The Entertainment Industry

Posted by Justine | April 25, 2009 | 46 Comments

relief-society-seal I’ve attended some doozie Enrichment meetings in my time. And some pretty ‘out-there’ Homemaking meetings before that. I’ve watched magicians, painted little bunnies, watched people teach me how to cook, clean, budget, crochet, sew, can, change the oil, change a filter, change a $20. I watched a speaker once do a ’strip-tease’ as some warped sort of object lesson. I’ve done yoga, cropped pictures, pounded nails, pounded dough, snipped seams. I’ve fed the hungry, fed myself, and been fed up.

I’ve been to mid-week Relief Society meetings that have helped to shape and form who I am in very meaningful ways. I’ve learned practical skills that have made me a better wife and mother; I’ve learned spiritual skills that have drawn me closer to the Lord. I’ve felt the Spirit and the love of the Lord while learning the intricacies of the scriptures and while learning how to can peaches.

But, more often than not, I find myself sitting at one of these mid-week Enrichment meetings feeling spiritually draught, wondering when the speaker will stop so I can get back to my family.

Last month, I sat in the third row of the Tabernacle and listened to Sister Julie Beck and her counselors speak at the annual Relief Society Open House. I took over twelve pages of notes. I asked questions, and got answers straight from Sister Beck. Many other sisters asked questions, and we were all fed tremendously.

The one statement that she said at least 6 times was that “Relief Society is not in the Entertainment Business. We are in the business of Salvation.” She emphasized over and over the need for sisters to be uplifted and strengthened at every single turn. She went so far as to say, at one point, that if sisters were not leaving Enrichment meeting uplifted and strengthened, we need not meet.

The idea that we have to bring our sisters closer to their covenants is a powerful one for me. The take-away implications are great. Her message falls easily into line with my own personal abhorrence of lots of crafty and ‘light’ projects. I know that I am not alone in my dislike of scrapbooks and toll painting. I could happily skip any Enrichment meeting that involved paint or glue dots and scraps of paper.

But I also know there are lots of wonderful women who are talented and gifted at these things. There are a lot of people that find great release and catharsis from crafty outlets.

I understand how these Enrichment meetings come to be. I understand that part of the mission of Relief Society is to actually provide relief, which can take form in fellowship and mutual activity. Yet often in the name of fellowship and sociality, I think we end up focusing on Entertaining our sisters. The enticement to get a large group of women to attend, or to provide a ‘light’ and ‘fun’ evening, is a real one. All of us could use a fun night out.

But Sister Beck was quite firm, and I tend to agree with her. Entertainment as a meeting model only encourages us to be religious consumers rather than participants. It doesn’t ask anything of me, it doesn’t strengthen me. I don’t go home better equipped to manage the barrage from Satan that my family is having to fend off.

If we’re going to ask our sisters to come to a mid-week church meeting, I think we need to offer sisters a chance to grow, to stretch, to serve, to gain skills pertinent to her salvation. We need to find ways to bring sisters closer to their testimonies, closer to the blessings of the Lord, closer to their covenants. And we need to do it every chance we get.

Because, after all, as Sister Beck succinctly stated, “We are in the business of salvation.”

So, how do we manage the balance between fun and growth? I tend to be of the mind that if only one person comes to Enrichment, but that person is spiritually fed, the meeting was still a success. But in practical terms, Enrichment leaders need to find a way to strengthen women in ways that will encourage attendance, too! How do we create spiritual experiences without denying women the sociality they crave?

I’d like to talk more about this, and I’ll address another part of this next Saturday. For now, tell me how Enrichment fits into your spiritual growth. What is keeping you from the blessings of the Lord? How can the Relief Society help you change that dynamic in your life? And after you tell me, go tell your Relief Society President. She’s waiting to hear from you.

Category: Daily Special

Comments

46 Responses to “The Entertainment Industry”

jendoop
April 25th, 2009 @ 4:50 am

It is so great to hear this- wonderful post! For many years now I have been out of RS serving in Primary and YWs, in a Spanish branch. When Enrichment does happen (infrequently and focused on food) it is without much translation so I miss the spiritual nourishment. It is good for women to be responsible for their own social lives, be a little proactive. Perhaps do your visiting teaching to get to know each other?

