Also, Sister Sharon Pitts is currently recovering from surgery and is doing well. She is at TMH in the rehab center and is in Room 1124. I know she would love to have anyone come and visit her and see how she's doing.
Sister Sandy Taylor is doing really well after her double knee replacement. She was able to make it out to church this past Sunday and she is moving along just wonderfully.
As mentioned in the last post, the first Sunday lessons will be coming out of the "Daughters in My Kingdom" book that has been put together and released by the Relief Society General Presidency. If you have not received one yet we currently have placed an order for more and hopefully they should be here soon. At least hopefully before the first Sunday in February.
Sister Clark gave a wonderful lesson this past Sunday on chapters one and two. Within chapter one, it explains how the Relief Society was restored after an ancient pattern. Even though we do not have documentation that there was a society such as one today back in New Testament times, we know that there were countless women, named and unnamed who were disciples of Jesus Christ. For example, we have the account of Mary and Martha in Luke 10. Martha opened her home to Jesus and she served the Lord by taking care of his temporal needs, while Mary "sat at the Master's feet and absorbed His teachings (pg. 4)."
During the Latter Days we have examples of disciples as well. "The women in the ancient Church were dignified and noble, needed and valued. They served others, increased in personal holiness, and participated in the great work of saving souls (pg. 7)." These same patterns that were set by the women of ancient times have been restored again through the organizing of the Relief Society. President Joseph F. Smith said, "This organization is divinely made, divinely authorized, divinely instituted, divinely ordained of God to minister for the salvation of the souls of women and of men (pg. 7)." Sister Julie B. Beck our current General Relief Society President said, " Through Relief Society we practice being disciples of Christ. We learn what He would have us learn, we do what He would have us do, and we become what He would have us become (pg. 7)."
On March 17, 1842, a group of twenty women met under the direction of Joseph Smith and Elders John Taylor and Willard Richards. They organized and patterned this organization not have the prevalent and popular women's organizations of the time but it was divinely inspired and authorized but the Prophet Joseph Smith. What is so wonderful about the Relief Society is it is patterned after the priesthood. This is not just some charity organization this is an organization ordained by God. It is patterned after the priesthood in that we have a president and counselors in each ward or branch, a president and counselors at the stake level and at the top a General Relief Society presidency. We work with the priesthood holders in our wards and branches. Relief Society participates in ward and branch councils to help communicate the needs of the members.
Joseph Smith taught principles that helped Relief Society sisters "relieve the poor" and "save souls" foundational principles upon which the society was built (pg. 17). Ever since those early meetings of sisters until today, we have applied the Prophet Joseph Smith's teachings in our efforts to increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthening families and homes, and seeking out that helping those in need. My favorite quote in these two chapters is by Sister Lucy Mack Smith, "We much cherish one another, watch over one another, comfort one another and gain instruction, that we may all sit down in heaven together."
I know that the Relief Society is an organization that is divinely restored upon the earth once again. The fullness of the gospel upon the earth in these latter days was not complete without the Relief Society. We as the women of this church have a higher call to increase our personal faith and righteousness, to strengthen our homes and families, and to seek out those in need in our ward families and in our communities. I pray that each of us can find ways to be like the sisters of the early times of the latter days and those women who were disciplines of Christ during his ministry. We have a divine role upon this earth, something that no man can do. Let us stand up and call down the help and spirit of the Lord to assist us in this holy work. Please read this book, do not just let it sit on the table or on the book shelf or just sit in your church bag. Read, study, and ponder its teachings. I know if you do, you will gain a stronger testimony of the Relief Society and of the Restoration of the Gospel.
This coming Sunday we will be in The Teachings of George Albert Smith, Chapter 1.
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