|
A few days before
Christmas, a friend shared with me a delicious recipe
for taco soup. It tasted so good I immediately
shared it with my children and grandchildren. I
wanted them to taste what I tasted. And once they
did, several of them asked for a copy of the recipe,
along with a few hands-on tips, so they could prepare it
for their friends and families.
A week later I was at the home of my daughter, and her
18 year-old son was putting this soup together for their
family. It had already become a family favorite.
On a much grander, more significant, and even sacred
scale, the gospel of Jesus Christ is our recipe for joy
and peace in this life. Ingredients include
prayer, scriptures, personal revelation, and words of
the living prophets. Today I would also like to
speak about a recipe to help women in the Church come
unto Christ. It is the Relief Society Declaration.
If we will receive it, study it, practice and follow its
action steps, blessings will be poured out upon our
heads. As individuals and as a Relief Society, we
have yet to reach our potential. All the essential
ingredients are before us. Now, in this the
dispensation of the fullness of times, we will unite
with the priesthood in bringing them all together. The
Declaration is a perfect recipe for our time.
Unlike some recipes that are carefully guarded, we hold
the Declaration up for the world to see. We invite one
and all to feast upon its blessings. This is a recipe
that must be shared. The Relief Society
Declaration, approved and endorsed by the First
Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, clearly sets forth
principles of attitude and action that will bring us
"peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to
come."(1) This is a recipe for joy, peace,
and hope. This is a recipe for salvation.
Have you ever wished you could find the perfect recipe
for your life? A recipe that would keep you on a
continual high like the moment two Relief Society
sisters from Lancaster, California saw a picture on the
front page of the Church News showing their quilts going
into a tent in Kosovo.
They wrote: "We squealed and jumped for joy that our
quilts went to those people in such need." She
explained. "I have lived in a tent. It isn't fun.
We have four more quilts and will continue to help." (2)
This kind of joy comes after planning to serve and using
an exact method to complete a product.
However, living continually with someone who is on an
all time high is like living with a bottle of 7-Up that
has been shaken and uncorked.
We each need time to think seriously, to evaluate our
lives, time to study and ponder, time to refuel, time to
repent and try harder. This comes through self
evaluation, reading the scriptures, and following the
recipes our Savior has within those pages for our
eternal life.
I have done a lot of cooking in my life. I like to cook,
and while I realize that some of you may not share my
interest, I am sure your experience is much like mine.
A good recipe makes all the difference.
Several years ago, I compiled a recipe book. We
felt it would be a perfect gift for our missionaries as
they married. From this experience I learned a
thing or two. No matter how closely you follow a
recipe that is flawed, unclear, or incomplete, the
finished product is a disappointment. But when you
receive a good recipe and carefully follow it, the
result is often better than you anticipated. You
want to share it. You want everyone to taste what
you have tasted.
We each need to evaluate our wards and our stakes in
this manner. After many great projects and happy
occasions, we want to evaluate and ponder, then ask what
ingredients would make the recipe for our eternal
progress and those of our sisters complete. What is our
mission?
Why a Relief Society
Declaration?
Before we roll up our sleeves and get started, let's
pause to consider why this time we will spend together
is so important. Why become familiar with the Relief
Society Declaration? Why have a Declaration at
all?
We, the Relief Society general presidency and Board,
feel it is important for each of us to have a clear
definition of our sacred roles, responsibilities and
blessings.
A secondary reason is that people all around the world
want to know about who we are and what the Relief
Society is. As we meet with an increasing number
of people who have heard of; known, been served by, or
served alongside Relief Society sisters, we have found
that many want to know about our organization and us as
individuals. So we thought it would be worthwhile
to draft a more formal statement about who we are and
what we are about. A written summary helps to
clarify and convey such thoughts and feelings.
"When we make a declaration, we make a self
commitment."
As President Gordon B. Hinckley stated in an interview
with Larry King, "When we make a declaration, we make a
self commitment." Like a good recipe, a declaration
gives us direction and helps us focus our efforts."
As daughters of God, we know that we play an essential
part in our Heavenly Father's plan for happiness. If we
are to receive a full measure of joy in this life and in
the eternities, we must clearly understand our high and
holy callings as women. I pray that as you read, ponder,
and pray about the Declaration that your mind will be
enlightened and that you will catch a vision of who you
really are and what the Relief Society organization is.
