have heavy burdens that they bear.  It can sometimes be a quandary for our sisters when they have to choose between precious time with their families and these opportunities to learn and serve.  This is where good planning, great input from our sisters, and the inspiration and direction from our leaders applies.  If we are inviting you to come, please know that the meetings will be well researched and planned. 

 

I would like you to consider this quote from President Hinkley as he referred to the Relief Society Sisters:

 

"Relief Society. . . . gives [women] opportunity for growth and development. It gives them status as queens in their own households. It gives them place and position, where they grow as they exercise their talents. It gives them pride and direction in family life. It gives them added appreciation for good, eternal companions and children.

"What a glorious organization Relief Society is. There is nothing to compare with it in all the world.

"May the Lord bless each of you with these marvelous qualities that come of activity in the great Relief Society organization."  ("In the Arms of His Love," Ensign, Nov. 2006, 118).

 

So get your crowns out of storage, polish them up, and let's get busy!

Walk a day in my shoes.........

This past evening, we have a great Relief Society Activity entitled "Walk a day in my shoes...."  Each sister was asked to bring a pair of their shoes and share the events or story behind them.

There were heartfelt stories about triumph, overcoming hardship, and anticipation of new family members (see the cute little booties on the far right).  Tears and cheers were heard and we all got to know each other a little better.

It was also an opportunity to serve others as well.  New flip-flops were donated (and quite a few I might add) for humanitarian aide.

Thank you to everyone who shared their stories!

Gardening Activity on 4/13/10

This information comes to us from Brother D. B.  Please be at his home on Tuesday at 6:45.  We express our thanks to him and the others who are preparing to make this an outstanding event.  Don't forget to bring an empty container to plant your herbs in!

Sisters should bring a warm jacket because we will be outside until dark AND wear walking shoes because we will be tromping in the dirt. There should not be any mud unless it rains that day. In that event we will have to stand on the wet grass and just look. You may also want to bring garden gloves for when we plant our herbs.

6:45 to 7:20 Transplanting of herbs as people arrive.

We'll have the sprouting table set up for show and tell.  Sister B. will also have herb information available.


7:20 to 7:45 Garden Tour

Location of garden -sun, water, soil

Two types of raised beds

Four examples of trellises or plant supports

Four examples of watering methods

Soils discussion - Types, texture, testing, fertility

Four types of "mulch" - black plastic, mulch, pine needles, bark

Dig carrots and parsnips (winter harvest/storage)

Tools discussion - display

See square foot gardening grow boxes


7:45 to 7:55 Soils test and Demonstration

a) Five numbered soil samples - four categories A fill in the blanks test

b) "Carrot preparation race" - two people - Shows difference between store bought and home grown.  This will be an eye opener.


8:00 to 8:05 Handouts and gardening book ordering sheet

8:05 to 8:15 Why garden? Presentation/Discussion

I believe this will be the most important 10 minutes of the evening. (Please take a couple of minutes before you come and ponder why you want to garden.)



8:15 to 8:30 Q & A and desert - Strawberry and rhubarb crisp - Small sample.  Hopefully the rhubarb will be from the garden. Maybe to early.  It's already up about six inches.  I hope the first asparagus spears will be showing. Again,  pretty early.



Messages

1. Time - 15 minutes a day. 10-15 minutes every day is better than 2 hours, 1 day/wk..

2. Can start small - just dig a hole and plant something.

3. Objective is not to feed the family but to learn, to experience the law of the harvest.

4. Eventual goal - To learn to love the earth and appreciate the wonder of creation.

Additional Relief Society meetings......Sister Julie Beck

In the last General Relief Society Meeting, Sister Julie Beck, General Relief Society President, described changes in the Relief Society meetings. The following information comes from http://www.lds.org/.

Julie B. Beck on the purpose of Relief Society meetings:

"In counsel with the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, it was determined that rather than give these additional Relief Society meetings a new title, all such meetings and activities will now be referred to simply as Relief Society meetings.

"These meetings are meant to be instrumental in teaching the skills and responsibilities of womanhood and motherhood in the Lord’s plan."

Why do we hold Relief Society meetings on days other than Sunday?
To help women progress toward eternal life; and to learn and accomplish the charitable and practical responsibilities of the Relief Society.
What types of meetings can be planned?
ServiceClassesProjectsConferencesWorkshops

How should we plan Relief Society meetings held during the week?
Plan weekday Relief Society meetings to strengthen sisters.
Decide how often to meet.
Organize details for Relief Society meetings held during the week.
A planning idea.

What are the priorities for weekday Relief Society meetings?
Homemaking.
Marriage and family.
Provident living and self-reliance.
Temples and family history.
Sharing the gospel.
Compassionate service.

