Today we celebrated discipleship within the Relief Society. The path for discipleship is very individualized. The purpose of Relief Society is: 1) increase faith and personal righteousness 2) strengthen home and family 3) provide relief. Some view these as parts of a pie, with equal weight. Others think of these as a machine that is powered by faith, which in turn powers the others purposes. Finally, some may think of the hierarchy of these, with the basis being faith, next family and then to provide relief.
In contemplating a theme for this year, Catherine has felt that there should be no theme, because faith and personal righteousness is a theme in an of itself.
Sue discussed how her faith has made her who she is. She discussed how in her early married years there was no temple near her. When she moved to California, there was a temple close by, but it wasn't part of her habit. In a conference she heard a quote that Zion will be made of those families that already Zion families. She further read an article on welfare, where he linked the law of consecration contained in the temple covenants to service. First, we must take care of the needs, not wants, of our families but then how we can serve others. The motto of the relief society is charity never faileth, which she strives to make the motto of her life.
Heather spoke on how her faith has enabled her to receive help. She doesn't naturally share her burdens with others. A few years ago her mother was diagnosed with advanced cancer, with a poor prognosis. Heather was in her first trimester with their third child. How can you know what it feels like to be succored if you have never suffered. During this time she saw a picture of Christ and was moved to run toward him...she knew she needed support. She confided in a friend who served her daily. She learned that not only do we love those who we serve, but also that we love those that serve us.
Catherine the expressed her belief in the magnificence of the women in the ward and God's intimate interest in our well being. She described an expertise where a ball of twine is randomly passed through the room and everyone is thus entangled.
Fourteen years ago she decided to run a marathon. She found that people that run marathons are all shapes and sizes. Likewise, we all are different. None of us have the same path. We have 164 sisters. Of those 25 percent come, although some serve elsewhere. Married - 66 percent, ingle 34, widowed 9 divorced 8, ever divorced 14, has children 63. We are united by the spirit of Christ and our desire to do something extraordinary. At the end of her marathon, she was exhausted and didn't think she could finish. She hadn't prepared - it was self inflicted. We have life experiences that are like that. In this marathon she found a man who was heavy and was moving, she felt like she could follow him to finish. She owed her success in finishing to this person she would never have guessed could help her.
As we exercise our faith, it can move us to make the right choice in the moment, the point is not the lifetime milestones of mission, marriage, etc. it is the choice in the moment. Are we praying and reading and trying to make the right choice? When we do that then we can come to know God and Christ. Through the Spirit we see truth, including how we view ourselves and others. Once we have the lens of the Spirit we can see ourselves as God and Christ see us. He knows us and desired that we become His. Catherine expressed her desire that we will choose the way of truth.
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