A Standard to live by
Notice there are eleven points of the Declaration that
are action steps. Relief Society sisters everywhere know
that belief must be accompanied by action, or else we
begin to "dwindle in unbelief." As a Relief Society
general presidency, we hope the Declaration will hang on
your walls and find place in your scriptures, but if
that's all it does, it will have been for naught. Like
all truth, it must be inscribed in our hearts and become
part of our everyday lives.
Let's read together what President Boyd K. Packer says:
"While the different roles of man and woman are set
forth in exalted celestial declarations, they are best
demonstrated in the most practical, ordinary,
down-to-earth experiences of family life."
I wholeheartedly agree. We hold up the ideals contained
in the Relief Society Declaration, not just on placards,
but in day-to-day interactions with those we love and
serve.
One of the purposes of mortality is for us to learn and
grow; and learning is oftentimes the by-product of
mistakes. Whether innocent errors or more serious
transgressions, each of us make mistakes and wanders off
track from time to time. We all need to make course
corrections, and when we clearly know what it is we want
to get back to—what the standard is—we can more easily
make those changes that lead us back to God.
Staying on course
Do you suppose if we could see a movie with all of our
family around us, both our ancestors and posterity, that
we would seek harder for the recipe that would bring
this eternal family unit together forever?
The Relief Society Declaration is a divine standard that
will help us—and our families—stay on course. If
we feel out-of-sorts, unhappy, discouraged, or in a
series of broken relationships, we would do well to take
inventory of our life by juxtaposing it with the Relief
Society Declaration. We could ask ourselves questions
like, "Is the way I am spending my time congruent with
my priorities?" "What can I eliminate in order to
better pursue my eternal goals?" "What am I doing
to strengthen eternal relationships?" "Is my
testimony of Jesus Christ and His restored gospel
evident in my daily pursuits?" and so forth.
President Joseph F. Smith
taught that a strong and well-founded testimony enables
us to overcome any hardship. He spoke with deep
respect and admiration for the pioneer sisters, his
mother and aunt among them, who endured incredible
adversities by holding on to their faith.
He asked: "Could you turn one of these women away from
their convictions in the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints? Could you darken their minds as to
the mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith? Could you blind
them with reference to the divine mission of Jesus
Christ, the Son of God? No, never in the world could you
do it. Why? Because they knew it. God revealed it to
them, and they understood it, and no power on earth
could turn them from what they knew to be that truth.
Death was nothing to them. Hardship was nothing. Cold or
rain, or heat, was nothing to them. All they felt and
knew and desired was the triumph of the kingdom of God
and the truth that the Lord had given to them."
He said, "My soul, where are these women now?" (3)
We might ask ourselves, "Am I such a woman?" If
our testimony of the restored gospel is nothing more
than Sunday talk, then we need to humbly seek for more
conviction. A testimony that burns brightly in our
soul will strengthen, guide, and inspire us to lead
those we love every day.
We all need time for introspection and course
correction. Sometimes we need to evaluate the
Declaration and its meaning against family or cultural
traditions. Keep the good and let go of traditions
that keep you from living the principles of the true
gospel of Jesus Christ.
In a recent conference address, Elder Richard G. Scott
explained, "When the Lord's kingdom and His teachings
are paramount above all else and you are united in love
of the Savior and our Father in Heaven, then the
beautiful nuances, the uniqueness of your cultural
heritage can flower and produce a rich harvest of
blessings." (4)
Don't let Satan lead you to believe that your potato
salad has to be just like mine, but also don't think you
can make potato salad without potatoes. Essential
ingredients of the gospel plan must always be in place.
In the scriptures we learn that the traditions of our
fathers—and mothers—are sometimes a curse and other
times a great blessing. We must stop to evaluate.
Are we cutting away essential components of God's plan
for our happiness? Or are we handing down gospel
truths in their fullness? The Relief Society
Declaration helps answer such questions. By becoming
familiar with the truths, principles, and action steps
the Declaration espouses, we can integrate them into our
lives and reclaim promised blessings. "I, the Lord, am
bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I
say, ye have no promise."5
Are you overextending?
