Putting Family First

After reading the chapter about taking care of our homes and families, I recommitted to putting my family first and having faith that the Lord would bless me to be able to fulfill all my other responsibilities.  I have had many people step in and lighten my load on my other responsibilities.  I feel closer to my husband and children and a peace in my home.

Connie Jacob
Kennewick Park

To Love Everyone

I have had wonderful experiences, one in particular is wanting to truly be a daughter in His kingdom by doing as the Savior did.  I want to serve my family and my sisters in relief society and those around me.  I love everyone and I want them to feel and know it.

Pamela Vergara
Kennewick Park 

I Now Have Direction

I have strived to make “Thy will be done” the mantra of my life. My mind knows the reasoning, my penitent soul accepts the circumstances. Many times the cross I am called to bare seemed enormous. Some days the “why me and why not” are endless.  But the prayers at the end of the day would eventually become humble and subdued.  Accepting my “cross” has been the struggle for years especially when I so badly love perfection and want to soar.  I wondered with faith where the Lord is taking me on this journey.  Many times great glimpses of hope and miracles have sustained me. Where shall I go?  What shall I do has been my companion these last few years.  I have read, pondered and prayed to know where and how to direct my life.  A strong pull has been my feeling of lately. A natural thing, that I have known and felt all of my life but was shown as the direction I should take in a recent Sacrament meeting I attended.  I was genuinely excited to have direction. 

As I was reading “Daughters in My Kingdom” the feelings of purpose began to take form and confirm the revelation I received.  The examples of those that have walked before made me feel that I too have a purpose for my life. Being an active vital part of God’s Kingdom seemed to be a theme that I found throughout my reading. Day by day I am beginning to see and understand more of the Lord’s eternal plan for me.  My role is to move forward with faith in the direction that he has provided.

A couple of favorite quotes from Daughters in My Kingdom:

“We know the Lord has laid high responsibly upon us, and there is not a wish or desire that the Lord has implanted in our hearts in righteousness but will not be realized, and the greatest good we can do to ourselves and each other is to refine and cultivate ourselves in everything that is good and ennobling to qualify us for those responsibilities.”  Eliza R. Snow Chapter 4

“Joseph Smith taught Relief Society sisters of their nobility as daughters of God, helping them understand that God loved them and had grand purposes for them to fulfill.”

. . ."they have been faithful and courageous in the face of difficult challenges. They have found purpose in their lives. . . As Esther. . . “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Now I that have direction, I will be working on courage and patience as the Lord continues to unfold this vision before me.

Name Withheld By Request

The Sacred Calling Of Motherhood

I am grateful for the challenge to read “Daughters in My Kingdom”.  I serve in Young Women’s Organization and I probably wouldn’t have read this book any time in the near future without this challenge.  What a wonderful book!  It is always nice to be reminded of the importance of the work that we are doing as mothers and women in the church.  It is also nice to be reminded of how blessed we are and how much others have had to sacrifice for the gospel in the past.

I am going to put this quote by David O. McKay up on my wall, “Motherhood is near to divinity.  It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind.  It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels.  To you mothers in Israel we say God bless and protect you, and give you the strength and courage, the faith and knowledge, the holy love and consecration to duty, that shall enable you to fill the fullest measure the sacred calling which is yours.”  (page 158)

Tami Smith  Rancho Reata Ward

We Can Follow Their Examples

I was so excited for the challenge to re-read the "Daughters in My Kingdom" book. The first time, I read it quickly in preparation for a lesson. The spirit of the book is powerful and very uplifting. It is a treasure. It is full of spiritual thoughts, amazing stories and quotes that can be easily found through-out the book.

In reading it this time, I was able to take it a little slower and enjoy the powerful stories of sisters all over the world and how they live and love relief society.  I was inspired again and again to try to follow their examples of service and charity.  I love knowing that the relief society is a worldwide organization.  