In years past, when I served in various capacities related to Enrichment there was always a cry for more crafts. I dug in my heels. “But we always have a great turn out!” Like we had to cajole the sisters into coming and then sneak the gospel down their throats. I sincerely hope this new directive is well publicized so the far reaches of the vineyard get this information.

We can get fun anywhere, I want the essential things only found in the gospel when I go to church activities. And frankly when I sacrifice to serve in those capacities, that is what I want to provide as well.
Sharon - LDS in Tennesssee
April 25th, 2009 @ 5:18 am

YAHOO…..it’s about time to hear some “MEAT” about the “MEET”.
Yes Sir-eeee, the reason I quit going to Enrichment is JUST the review you gave about it mostly being entertainment, but not critical spiritual advancement as well. I LOVE cooking, I love all the neat little things to advance my artistic yearnings, BUT, time today is way too short and critical as well. TIMES today are DIFFERENT than times past. We are at WAR.
With the culture of the world and Anti-Christ people and doctrines. We have to arm ourselves with TOOLS that will SAVE us. HEAL us. TEACH us LOTS of spiritual armory and food for the SOUL !!
I simply DO NOT have time or energy or emotional space for anything in my life, unless it is SAVING me from the world AS WELL.
Jendoop……Well said…I join you in…”I want the essential things ONLY found in the gospel when I go to church activities”. Growing in the gospel, maturing in our marriages and relationships….coming unto Christ requires change….progress….adaptation to the NEEDS of the moment. Let us ALL PRESS ON in the WORK OF THE LORD. We can craft after the battle is over !!!
Sisterly fellowship IS BEST touching hearts from the SPIRIT and true LOVE, not another funeral potato recipe.
Love to all…God Bless you all dear sisters.
jenny
April 25th, 2009 @ 6:29 am

“But, more often than not, I find myself sitting at one of these mid-week Enrichment meetings feeling spiritually draught, wondering when the speaker will stop so I can get back to my family.”

All. The. Time.

No real answers, but looking forward to this discussion…
Kay
April 25th, 2009 @ 6:51 am

Fascinating!!!!!!!!!! I can’t wait to read all of the future comments.

As a presidency we aim to do a whole mixture of things including the spiritual. Our stake theme for R.S. this year is to fill our lamps with oil. We use both our Sunday lessons and enrichment time to do this in different ways. We do far less craft now than ever, but yes it does happen sometimes. We try to focus on the needs of the sisters. We want our sisters to feel more positive about themselves in every way. We honestly do spend hours discussing our sisters each week and how we can best be of service to them in our callings. It does no harm to blatantly tell your R.S. presidency if you would prefer things to take a different slant, or if you want more of a particular kind of evening. Feedback helps. We now do more evening activities because the sisters asked for them. The previous presidency had run the 4 enrichment meetings each year with nothing else, we responded to sisters requests for more frequent gatherings. Your R.S. presidencies are here to serve you. We want to make things better, we want you to be happy, we want us all to come nearer to Christ. Any suggestions welcomed!
Kay
April 25th, 2009 @ 6:57 am

I forgot to say that on Thursday we had a stake enrichment meeting about being modern day wise virgins. It included music, a short film, talks and testimonies. I gave a presentation as a wise virgin (typecasting, what can I say!) about how we can follow the example of Mary and Martha. We should have the hands of Martha and the heart of Mary, both service in the world and feeding our spirit are important. The whole evening was beautiful and well worth travelling an hour to stake for.
cms
April 25th, 2009 @ 7:10 am

Is there a transcript available of this open house? I’d be interested to read this. Most of our interaction with the sisters comes on Sundays because most of our sisters do not have the time (working) or the means (transportation) to do mid-week enrichment. How much time a month are you spending in Relief Society?
jeans
April 25th, 2009 @ 7:40 am

I don’t have suggestions but I am so glad to read this post. What you said, really needed to be said.
Justine
April 25th, 2009 @ 7:48 am

cms, there have been transcripts available in past years, but for the last couple of years, they haven’t done one. I wonder if it’s because the hold several sessions of the same meeting and it’s a very interactive and conversational meeting – it would be difficult to lay down one complete transcription of the thing. But those Open House’s are always so wonderful. I took notes fast and furious for almost three hours, and didn’t even realize how fast the time had flown.