We need only be humble enough to bring the Declaration
into the test kitchens of our own lives. Unfortunately,
some may decide to heed only part or to put too much
emphasis on one of its ingredients, failing to taste the
savory blend of ALL the components. And some who are
feeling overwhelmed may discard it all together, even
though they may have tasted of its joy at some point in
their lives. I speak especially to those who, for
whatever reasons, no longer have a taste for Church or
Relief Society, and I pray that you will reconsider.
I noticed in one of my recipes I forgot to add one
ingredient. One ingredient can make all the difference
in the finished product. If you have discarded even one
of the crucial ingredients of the gospel, you cannot
expect to feel and know the full, even glorious, effects
of personal righteousness. If you have set aside sacred
covenants, take the necessary steps to reclaim your
blessings. No matter how closely you follow a recipe
that is flawed, unclear, or incomplete, the finished
product will be a disappointment. Wrong ingredients,
even if mixed with some of the right, will not produce
the desired results.
We can also be tempted to "extend" spiritual sweeteners.
Maybe we try to make scripture study on Sunday extend
over the whole week, or an evening prayer cover the
whole next day, or a monthly family home evening meet
the needs of our family. Such "extensions" may be
harmless at first, but over time, they erode
spirituality, and before long, more grievous
"extensions" or excuses or exchanges are made. Before
long, we are no longer "feasting upon the words of
Christ" (6) and we may not even realize how spiritually
starved we are.
Accept no substitutions
If we want to have a fullness of joy here and hereafter,
we cannot accept substitutions for the principles and
practices that the Relief Society Declaration
represents. If we want to taste the fruit, we have to be
willing to follow the path or recipe set forth in
scripture and by living prophets—all the way through.
Just like other prized recipes, the Relief Society
Declaration and the truths it represents have a lot of
imitations. Cunning and convincing chefs everywhere like
to mix sacred truths with worldly attitudes. They
present us with an enticing palate of quick fixes and
"easy" substitutions. President James E. Faust has
warned:
"You cannot trust the many conflicting voices that
clamor about what women should or should not do in
today's society. Some of the loudest voices are echoes
of those others who are out of harmony with themselves
and out of tune with life in general rather than being
unhappy with their role as women.
"Do not be deceived in your quest to find happiness and
an identity of your own. Entreating voices may tell you
that what you have seen your mothers and grandmothers do
is old-fashioned, unchallenging, boring, and drudgery...
but... they have been our nurturers and our teachers.
They have sanctified the work, transforming drudgery
into the noblest enterprises." (7)
Whenever you hear deceptions like "a woman cannot find
fulfillment in the home," remember that it is in using
her knowledge and capabilities to create a heaven on
this earth that she will reach her greatest joy and
peace.
When you hear "statements found in the scriptures are
out of date," or "certain gospel principles do not fit
in my culture," stop to consider the source. We must be
on guard for such deceptions. If we don't feed our
children the nourishing word of God, straight from the
mouths of living prophets and the scriptures, they will
suffer from spiritual malnutrition. Selfish pursuits
simply cannot engender as much happiness as selfless
service.
Dangerous Deceptions
Some of Satan's most damaging deceptions include
attitudes like.. "My recipe for happiness is different
from yours." The gospel of Jesus Christ allows for and
encourages individuality, but not at the expense of
sacred principles of righteousness.
We must remember when we are approached by youth who
say, "Everyone is doing it," that we are listening to
someone trying to defend their actions.
In his new book, Standing for Something. President
Gordon B. Hinckley said, "Both experience and divine
wisdom dictate that moral virtue and cleanliness pave
the way that leads to strength of character, peace of
mind and heart, and happiness in life."
When I think back on my own life, I can honestly say, no
one needed to tell me that it was wrong to have intimate
relationships with the opposite sex before marriage. I
believe there are certain virtues that are not entirely
forgotten when we enter this world. This is why the
gospel, if taught with the Spirit, touches the hearts of
so many people each year. Hearing these principles is
like coming home.
We need to be alert to what is happening in the world
and defend our families like never before.
