Tonight we had our Stake Enrichment Activity and it was my first time hearing Susan Easton Black speak. Let me just say if you haven't heard her speak - you should, because she is an amazing speaker and very intelligent and entertaining! Tonight's activity was all about the origins of The Relief Society and Sister Black said some things that really made me think.
She shared a story about when the women were in the early stages of organization. When the women would meet together weekly they'd take turns going around and saying what they had done to help others since their last meeting. Whether it was cooking bread for someone or helping someone clean, they shared all the service they'd given in just the past week. After one person finished they'd move right on to the next, each woman taking a turn. If one woman said that in the past week she had not had a chance to perform any service for whatever the reason she was invited to leave after she had finished speaking. It really got me thinking. What kind of woman am I? Do I try to find excuses to justify not helping others, even in little ways. Would I have been asked to leave the meeting or gladly served and be even more willing to give whatever was needed.
She also talked about when she was in her twenties, newly single, and had 3 small children (all boys). She had decided to move out to her parents' beach house in California to live. After various visiting teachers that never came to visit her she finally had one lady, Janice, that came (alone) every month. Although Janice was about 20 years older than Sister Black they became pretty good friends. After months of visiting with each other. Janice had stopped by again and instead of focusing on Sister Black was kind of wallowing in her own problems. When Sister Black basically called her out on it Janice said that she had just been to the doctor and found out that she couldn't have anymore children. Well, Janice already have 9 kids, but she said that her life goal had always been to have 12 children and she was so upset that she couldn't fulfill that dream. She then asked Sister Black if there were any wishes that she had that weren't fulfilled. Instead of trying to one up her, Sister Black just said that she wished the area they lived in had a better library because she had already read all the books and was starting to go through and edit them. Janice asked her why she didn't just go back to school and Sister Black said it was because she had the money for tuition, but not enough for tuition and a baby sitter. They finished their visit, and a few days later Sister Black received a phone call from Janice. She said she'd been thinking and thought she'd come up with a solution that would benefit both of them. She offered to babysit Sister Blacks 3 kids one night a week for an entire year so that Sister Black could go back to school. That way Sister Black could go to school and Janice could experience having 12 kids. They also agreed not to really discuss how they felt about the deal until the end of the one year period. At the end of the year Janice asked Sister Black how she had liked the past year and Sister Black told her she had loved it. She also told Janice that she'd been offered a scholarship and really loved school and she thought she even wanted to get her PhD. Then Sister Black asked Janice how she liked the past year. Janice said that Heavenly Father knew better when he stopped her at 9 kids. She said how the boys were so rambunctious and that they'd never just sit still like her kids. This story really touched me also.
The end of my sophmore year of high school and throughout the summer before my junior year I had the best Young Women's teacher ever. There were only a few other girls my age in my ward, but I was the only one that'd be at church every Sunday. Needless to say that this teacher (Sister Ingleby) and I got to know each other very well. This time in my life was probably one of the hardest times I have ever had. Every Sunday Sister Ingleby and I would just talk about life and some of my problems. She seriously is one of the reasons I made it through that time as well as I did. I would seriously end up crying every Sunday and she'd just sit and talk with me. She also motivated me and was really the only reason I received my Young Womanhood Recognition Award. When Sister Black was talking about Janice I just kept thinking about Sister Ingleby. Her and I still keep in contact and our friendship would never have happened without her taking her calling seriously and being a real friend and support to me. She was an amazing example to me of what it means to really take an interest in those that you serve and really be a part in their lives, not just another person pretending to care.
I know this is a really long post, but I just wanted to make sure I remembered this activity - even the little details. It just really reminded me that we can all make such a difference by just the little things we do. Janice didn't watch Sister Black's kids every night and she didn't just give her the money to hire a cheap babysitter: she gave of herself what she was able to give and look what a difference she made in the life of Sister Black. I hope that I can always remember and be thankful for the people who make differences in my life, and I hope to be able to make positive differences in the lives of those that I work with.
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