It appears that as the secretary of the Stake Relief Society I need to add to this blog.
This is difficult for me in a number of ways:
1. When I got my first copy of Daughters In My Kingdom, I really thought "nice history of Relief Society, I will have to read this some time". Well after a few months of it sitting around, I threw it away. Are you gasping in shock that I would do such a thing? Well I did. I was in primary and really hadn't heard much about the book so I wasn't too worried. I am a major de-junker and if it hasn't been used, then give it away or throw it away.
2. Well then, I am called as the Stake Relief Society Secretary. Now I find out that this is a "powerful" book that we should all be reading and we need to start reading our copies. Oops, I don't have a copy. I was totally humiliated to have to tell the Stake RS Presidency what I had done. It took me weeks to get up the nerve. But if you know these ladies, they just brushed it off and gave me one of their extra copies. Gotta love these women.
3. Then the challenge came up and I decided I needed to read this book. I was home sick and decided "what a great time to read Daughters in My Kingdom." I had been hearing so much about all the spiritual experiences and the powerful promptings that women in the stake were getting by reading this book. Wow I was so excited. So, I read away.
4. Well, I must admit I had no lightning strikes or even mild promptings that I noticed. It was a lovely book that really told how we are connected to the priesthood and the history of the Women that have helped to make the Relief Society a wonderful work of the Lord. I had heard most of this history and information over the years. It was nice but not earth shattering for me.
So here I am trying to make sense of all of this and pondering what did the Lord really want me to learn from this book. Here are some of the things I did learn:
1. It is OK to do what the Lord asks you to do, even if it is just reading a RS history book that you really don't want to. You will be blessed by doing so.
2. A reaffirmation that I am a daughter of a Heavenly Father who loves me and expects much from me.
3. We are a part of the Priesthood power on earth.
4. We whine way too much. Women in our RS history walked or traveled miles, even in dangerous territory so that they could visit teach. They had to make their own bread and hand wash all their clothes, no microwaves, no electricity, etc. We make all kinds of ridiculous excuses not to go.
5. Never to suppress a kind thought. That really stood out to me. I am now trying to do this.
6. Most of all I learned that I don't have to have earth shaking testimony builders in my life. I can trust others and learn from their testimonies of this inspired book and their spiritual experiences will help me to grow as well.
- LaRae Claybrook, Rancho Reata Ward