Michael Medved wrote a book called Hollywood vs. America
that paints a gloomy picture of the miserable and dark
obsession with sex among many television and movie
producers. He refers to the "Hollywood dream factory" as
a "poison factory," and quotes a 1990 Associate
Press/Media general poll in which 80 percent of
Americans objected to the amount of foul language in
motion pictures, 82 percent to the amount of violence,
and 72 percent to the amount of explicit sexuality. The
producers of this trash are out of step with the
feelings of mainstream America. But in their obsession,
they are without doubt leading millions down a course
that invites them to readjust their personal moral
standards.
In a Deseret News article, published on January 17,
2000, Dr. Brent A. Barlow, from Brigham Young University
and Chairman of the Governors? Commission on Marriage,
brought out the challenges we have ahead of us to save
marriage in America.
Consider the following three trends.
Trend #1: Fewer people are marrying. We could soon have
more single adults than married adults in the United
States. In 1972, at any given time, 75 percent of all
adults in America were married. By 1998, the percentage
had fallen to 56 percent and continues to decline.
Married adults in America may soon be in the minority.
Trend #2: When people do marry more times. In the near
future, among the adults who are married in this
country, we could have more couples in second, third, or
even fourth marriages than in first marriages. Futurist
Sandy Burchsted from Houston, Texas, claims that during
the 21st century, the average American could be married
as many as four times.
Trend #3: More couples are living together. Over the
past four decades, marriage has declined as the first
living together experience for couples and as a status
of parenthood. Nearly five million couples are now
living together, which is emerging as a significant
experience for many young adults. It could have already
replaced marriage as the first living together union.
Sisters, we can change this dismal picture. Mothers who
set the example first and then begin at an early age to
teach their daughters the virtue of modesty, can
succeed. If each one of our four million, four hundred
thousand sisters in the Relief Society organization,
would refuse to support R-rated movies, magazines and
television programs that foster this filth, the sponsors
would take notice.
We are so thankful for our youth who are developing
strength and standing firm for the principles of the
gospel.
Another of Satan's most detrimental deceptions is "I don
‘t have all the ingredients" or "I can ‘t do it" or "I'm
not good enough." I've felt that way after watching
certain cooking shows that make following a recipe seem
so effortless. The ingredients almost lift themselves
into the pan. The kitchen is immaculate, and so is the
chef. But that's not real life. When we chose to come to
earth, we knew we would be tried and tested. We all will
have our "bitter cups" but we must not shrink. The Lord
taught Adam that His posterity would "taste the bitter,
that they may know to prize the good." (8)
Just remember that you've already overcome the influence
of Satan once—or you wouldn't be here. By choosing to
come to earth, receive a body, and learn by your own
experience, you have power over him and his followers.
Don't let the adversary beat you down by thinking you
can't make it now. You've already come much farther than
he will ever get. You are a daughter of God with
inherent worth and goodness. President Gordon B.
Hinckley has said, "I believe that we have a godly
inheritance and that it is our responsibility, our
obligation, and our opportunity to cultivate and nurture
the very best of these qualities within us." (9)
Reach inside yourself and you will find the strength you
need to surmount any difficulty. The Lord has revealed,
‘God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted
above that which ye are able; but will with the
temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be
able to bear it." (10)
Finally. Satan may discourage us with thoughts like
"I've tried and failed? or "It didn't turn out like I
thought it would." In cooking and in life, if we gave up
after every time our gravy was lumpy or our bread sagged
in the middle, we would all go hungry. Lumpy gravy is
what mortality is all about. We all have challenges,
trials, and upsets. The Lord's plan for happiness does
not eradicate difficulty. It teaches us how to endure it
even in the midst of suffering and pain. The Savior's
invitation stands: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. For my yoke
is easy, and my burden is light." (11)
Ye are the salt of the earth
When cooking, have you ever made the mistake of
exchanging salt for sugar? Or maybe I should ask who has
not? It's really quite easy to do. But no matter how you
measure it, when you add it, or where you get it, salt
is salt and sugar is sugar.
When it comes to everlasting things, Satan would like to
convince us otherwise. He would have us believe that
salt and sugar are interchangeable, or that salt is
really not salt, or what once tasted salty to us can
become almost sweet.
In contrast, the Savior repeatedly cautioned the Saints,
"Ye are the salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost
his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is
thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to
be trodden under foot of men."
(12)
Sisters, He was speaking directly to those who had
embraced His gospel and entered into His covenant—you
and me. We are the salt of the earth, but if we try to
become too much like the rest of the world, we lose our
savor and become "good for nothing."
