Two thoughtballs from Relief Society

Hermana Monica Blood was my companion for two transfers in Faribault. We had some good times together. :) This past Wednesday she came home and today I went to her Sacrament meeting homecoming talk. It was so great to be there. 

As part of the program, she and her three sisters sang Lead Kindly Light in English and in Spanish and it brought back so many fond memories of the mission. As she bore her testimony at the end of her talk my heart yearned to be back in Minnesota, living the missionary life. Some days I miss the mission so much and today was one of them.  

We stayed for all three hours of church and I LOVED the Relief Society lesson. Sister Davis, the teacher, was so well prepared. She taught with her heart and spoke by the spirit. I came away feeling inspired and uplifted. Two things I got out of her lesson:

Number 1

"YOU ARE O.K."

She shared a personal experience about how she came to know that her Priesthood leaders were called of God. There was a time in her life that she was going through some very difficult trials. She was in an interview with her Bishop, literally sobbing, and pouring her soul out to him. In a quiet moment her Bishop softly said, "You are O.K." His words caught her off guard but she was immediately soothed. "How did you know?" she asked him. She went on to explain that those were the very same words her husband always told her to calm her spirits. They had been used numerous times throughout her life to remind her that everything would be okay. The Bishop simply responded, "I didn't." 

That day, Sister Davis was reminded that her Bishop was simply a spokesperson for the Lord. The Lord knew exactly what those magic words would do for her. He knows each of us personally and individually. He knows our struggles and sometimes he uses our Priesthood leaders as conduits for revelation. I appreciated the simple reminder from Sister Davis that I am O.K. No matter what's going on around me the Lord is aware of my needs, my desires, my fears, and my potential. As long as I continue to put my trust in Him and follow His servants, I will always be O.K.

Number 2

Exodus 17:8-12
8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.
10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
12 But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

Part of the discussion had to do with supporting/sustaining our leaders and especially supporting each other. One of the sister's comments caught my attention and I really took it to heart. She said, "one of the most beautiful manifestations of Christ-like love is a wife supporting her husband in his calling." 

It was a simple thought. But it affected me profoundly. In that moment I was re-convinced that I want to be that kind of wife; it is one of my deepest desires. I want to support my husband in all of his Priesthood responsibilities. I want to stand by his side and be a "help-meet" as the scriptures say. I want to be a quiet, loving, loyal strength to him as he fulfills his role as Patriarch. I want to have that type of Christ-like love.