I am in the Stake RS, so my time in Relief Society varies quite a bit from month to month. Sister Beck seems to be all about meeting the needs in your own wards and Stakes, and she has said several times that the quarterly Enrichment meetings are the minimum, but each ward needs to decide for themselves what their sisters need.

We have a couple of wards in our Stake that have gone back to big monthly meetings, and some that continue to only meet quarterly.

Jendoop, you sound like a woman after my own heart. I’ve always dug my heels in about crafts, too.

And Sharon, I agree with you so much. I need the strength of the Lord at every chance! I do think there is a place at Enrichment to teach women practical skills to make us better women, better mothers, better wives, etc, and that could include various homemaking skills and financial skills and practical skills, but those things can be taught with the Spirit and with a spiritual understanding of their importance.

Jenny, I’m just so glad to see I’m not hanging out there alone on this issue!

Kay – wouldn’t it be great if we as women were more forthcoming about what we needed, and what we had to offer? I love Relief Society, and think it can be such a great place of sharing testimonies and talents if we’ll just put it out there!
Lucy
April 25th, 2009 @ 7:56 am

I think it can go either way. Of course, Relief Society is not the Entertainment Society, but salvation isn’t all about solemn tears either. I think it’s just as likely to find hope, joy and purpose in the journey while creating, visiting and even eating as it is listening to a speaker who has prepared a lesson/lecture on a gospel topic.

I think there should be a variety of enrichment, because none of us are the same. Sometimes it should focus on service, because that falls under the mantle of relief. Sometimes it should focus on learning more about doctrine, because that certainly should provide relief. Sometimes, it should focus on learning new skills, because we are here to develop our talents, and gain experience. And sometimes, it should focus on friendship and fun, because that is relief too. Does anyone know for sure that there won’t be yummy salads and casseroles in the hereafter? In my perfect world, there will be…and the calories won’t matter.

My point is, is that I have been one of those women who sit through a mid-week Enrichment waiting for it to be over too. I just wanted whoever was talking about the art of journaling or family history or food storage or things to do with grandchildren to STOP, because those things don’t interest me. But, they do for some. They are incredibly important for some. And they include elements of our salvation. It just wasn’t what I was in the mood to spend a Wednesday evening listening to at that point in my life.

I think we need to heed Sister Beck’s advice (who seems allergic to fluff), but not create so strict an interpretation of what counts as the business of salvation that we isolate sisters who are all in various stages of gospel development and understanding. Toll painting and fellowship could be just thing thing for a wavering testimony.
Leslie
April 25th, 2009 @ 8:01 am

I love the power and purpose of RS to enrich and empower the lives of women. Here because of distance we don’t have many activities- and even when we do it’s hard with kids, to make it fit when everything is a minimum 25-30 min drive.

I hear you on the meaty. I like good hard doctrine, I like engaging thoughtful discussions, I like learning real meaningful skills. I get intensely frustrated if I go to a meeitng and feel it was not planned well or not meaty enough (skill, spirituality, etc. I don’t want cutesy, I want quotes, I want the presenter to testify powerfully. I want to feel the power and potential of women! I want to be strengthened in my role as a wife and a mother.

I think many wards (here) struggle to get people to come. Then so many people are at different starting points it feels like things are always at the primer level or you have such diveristy in interests it feels like you’re picking one spot and shooting for it. I think the new format does allow for more “series style” which can teach in greater depth but it is has great challenges when you live somewhere of any ward distance (we are abotu 60 min across our ward) where to hold them? when ? priesthood? children?