With me in my kitchen
Just as I first learned how to cook at my mother's side,
and over the years, I have taught daughters and
granddaughters many of the same tips and techniques that
I was taught. Our Heavenly Father has given us each
other—to help each other.
Imagine for a moment that you're with me in my kitchen,
and I'm sharing a prized recipe with you, the Relief
Society Declaration. Ill walk through it with you point
by point. Without attempting to provide a complete and
definitive discourse on the truths that the Relief
Society Declaration presents, I will briefly discuss
each of its statements and action steps. Sometimes the
discussion will be quite specific, focused on a
particular point, or a sub point of the Declaration for
which I have gained a special appreciation. And other
times the discussions will be broader, highlighting
important elements and trusting that you will bring your
own experience and inspiration to the table.
It won't take long for you to discover that each of
these ingredients are almost inseparable. They all work
together and complement each other. For example, it's
almost impossible to talk about "Love life and learning"
without crossing over into "Delight in service and good
works." So even though I've separated them for purposes
of discussion, keep in mind that they are all part of
the same gospel plan.
The more we look at this recipe, the more we'll see how
all that we are learning together is really nothing new.
It's the same recipe for happiness that has been handed
down through generations of time from parents to their
children, from a perfect Heavenly Father to His beloved
children, from His Only Begotten Son to each one of us.
Prophets through the ages have helped us to understand
our eternal identity, sacred roles, purposes, and
opportunities as women. Their teachings and revealed
truths have been distilled into this very succinct and
direct statement of who we are and who we hope to be. As
we apply these teachings, we will, as Father Lehi
dreamed, reach the tree of life. We will partake of that
fruit which is "most desirable above all other fruit,"
the fruit found in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and fill
our souls with greater faith, hope, and charity. And
like Lehi, we will yearn to have others partake.
When we see ourselves with eternal perspective, we don't
waste time wondering what we can or cannot do. We find
fulfillment in doing, being, creating, serving, loving,
learning, sustaining, and in every way becoming all that
Father in Heaven intended us to become.
President Gordon B. Hinckley has told us: "Every one of
you was endowed by your Father in Heaven with a
tremendous capacity to do good in the world. You need
never feel inferior. Try a little harder to measure up
to the divine within each of you." (13)
The Declaration will help each of us to realize
our inherent worth and God-given potential.
Last September when the Declaration was announced, one
sister wrote to us; "The long awaited day has finally
come, oh, how I rejoice! Thank you from the bottom of my
heart. Now I can fully give my heart to this great
Relief Society organization. We are fully, consistently,
powerfully, and fervently marching in the direction of
heaven, truly a light set on a hill. I have long awaited
and wondered if this day would come in my lifetime. My
heart is full of gratitude and love to our Heavenly
Father for His rich blessings to His daughters. What a
wonderful declaration, what a powerful direction in all
our efforts." (14)
Every recipe should be tested. We are here on this earth
for that test, and in order to pass the test we will
learn to follow the directions specifically.
Ingredients for a successful Relief Society
Now in my kitchen, let's carefully examine the recipes
for a successful Relief Society and the ways this
organization can assist each of us in obtaining the
formula and direction to assist our sisters in gaining
spiritual strength like our pioneer counterparts.
VITAL INGREDIENTS:
-
Demonstrate love and
show concern for each sister.
-
Work closely with the
presidency and priesthood leaders in unity.
-
Involve ward council and
visiting teachers in making solutions (except for
confidential issues counsel with the bishop only).
-
Never give up.
First Ingredient: Commitment
Let us each make a commitment with the Lord that we will
serve Him with all diligence.
President Gordon B. Hinckley has counseled us: "In this
work there must be commitment. There must be devotion.
We are engaged in a great eternal struggle that concerns
the very souls of the sons and daughters of God. We are
not losing. We are winning. We will continue to win if
we be faithful and true. We can do it. We must do it. We
will do it. There is nothing the Lord has asked of us
that in faith we cannot accomplish."
(15)
Performance starts with commitment. Our most important
commitment should be to bring women and their families
to Christ.
In order to win this battle there are certain
ingredients that are never left out and commitment in
these areas is vital to your success.
Second Ingredient:
Transition
In most wards there is a continual need for transition.
