Thankful Thursday

"Charity suffereth long and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,  doth not behave itself unseemly; seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth" 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Charity Never Faileth is the motto for the Relief Society, one of the largest women's organization in the world with approximately 6 million members. I have the honor of being a part of this wonderful organization and although membership usually starts around 18 years old (or after graduation from high school) I feel that I've belonged all my life!  It's so delightful to spend time with the women in the Relief Society, I have learned so much from them. There are women from all walks of life; single, married, widowed, divorced, stay-at-home moms, working moms, sisters, aunts, grandmothers, great grandmothers, daughters, wives, friends, and neighbors.  We call each other "sister" because that's what we are, spirit daughters of a loving Father in Heaven. We all have something to offer and something to learn.  Last night we had a delicious dinner of yummy soups, salads, and homemade rolls and of course, dessert!  Bishop Yamane talked to us about service and charity and how we can become closer to our Savior by serving others and being truly charitable, by actually helping others in need and learning to love them.  As I helped clean up, it warmed my heart to see these women that I love and admire putting together hygiene kits for humanitarian aid and write letters to people who might need a kind word of encouragement, and even write memories of a young man who has passed away so that the family can have a priceless book of remembrance of their son.  I know that what I do is so little compared to some of these great women, but I'm thankful to be able to learn from their example.
I love this quote from Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley:
"The history of the organization has shown that women of the church have not had to wait to sit together in heaven to taste the sweet fruit...They have experienced much of heaven on earth as in life they have cherished one another, comforted one another, and instructed one another."
That is exactly how I feel about these women!  I get to catch glimpses of heaven when I am with them! We are all on the same path, some moving faster and some slower, but headed in the same direction--toward their Heavenly Father and their Savior!  What a divine blessing!

Julie