That being said we don’t do crafty here.I’m really open ended (surprise from an artist I know :>) so I have a hard time with making a set project.
Julie P
April 25th, 2009 @ 8:02 am

I’ve just been called to the Enrichment board, so the comments are going to be interesting to me. Our ward considered doing a weekly sisters gospel study – using church study guides – and we were shot down FAST, being told that the church will not allow any gospel/scripture study outside of regular Sunday meetings. Of course, that doesn’t mean a random group of sisters are not allowed to get together as friends to learn together, but I was still discouraged, and even more when I read about what Sister Beck said about RS being in the business of salvation.
Justine
April 25th, 2009 @ 8:20 am

That’s interesting, Julie. Our ward has a scripture study group that meets pretty regularly (weekly maybe?), and our Stake sponsors a doctrine class every Tuesday morning. I wonder where the hesitation comes from.

And Lucy, I’m afraid I might just be allergic to it, too. But I see where you’re coming from. And I know that sometimes when I’ve been to fluffy Enrichment meetings, women might come that hardly ever even come to church. So there can be some value in it, but in those instances, the strong women of the church need to be mobilized to embrace and strengthen those who are struggling. I think if we’re going to have ‘light’ meetings to try and attract some outliers, there needs to be a greater purpose in doing so. I worry that downplaying the relevance of gospel doctrine only undercuts our strength. Encouraging sisters, wherever they are in the gospel, to feast on the gospel can only serve to strengthen them. If we merely entertain in an attempt to draw those outliers into the building, I don’t know that we’ve helped them. Have we?

I recognize the nuanced nature of this discussion, and that there just isn’t one correct answer for every ward and branch in the church. But moving away from a consumer mind-set seems to be a big focus of the church right now.

Leslie, I remember those days of driving for an hour numerous times throughout the week to attend church meetings. There’s a lot of pressure for your leaders to make it worth it!
Jenny
April 25th, 2009 @ 9:27 am

This is a GREAT topic for discussion. As a leader in RS I have struggled with how to do away with the fluff and dish out the meat. At our last enrichment night mtg, we invited in a woman from the community who started and runs (very successfully) a food pantry, thrift shop and homeless shelter. She started this simply because she needed a way to make some extra money while raising her own three boys, and it turned into something far greater. She was a true, inspirational story standing in front of us. We left awed and inspired (no craft, but we did have an assembly-line freezer ready meal that everyone could take home or share with someone else at the end). Next quarter we will follow-up on this experience by having groups of sisters serve at the food pantry and thrift shop; stocking shelves, hanging clothes, etc. I wanted to move away from the status quo cultural hall Enrichment night, and this was a great stepping off point. Our smaller groups still meet fairly regularly; a book group, a play group for moms w/ small children, a dinner group. Enrichment night happens so infrequently that they need to be substantive and provide a “take-away” that is gospel-based and strengthening. It’s a tricky thing to balance nourishing with the good word and enticing more women to attend. Are any of you stepping away from the traditional enrichment night activities to try something new?
Melissa
April 25th, 2009 @ 9:35 am

This brings up one of the many, many paradoxes in the Chuch for me. I fully embrace the idea that “the Church is here to support families, not for families to support the Church” that was expressed in a WW training meeting a couple of years ago. My interpretation of that is that if I don’t feel like an activity supports me or my family, I don’t need to feel obligated to go. It bothers me when one of the primary reasons given for why we should attend an activity is to “support” those who organized it. Argh!!

BUT, that mindset also leads me to be a little selfish. A little “what’s in it for me?” And I don’t care for that attitude either. Sometimes I need to go not because I enjoy it, but because I may really help someone else. It’s a tough call.

It can also be a little frustrating when what your local leaders are doing does not seem to fit with the counsel from general leaders. I know SLC is usually quick to acquiesce to local leadership, but sometimes I wish we could just all be on the same page.
Karla
April 25th, 2009 @ 9:41 am

Isn’t this kind of the point of the new program? In my understanding there are a required four enrichments a year, which I do expect to be very spiritually fulfilling. Then the RS can do optional enrichments, where attendance is only those who want to come to that particular activity. In my ward, we’ll have a craft every other month, a cooking activity every other month, and so on. I know for me, sometimes it is strengthening to just be out with other women of the gospel. I don’t go to the cooking one, but I usually attend the craft one, and come away feeling strengthened just from the adult interaction with other women in the gospel. Maybe it is just the stage of life I am in, isolated at home with young children.
Sue
April 25th, 2009 @ 10:08 am

I like the idea of creating lovely, spiritual meetings quarterly to benefit all and then satisfying other needs with the “small group” or even occasional extra “entire group” meetings.