Also, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the lives of the faithful General Relief Society Presidents that have served in the Church since the Relief Society was formed. They each sacrificed much and served well.  I instantly loved Louise Y. Robinson, the 7th Relief Society President.  She was a very willing servant but very humble in circumstance and very humble about her abilities to serve as the Relief Society General President.  She told President Grant that "she was afraid she wouldn't be the example that the women of the Relief Society would expect in a leader." President Grant told her "Sister Louizy, 85% of the women of our Church are humble women.  We are calling you to be the leader of them." (pg. 71) 

I also was really touched by what Eliza R. Snow said about what is ultimately important.  She said that "there are many of the sisters whose labors are not known beyond their own dwellings and perhaps not appreciated there, but what difference does that make?  If your labors are acceptable to God, however simple the duties, if faithfully performed, you should never be discouraged." (pg. 177)

I am grateful for the example of these sisters.  We can follow their examples in accepting callings and also feel good about all the work we do in our homes.  As stated in the "Proclamation to the World", families are central to our Heavenly Fathers plan.  We can feel good about raising our families in righteousness and in building our relationships with our husbands. 

This is a spiritually uplifting book.  I hope each sister will read it and treasure it as I do.

Becky Heath, Rancho Reata Ward

Something Extraordinary

For months, after Sister Beck announced that a history of Relief Society was being written and made available to each of us, I looked forward in anticipation to reading it. It was difficult to restrain myself from requesting an early copy from my bishop when I learned from LDS Distribution that there was a box full of them sitting in his home ready for distributing the following Sunday. Needless to say, I readily accepted this gift from the Lord and began to read it cover to cover. I then began a study of each chapter. Coupled with my scriptures and prayer, Daughters in My Kingdom became a source of light and direction in my life. I was reminded of who I am, and who the Lord wants me to become. Initially, when speaking about this book, the title tripped me up until I recognized the significance of the 2 letter word "in." It was more natural for me to say, Daughters "of" My Kingdom. I learned that if I wanted to become a daughter "in" His kingdom, I needed to pattern my life after the women I was reading about and align myself with the principles that past and present prophets and general Relief Society leaders taught.

As I began to recognize and follow these patterns and principles, I experienced more spiritual power in my life. I felt a greater power to fight temptation, a greater power to obey, a greater power to love, a greater power to expand my circle of influence, and a greater power to share the gospel, especially my love for the Relief Society. It isn't difficult to give non members a copy of Daughters in My Kingdom and share with them the wonderful organization that I am a member of. Who would not want to be interested in an organization that strengthens a woman's faith in Jesus Christ, strengthens her family, and provides relief to others? We know that there are women out there who are searching for this in their lives.

Now, as a newly called ward Relief Society President, I feel prepared to organize the work of Relief Society in my ward with confidence. In my calling, I use this beautiful book everyday as a resource to teach, to uplift, to counsel, and to align my service with the Savior. I carry my worn, marked up Daughters in My Kingdom with me everywhere I go, knowing that I will use it. There have been a couple of times I have lost it, and I frantically looked for it because I have recorded impressions and personal revelation in the margins. It has become, and continues to be, a conduit of instruction from the Lord for me.

From not only studying Daughters in My Kingdom often, but applying what I learn from studying it, I understand more fully the purposes of Relief Society and what the Lord expects of me. I know that as we align ourselves with the purposes of Relief Society, together, as Relief Society sisters in the Kennewick Stake, we will move the Lord's kingdom forward in this area of His vineyard and do "something extraordinary."

Denise Benham, Kennewick Park Ward

The Wisdom Of My Ward Sisters

Hello Stake Relief Society,

 Today as I finished the reading challenge of, “Daughters in My Kingdom”, one realization that came to my mind the most is the first calling that the Lord gave me once I started college.  My Mother had passed away a couple months after starting school and one of the big losses that I felt personally was the absence of a Mother teaching me all the skills, knowledge, and all else that a future Mother would need to know.  I was called to teach Relief Society lessons during Relief Society once a month about those kinds of things that I would need to learn from my Mother.

 All these years of belonging to Relief Society has been such a huge blessing to me with the personal loss of a Mother.  The Lord takes away and He gives.  I’ve had such help where ever I’ve lived in attending the meetings held for Relief Society and reading from the materials provided. 

 I feel profound gratitude for the inspired direction of the leaders throughout time and to benefit from sharing/learning of the sisters all around me.  We all truly have a readymade ward sisterhood that ranges in age from young to old; giving us all strength because of it. So many of my prayers, thoughts or concerns have been answered through the wisdom of my ward sisters.

Connie Robanske

Windsong Ward