Notes from Sister Julie Beck's talk

Hi Sisters,

I took notes during Sister Julie Beck’s talk, given at the San Jose Stake Center on October 8^th 2011. I tried to record what she said to the best of my memory, but they are still my words and not exact quotes. If you were there, please feel free to add or correct anything by posting to the "comments" section below. Thanks!

Introduction:

Sister Beck was introduced by her husband, who said she loved being called “Grandma” by her 14 grandchildren. He said they would come into the house and say “Hi Grandpa, where’s Grandma”, like he was “chopped liver” :) He said they love her so much because she gives them all personal attention and loves to spend time with them individually, taking them each out on birthdays, etc.

Sister Beck’s talk:

We are here to have the Holy Ghost speak to us.

There is order in the Lord’s plan—we have experiences to help us grow. The Lord uses experiences to draw us closer to Him, learn of Him, and help us become more like Him. He is teaching us how to get answers and how to manage the tests of life.

Audience Questions:

Sister Beck then asked the audience if anyone had any questions for her. Five women asked questions, mainly about what they should do in each of their difficult life circumstances (financial, children with challenges, etc).

Then Sister Beck began to speak again, addressing a couple of the questions and telling the following story:

Story of Sister Beck’s mother:

Her father was married and they had four young children. The fourth child died, and then his young wife died a short time later. He was raising his remaining three daughters by himself when he met the woman who would become Sister Beck’s mother. At the time she had just graduated from college and was working as a nurse. She had her own car, skis, tennis racket, and bowling ball—unusual for a woman at that time. She was living an exciting life.

One day, when she was spending time with the man who would be Sister Beck’s father and his girls, she noticed that one of the girls had her dress on inside out and backwards. She had a prompting that that little girl would never have to wear her dress that way again because she was going to be her mother. She decided to put away her skis, tennis racket, and bowling ball, and change the course of her life by marrying Sister Beck’s father in the temple.

Shortly after they were married, she decided that they needed a plan for their family. They came up with goals like regular scripture study, family home evening, music lessons for every child, and helping every child receive a college education. They called it their “Simple Life Plan”. It was pretty simple—it just became complicated by people! They had seven more children after that, including Sister Beck!

They stuck with all of the goals they had set—it was a family responsibility to help one another achieve those goals. Everyone pitched in. Even when Sister Beck was married and had a child, she helped her younger siblings complete their college educations. She helped one brother by going to his classes for him every other night and then sharing the notes she had taken. They supported one another as a whole family.

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Relief Society and Daughters in My Kingdom:

We have a family outside of our immediate families—the Family and Sisterhood of Relief Society.

We do not yet have the Relief Society on this earth that the Lord expects us to have, but we’ve been practicing. Relief Society is about the WORK and SALVATION. We are to help one another and strengthen one another. We are here to learn how (Relief Society) is supposed to be practiced in the Lord’s kingdom.

The book, Daughters in My Kingdom, is our game plan for how to be an LDS woman. We are being pulled off of our “game” for a lot of reasons and by a lot of destructive forces. Like Captain Moroni’s rent coat, this is what we believe in, defend, and will die for. (It even has rounded corners so it can fit well in a purse) Read and STUDY it.

Living in the Last Days: (we are definitely in them)

2 Timothy 3: (perilous times shall come) Perilous times are here now in the last days.

Alma 30: story of Corihor, (who thought he was being so original but was really just copying a man who lived long before him, Nehor, who was really just copying the devil.) Corihor preached the philosophy that we live in a world of contests and if you don’t win, you are a loser. But only one person can win. This was an anti-Christ teaching and led many women away.

The predatory messages that come at us today tell us to be dissatisfied with our lives.

2 Nephi 28:20 describes a world awash in apathy and anger and entitlement. Describes the world we live in today.

In Daughters in My Kingdom, page 5, there is a quote from Spencer W. Kimball: “The cultivation of Christlike qualities is a demanding and relentless task- it is not for the seasonal worker or for those who will not stretch themselves again and again.”

We must stretch ourselves again and again.

Sacrament meeting is for repentance. It is there to help us manage our lives. We are not expected to be perfect—it’s ok to keep trying (even when our actions keep falling short).

Purposes of Relief Society:

Increase faith and personal righteousness.

Get a temple recommend and then GO! Participate in all of the ordinances and pay attention to everything that happens and everything that you are blessed with, including all of the blessings of the priesthood. All of the blessings of the priesthood are for us, too!

Doctrine and Covenants 84: “man” means “mankind”. Verses 19-21: The “power of godliness is manifest” and is a guide to all the truth of the Holy Ghost. When you are endowed you receive knowledge of how to be more like God and make and keep sacred covenants.

“We are not alone in this battle”:

Alma 48 (and 49) is a model for us. We are fighting an army like the Amalickiahites, a deceitful and determined enemy. We need to strengthen our minds to be faithful. Our homes are like small forts. Don’t lower the drawbridge to let the adversary in! Build layers of defense around your homes.

We can do four things when we get up each day to help keep our faith strong:

1. Pray

2. Read our scriptures (that way, even if we don’t read again for the rest of the day, at least we have read something. Sister Beck keeps scriptures in every room of her house so that she can take a few minutes here and there to read if she has time.)

3. Get dressed

4. Make your bed because you’re not going back there!

In Alma 48 (and 49) they also placed the greatest number of people in the weakest places. We can model this by taking care of the weak points in our lives and our own weaknesses. We can’t do it all for everyone all of the time. Call in help. Don’t be afraid to prioritize your resources. Your Relief Society and ward are your safety nets.

Daughters in My Kingdom has a fabric motif on every page because when we weave ourselves together in sisterhood we are stronger.

Our role as women:

Emma Smith was engaged in work to build the Kingdom of God. She was strong, and could be called upon to offer strength to her husband, the Prophet.

We have female responsibilities in the Lord’s plan that no one else can fulfill. We fought for this in the war in heaven.

We can’t fulfill our role without the spirit and revelation.

Moses 7:62 talks of righteousness sweeping the earth “like a flood”. This is accomplished through us—women.

President Hinckley said “No other work reaches so close to divinity as does the nurturing of the sons and daughters of God.” (quoted in Daughters in My Kingdom chapter 9- “Guardians of the Hearth”: Establishing, Nurturing and Defending the Family).

DO NOT BETRAY THE TRUST COMMITTED TO YOU.

The atonement is there for you. Read Matthew 5 and John 11:26: “Believest thou this?”

Do you believe the Savior can heal and strengthen you?

Our power and influence on the earth:

Story:

Sister Beck recently met the head of the newly established United Nations Women’s organization. This woman spoke about what her organization was doing for about 20 minutes and then asked Sister Beck what she did. Sister Beck said that she was the Relief Society President for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, to which the other woman replied “well, your job must be easy. In your church the men do everything” (Sister Beck had to pause here in her story to let the laughter from the audience die down)

This woman then asked how many members were in our organization, and Sister Beck said about 6 million. She asked a series of other questions, like how many countries are we in (170), how many “grass-roots” organizations do we have (about 30,000 wards), and what we do (strengthen homes and families and provide relief from hunger, poverty, and disasters, to name a few…). The head of UN Women was amazed, especially when she learned that we receive no payment for our efforts.

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Importance of Visiting Teaching—we must nurture, love and care for one another.

WE CAN DO IT! We are equipped. We can strengthen.

Use the atonement. Prepare NOW for the dream of eternal life. Be a long-term optimist.