Relief Society - My Substitute Mommy

Dear family and friends,

Please thank Sister Rinda Myers for me. She's so sweet to keep me updated on the ward's growth and news, and I love that she's my visiting teacher. What a blessing she has been in her support; there is such peace in knowing that my efforts are not forgotten by the world there.  

There's a neat quote I'd love you to look up in the "Daughters in My Kingdom" book and put on the blog about RS--a mom who is moving far away and her daughter with a brand new family asks, "What will I do? Who will be my mother?" (This was before Skype and facebook and tweets and texts etc) Her mother said something amazing about RS--it was "Bind yourself to RS. Relief Society and it will become a mother to you" . Look it up yay, thanks. 

It made me just catch my breath---there is such a power in a society of woman to do good and to teach, to uplift and even be a mother to those who have no one to go to or to learn from. I'm still reeling from the state of that [person that I talked about on our telephone call] individual's home--"Wow, I didn't know our church helps people like this!" (please insert a description, ma?) 

[Dia went into detail in her Mother's Day telephone call about some service she was able to perform for an individual who was struggling with the chaos of her life that had overspilt into her home environment.  She was so shocked as she had to call on the services of the priesthood for help excavating some of the worst-- and for Dia, who is accustomed to some pretty bad stuff, this was life-alteringly memorable.  Back to her letter.]

Our job as missionaries is often to wake up the ward or the branch--or just to refocus their efforts in the areas they need to focus on. 

When another person I admire wrote last -- Sister Lisa S.-- she said that as a RS president she's learning that unity (Zion!) is only accomplished when everyone is invited to work together, NOT when everything runs smoothly and only 3 people prepare everything while everyone else just shows up and sits through it. 

I learned while reading the white handbook on leadership the other day that a leader is NOT someone who does everything themselves.  A leader's job is to inspire, uplift and help others find in themselves the motivation and ability to put their shoulder to the wheel in the aid of others to learn pure Charity--the true love of Christ as He would practice it.

Wow!  Strong Stuff,

Working to become stronger in faith,

Sister Dia D