RELIEF SOCIETY POWER!!!

“The Relief Society is the Lord’s organization for the women. It compliments the priesthood training given to the brethren. There is a power in this organization that has not yet been fully exercised to strengthen the homes of Zion and build the Kingdom of God – nor will it until both the sisters and the priesthood catch the vision of Relief Society.” --Spencer W. Kimball, “Relief Society—Its Promise and Potential,” Ensign, Mar. 1976, 2

That was 1976. This is 2008. Now is the time for women to move forward in their influence with faithful testimonies, strength, and service. Last Saturday, September 27, 2008, we had our annual general Relief Society meeting broadcast. I zeroed in on a particular quote that President Julie B. Beck quoted by Elder Neal A. Maxwell. These are her words including his:

We can do the work of the Lord in His way when we seek, receive, and act on personal revelation. Without personal revelation, we cannot succeed. If we heed personal revelation, we cannot fail. The prophet Nephi instructs us that the Holy Ghost will show us “all things what ye should do.” It was prophesied that in the latter days the Lord would pour out His Spirit upon His handmaids.This will happen as we allow ourselves to be still enough and quiet enough to listen to the voice of the Spirit. Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught us that receiving revelation for our calling and in our personal lives “requires serious mental effort on our part…. Revelation is not a matter of pushing buttons, but of pushing ourselves, often aided by fasting, scripture study, and personal pondering. Most of all, revelation requires us to have a sufficient degree of personal righteousness, so that on occasion revelation may come to the righteous, unsolicited.”

I am confident as I join hands with the sisters in Zion, we offer ourselves as vessels to the Lord prepared to build the kingdom of God. Guided by the Spirit, I will strengthen my home, help in the community, and be valiant in my testimony of truth. As we serve with hearts of gladness and stand for truth and righteousness, individual lives will be touched and our nations will be blessed because of our commitment to Christ and his teachings.

In a time when the world seems to be crumbling, I am grateful for my testimony, the knowledge that Jesus is the Christ and my Savior; that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and that truth has been restored; that the Book of Mormon is truly the word of God; and that President Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God here today, leading and guiding us through these tumultuous times. This gives me comfort and peace that sinks deep into my heart, and touches every fiber of my being, radiating calming light to my soul, in spite of chaos in the world. I will move forward with POWER as just one sister among many in my choice to be part of this great work in building up the kingdom of God in these latter days.