Last Saturday I had the opportunity to attend a regional Relief Society training meeting. It was our pleasure to have Sister Silvia Allred, first counselor in the General Relief Society, in attendance to lead the training. She did so with a warmth and spirit that made us feel like we were all friends, walking around with her microphone encouraging all to participate.
She reminded us of the importance of councils, both in the church and in our families and how they should be conducted. The purpose of councils is to be in agreement
(D&C 41:2-3) and to instruct and edify
(D&C 43:8-9). We then must act on the instruction and our action will sanctify us.
D&C 88:122 reminds us that only one person should speak at a time, there should be equal privilege and all should listen. Every purpose is established by councils
(Proverbs 20:18). There is safety in councils, where there is no council people fall
(Proverbs 11:14). All of these I am taking to now improve the family councils in our home.
Sister Allred spoke directly to the Relief Society teachers encouraging us to teach with power and authority just as the sons of Mosiah did in
Alma 17. We were reminded to seek revelation through study and prayer to know the needs of the sisters we teach. And told that when we witness people changing their lives for good, then we will know our teaching has been effective.
These were all great reminders but what is still ringing in my ears a week later is a comment she casually interjected while one of the participants was reading aloud a long series of scriptures. In her kind latina accent she gave us "don't give up my girlfriend". I wrote it in all caps on the side of my notes. Perhaps this was the real message I needed to hear that morning.
Is that not the purpose of Relief Society? Are we not all "girl friends" and are to encourage one another in both our triumphs and trials? Not only did this single statement give me a clearer vision of Relief Society but also armed me with encouragement to counteract the overwhelming noise and chaos associated with caring for so many young children. There were many moments this past week I felt my patience had hit its limit, it was then that Sister Allred's kind words would whisper in my ear.
On one occasion after meeting with our homeschool group downtown one child refused to follow me along the couple of blocks to our parking spot. It was cold and she also refused to wear her coat throwing it to the curb as she threatened to run in the opposite direction right into oncoming traffic. The rest of the children were heading towards another busy intersection (a few of them balancing their fragile ceramic creations) and I was stopped with a loaded down stroller somewhere between all of them. I whispered the words "don't give up my girlfriend" aloud as I parked the stroller, scooped up the offending child (and her coat) and somehow secured her kicking under my arm as I pushed the stroller. It was a heavy load but I caught up with the others before they met the intersection. I was panting with both anger and exertion but feel it was the encouraging words of Sister Allred that helped me cope with the heavy load of that day.
Perhaps someday that same naughty little girl who tried to run from me and into the street will have her own little ones and call me for encouragement. When she does I will simply say in my best latina accent
Don't give up my girlfriend.
Thank you Sister Allred!
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