Say it's "Sew".....

Last evening, many of our ward sisters were very busy......making pajamas. Some were seasoned seamstresses, others were newbies. All were enjoying each other's company. We had more than 30 sisters in the Relief Society Room at one time last night!

My thanks to the many sisters that helped make the evening possible. The committee was full of experienced sewers who were happy to assist everyone. My thanks also to the many folks who loaned or brought their own sewing machines. I was surprised to know that we have that many in our neighborhood.

Finally, it is comforting to know that so many of us (or our family members) are going to be warm this winter in our new PJ's. Enjoy!

Reflections from the General Relief Society Broadcast......

I just finished watching the Relief Society Broadcast a few minutes ago. I watched it with my 20 year old daughter in the comfort of our home. As I watched and listened to the messages, I was feeling a bit "homesick". Why you may ask? I was feeling a bit homesick because I had the privilege to sing in the broadcast last year.

As I watched the sisters in their crisp white blouses, I remember the discussions from the pulpit at our practices and behind the scenes regarding wearing "plain white blouses" during our rehearsals. At the time, Sister Merilee Webb was the conductor of the choir. She constantly provided spiritual messages and reminders that we truly are daughters of our Heavenly Father.

Sister Beck gave a wonderful explanation as the the reasons why we were asked to wear white. She stated that no matter where she and the members of the presidency went in the world, that the women often attended meetings in white shirts. This was despite the challenging circumstances under which they lived. The leadership wanted all sisters, no matter where they lived in the world to feel a kinship and to feel like a part of the world-wide sisterhood because we were wearing white blouses. We were also asked not to wear jewelry except for a modest watch and our Wedding Rings. This again was to encourage all to feel a part of the world-wide sisterhood that we enjoy since jewelry is foreign to some members of the church throughout the world..

As I watched the sisters sing tonight, I recognized the corsages that they were wearing. Sister Beck had told us that she was asked what color(s) they should be, and she didn't know. So, her grand-daughter suggested the colors purple and pink...and so they are. After the broadcast, the corsages were reverently taken off and stored for use this year. This is something I never would have paid much attention to if I had not had the opportunity to be behind the scenes.

I noticed where the camera's and technical persons were ..... more than I probably should because this was a bit familiar to me. I enjoyed watching the Organ being played with such skill (I sat adjacent to it last year) and enjoyed watching Sister Jolley lead the choir this year. I have had the opportunity to sing with a choir she has lead in the past. She is very inspiring and also fun-loving. Last year, Sister Webb also was awe-inspiring and fun-loving. It must be a requirement for this particular calling.

I enjoyed hearing each member of the Presidency speak. As we had heard from them and seen them "up close and personally" last year, I felt as if they were speaking to me right in my livingroom. I truly have a love for each one of them. I fondly remember the discussion on what type of purse we should bring. The suggestion was to bring a small black purse....I mean small (holding a wallet, and a few toiletry items). Sister Thompson happened to be at the next practice when the question was raised again directly to her. She held up a really large black purse....in jest. I loved her spontaneity.

I feel that these women are "down to earth". As Sister Beck described the reasons that we will no longer be calling meetings "Home, Personal, and Family Enrichment Meetings" and will now just call them "Relief Society Meetings", this feeling of being "real" came to the forefront again. In fact, earlier this year, I was in a local Grocery Store. Sister Beck was shopping and I decided to take the opportunity to thank you for letting the sisters in our area participate in the Broadcast. After a few kind words, she asked if I could help her find the "Mother's Cookies" for her grandchildren. Believe it or not, they were nowhere to be found!

Finally, there is nothing like having the opportunity to sit just above the Prophet and his counselors, and to have them and the board verbally thank us. The Relief Society Board blew kisses to us. Tonight, I saw that President Monson raised clasped hands as if he were cheering the choir.

I am grateful for the opportunity that I had last year to participate in such a great world-wide meeting of sisters in the Gospel. Even more, I am grateful to be a part of the world-wide sisterhood that has the motto "Charity Never Faileth".

If you didn't take the opportunity to listen (and there were many great messages tonight), look for rebroadcasts on BYUTV and KBYU. If you would like, you can enjoy each speakers remarks at the following links:

Sister Beck: http://www.lds.org/move/index.html?type=conference&event=Oct179&lang=english&articleid=037

Sister Allred: http://www.lds.org/move/index.html?type=conference&event=Oct179&lang=english&articleid=038

Sister Thompson: http://www.lds.org/move/index.html?type=conference&event=Oct179&lang=english&articleid=039

President Eyring: http://www.lds.org/move/index.html?type=conference&event=Oct179&lang=english&articleid=039