It could be young women coming to Relief Society, new
converts, or reactivating less active sisters.
Occasionally invite our young sisters in Young Women to
participate in Relief Society opening exercises.
Encourage more interaction between Relief Society and
Young Women in providing compassionate service. On
occasion, a Relief Society activity could be combined
with a Mutual night for all those who attend Young
Women. Give our young sisters in Young Women a lesson on
Relief Society and involve them as soon as they turn
eighteen. Realize they are capable adults and could
actually hold any position. Learn their names and
interact with them long before they turn eighteen.
Third Ingredient: Visiting
Teaching
The purposes of Visiting Teaching are to build caring
relationships with each sister and to offer support,
comfort, and friendship. In Visiting Teaching, both the
giver and the receiver are blessed and strengthened in
their Church activity by their caring concern for one
another. (Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 2
[1998], p. 202)
King Benjamin taught us this: "Now, as ye are desirous
to come into the fold of God, and to be called his
people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens,
that they may be light;
"Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn;
yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort,
and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all
things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until
death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered
with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have
eternal life—
"Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your
hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name
of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have
entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him
and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his
Spirit more abundantly upon you?
"And now when the people had heard these words, they
clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the
desire of our hearts."
(Mosiah 18:8-11)
In February my visiting teaching companion and I were
given Emily, who lives in an apartment nearby. We
visited with her that day and found some challenging
situations. I will not go into detail except to say she
is alone with three children and is working at a
rent-a-car office. She has a six-year-old, a
three-year-old, and an eighteen-month-old baby.
Her situation kept coming to my mind. I heard she had
been going to school to become a nurse. I called her and
said, "Emily, do you enjoy your work?" She quickly
replied, "No, I hate it. But right now there is no way I
can continue my schooling to become a nurse."
Emily had her CNA certificate and so we assisted her in
obtaining a job at the hospital and getting excellent
care for her children while she is away. She needed more
than a lesson. Emily needed nurturing.
Each of us has had the privilege of being baptized and
making this covenant with the Lord. Can we look within
ourselves and find the strength to obediently reach out
and NURTURE one another? Can you find ways to do this?
Can you imagine what would happen in this world if the
four million, four hundred thousand sisters in Relief
Society would each deeply care for one another, be there
for one another and lift one another. NURTURE one
another. This is possible.
When I was ward Relief Society president, I looked for a
sister who believed there was no excuse for not having
100 percent Visiting Teaching, and I called her as my
visiting teaching supervisor. If you believe you can
have 100 percent Visiting Teaching, you can do it.
Relief Society Leaders
Visiting Teachers
-
Plan ahead and set a
date early in the month.
-
Contact your supervisor
if you have a problem.
-
Make a regular
appointment and keep it.
-
Prepare a message and
pray together for discernment as to the needs of the
sisters you visit.
-
Do not stay too long but
contact your sister more than once a month when
necessary.
Fourth Ingredient: Literacy
Assign a sister to take classes on how to teach
literacy. Self-teaching literacy kits can be obtained
free of charge by writing to the Church Educational
System, 50 East North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84150.
There is nothing more rewarding than watching an
individual learn to read. There are needs in every ward
in the Church, and this is a life-changing experience.
The Book of Mormon stories with pictures can also be
used to teach reading skills.
Last year we trained over 900 women to teach literacy.
This year at the BYU Women's Conference, we will teach
the class again in the South Chapel of the stake center,
where it was taught last year. Literacy classes will be
taught during the service project on Wednesday, and then
Thursday and Friday during the women's conference. We
plan to prepare over 1500 women to teach literacy.
In San Bernardino, California, they call themselves,
"The City of Readers." The Unified School District puts
out a Resource Guide of all the organizations in the
city and what they are doing in literacy. Our Gospel
Literacy program is included in that book.
The Lakeview Ward in Centerville started teaching
prisoners at the Davis County jail to take the GED test
and graduate from high school. One of the sisters
eventually became a teacher at DAVC in Kaysville. Since
they started, they have graduated 300 prisoners.
This is a great way to reach out to the community of
both members and nonmembers.
Fifth Ingredient: Service
Home, family and personal enrichment night is the mixing
bowl for teaching us how to apply the principles taught
in Relief Society.
