After 10+ years in Primary (still love it!), I'm in RS now serving as Enrichment Counselor. It's interesting how the gears change. I still LOVE the primary children, and those I served with (now dear friends), but feel that love broaden as I've moved next door to RS. I love the sisters and feel my stewardship in a real way.
We had our Relief Society Visiting Teaching conference on Mother's Day. It was so nice to gather for the 2nd & 3rd hours of church while the men taught all of primary & SS. YW joined us the 3rd hour. Our theme was "Instrument of the Lord." We had flowers, musical instruments, sheet music, and art for decor. Our handout was a small booklet for the sisters to utilize in visiting teaching. The purpose is to show how visiting teaching can be literally offering ourselves as an "instrument of the Lord," looking after one another as the Lord would were He here. I don't pretend to be a perfect VTer, but I have to say that since starting this, I have definitely thought of my VTing sisters more in a genuine sisterly way, rather than the end of the month rushed "visit." The booklet is now HERE on Sugardoodle. You can tweak it to make it work for your theme or just print it as is. The flower is symbolic for the God-given feminine attributes of compassion, creativity, and nurturing. When we as women join forces through VTing, the effects are immeasurable, but certainly start with more capable women and stronger families.
Have you ever had a conversation with women where you came away inspired and empowered? I went to lunch with several women from the Resolutionary Challenge I participated in last winter. My friend Whitney has a gift for guiding discussions and keeping the bar of the conversation high. It was a delight to meet these women, to offer compassion and understanding, and to feel that in return. The topics of conversation steered clear of the gossip gutter and self-pity street. We talked literature, life, and dreams. I felt enlightened and inspired by these women, and discovered a thing or two about myself as well. I walked away as if I was given a super-heroine cape and a mission. I took a natural reassessment of my dreams and pet projects. I felt empowered to take on a dream project; writing my mom's story, that I had on the back burner with much easier tasks (emotionally & intellectually) always coming first.
I think that part of the reason I felt compelled to drive 45 minutes to Cambridge to have this lunch date was because this experience gave me a message for the sisters at our VTing conference 2 days later....There is great power and potential in us as women, especially when we strive to act as an instrument of the Lord in looking after each other and building one another up. It's no wonder VTing teaching started in the first place. Isn't it the Lord's way that as we act on His behalf we change, and our relationship to Christ changes as well. So efficient and beautiful!
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6 comments:
Wow! Great post. My mom just handed me that very booklet last night; she was in town for an evening of music that involved one of our children. She must have attended your conference.
I felt inspired by our luncheon as well. For me, it turned into a great conversation about personal dreams with my husband. No cape for me, (think 'Incredibles') but I loved what Alison said: Be your own batman. Whitney is a fantastic facilitator, and I, too, came away feeling empowered.
Rebecca,
I just checked out the Northborough RS blog for kicks. You have done a beautiful job with it, just like you have with your own blog.
Lori Lyn
I felt so inspired by that meeting as well. I would love to meet again to see what you have come up with. It seems the feeling of empowerment is spreading. I wish I could have heard your inspiring words and encouragement. I would have hooted and hollared from the front row. It sounds like you had a wonderful presentation. I am so glad that you were able to spread Whitney's message...the message that we all need to hear....we CAN be the hero in our own journey. When I think about being my own batman and put on that cape, as you say, I feel less overwhelmed and my dreams and abilities seem to come into focus. Turning outside myself to focus on serving others just seems more "doable" and less of a "to do" item.
Alyson Jenkins
www.thedoubtingdiakon.typepad.com
Lovely account. Can't wait to catch a glimpse of the biography!
Our Relief Society would love to use your booklet idea for our VT conference. Thank you for posting it on Sugardoodle. Is there any way for me to edit it slightly to fit our needs? Do you have the original in a Word document?
Thank you,
Carol
carol_stephens1@hotmail.com
Love your Booklet! We would like to use it for our Visiting Conference but need to make a few changes. I dowloaded the file from sudardoole but I can't figure out how to make changes. Do you have a different file I can make changes to or advise how to make the changes I neeed? Thanks so much for your time and for sharing your ideas!
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