We delight in service and good works and we have proven
this to be true.
When President Hinckley spoke to the National Press Club
he said:
"Last year alone, we sent humanitarian aid to assist
with 829 projects in 101 countries, giving $11.2 million
in cash and $44 million in material resources. Our
humanitarian efforts reach far beyond our own to bless
the victims of war and natural disaster wherever they
may occur."
Last year at the BYU Women's Conference, the spirit of
service was ignited among our sisters. We were all
amazed at what we could accomplish in a few hours.
Then the Presiding Bishopric asked our sisters, on a
strictly volunteer basis, to assist the Kosovar
refugees. We were asked to send 30,000 quilts for the
winter. Sisters, your generosity was overwhelming.
Letters and cards have poured describing the good you
have done as you serve those around the world. We now
have more than 124,000 quilts and you would be
interested to know that 30,000 went to Kosovo. Other
countries that received these quilts were Turkey,
Mexico, Armenia, the Republic of Georgia, Ukraine,
Venezuela, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Sisters, we asked
for 30,000 and have received more than 124,000; and they
are still coming. We are developing the winning team
President Hinckley spoke about.
Nothing can stop us if we will work together and focus
on living the gospel in unity and devotion. Thank you
for the unselfish service that you have given with this
quilt project.
Our organization is such that we can make a quilt in our
own home and allow our neighbors, friends, and family to
all take part, bonding as we work together. Because of
the organization of the Church, we can assist someone
clear across the world, someone who definitely needs the
article you are working on. Isn't that remarkable?
Sixth Ingredient: Home, Family,
and Personal Enrichment Night
This is the mixing bowl for teaching how to live the
principles
Classes to be taught could include:
-
Studying the scriptures
effectively.
-
Creating harmony and
peace in your home.
-
Resolving conflicts.
-
Maintaining a happy
marriage.
-
Making family home
evenings nights to cherish.
-
Creating interest in
classes like: "family history", "What's in a Name" or
"Because I want to".
-
Looking for the good in
our partner and children.
-
What is nurturing and
how do we do it?
-
Creating minds that seek
spiritual knowledge.
-
Developing open
communication with respect.
-
Setting family values
and living them..
-
Teaching modesty and
-
Being reverent in
sacrament meeting. Ways to accomplish this virtue.
-
Teaching children to
learn to respect their elders.
-
Using wise financial
management.
-
Being self
reliant—temporally. spiritually, and emotionally.
-
Teaching children while
they are young the rewards of a moral life
Evaluate your sisters and
their capabilities and then mix with the Relief Society
activities for a bowl full of fellowship and sisterhood.
Every recipe begins in the minds and hearts of each
sister and their leaders can ignite the spirit for this
millennium as they carefully strive to put into place
each of these ingredients for a rich, full Relief
Society sisterhood.
Seventh Ingredient:
Declaration
-
Become totally familiar
with the Declaration.
-
Use it as you prepare
your president's message.
-
Give a copy to each
convert or new move-in, and each sister in your ward
that turns eighteen.
-
Set goals to perfect
your lives by focusing on each principle in the
Declaration.
-
Use it as a theme for
special events.
-
Identify with these
precious virtues. This is who we are.
Sisters, we are a RELIEF
Society. Let us prepare for the great
opportunities that are ours as auxiliary leaders by
praying often, studying scriptures, reading and
understanding the handbook, improving gospel teaching,
and having charity for all sisters. Our service to
one another and mankind will never end. Think back to
the commitment each of us made at baptism and let's be
sure we keep that covenant with the Lord.
Thank you for your tremendous examples. Joy knows no
bounds as we watch lives change through our service to
one another.
1. D&C 59.23
2. Used with permission
3. TJFS, 189
4. "Removing Barriers to Happiness," Ensign, May 1998,
p. 86
5. D&C 82 10
6. See 2 Nepbi 32:3
7. "How Near to the Angels," Ensign, May 1998, p. 96
8. Moses 6:55
9. "Articles of Belief?, Bonneville International
Corporation Management seminar, Feb. 10, 1991
10. I Corinthians 10:13
11. Matthew 11:28-30
12. Matthew 5:13
13. Ensign, May 1995, p.99
14. Used with permission
15. Ensign, Nov. 1986, p.44
Back to Leader Hints
|