I do think balance is important…and having fun and being social is part of that. I am not at all craft-oriented, so I wouldn’t mind if nothing were ever tied, stitched, or glue-gunned in my ward again…but I also want to make sure the sisters who enjoy that sort of thing are accommodated too, in the small interest groups.

Now I’d like to say a word, in general, about what seems to be a church-wide trend to eliminate the “fluff.” I guess what I want to say is that not all “fluff” is really “fluff,” and that setting a mood, creating some fun and/or relaxation, and just plain being social has its place also. Balance, right? Moderation in all things. I guess what I mean to say is that fun can be had and “light” activities pursued with a spiritually enriching intent. Some hard-working women could use a little help from their R.S. sisters in creating that for themselves. There are many ways to be out of balance.

JMHO, and I know…My take on this has a lot of gray area and not so much black-and-white, but then I tend to be a gray area person. And I worry that absolutes in the Church regarding anything other than fundamental church doctrine may leave out the opportunity for inspiration in all things, even enrichment meetings. Every R.S. presidency needs the freedom to seek guidance from the Lord about what their particular sisters require, pray for confirmation, and then go for it.

=)
FoxyJ
April 25th, 2009 @ 10:10 am

I’m not a big fan of the purely ‘fluffy’ enrichment meetings, especially the quarterly ones for everyone. But there is strength in being able to sit around and really talk with my sisters at church. Especially since I’m now serving in Primary. I think all meetings should include some refreshment and chatting time; if you have a ward with a transient population it’s good to even structure the chatting time a bit with some simple get-to-know you games or assign random seating. I think unstructured time to talk is important. I do like, however, that my last two wards have moved most crafts to the smaller groups that get together at least once a month or so. I don’t do crafts or scrapbooking and I’d rather not have that be the focus of our meeting.
Michelle Glauser
April 25th, 2009 @ 10:11 am

Some members without children or husbands need more activities. So where’s the happy medium?

A neighbor of mine once said that she doesn’t go to the activities to be uplifted but to see who there can be uplifted by her. That totally changed my perspective, but I still don’t always want to go.
Julie P
April 25th, 2009 @ 10:25 am

Justine, you are lucky to have that kind of ward and stake support for gospel learning! And what my ward/stake says is allowed being polar opposite from yours is just one of the the things that makes me cringe, oh so much, when I hear people say “the church/gospel is the same everywhere!” Oh, no, it is not. Not even close.

What Jenny is doing in her ward is what our ward has tried for a few months now – playgroups for the young moms, quilting deals for the senior ladies, recipe exchanges for everyone, etc. And you know what? As excited as I’ve been with all of the opportunities and chances to be involved, get out there and get to know new people, the activities have been so poorly attended! The two big activities they’ve had this year, the “traditional” cultural hall activities have had average attendance of 70 ladies. So I guess each ward needs to do what works for its own sisters. I wish our ward had a group more excited about all the smaller, personalized activities.
Giggles
April 25th, 2009 @ 11:36 am

This is a topic I have been thinking about a lot lately. I’m the Enrichment leader in my ward and our next quarterly is coming up. Our ward is so diverse and I want to be able to meet the needs of as many of the sisters as we can, and not just meet their social needs, but most importantly their spiritual needs.
Angela
April 25th, 2009 @ 11:48 am

Justine, I’ve been involved in Enrichment (Enrichment leader, then Enrichment counselor) for the past 3 1/2 years, and my feelings about activities and what they should be “about” have evolved a lot during that time.

When I was first called, we were a brand new, recently formed ward with lots of new move-ins, so we had a need for “getting to know you” type activities. I think in a new ward, creating that foundation of friendship is a very important underpinning to help facilitate the essence of Relief Society: charity (caring about each other, supporting one another, getting past surfaces and not judging, etc.)

I also think that one of the reasons some sisters don’t like Relief Society is because they feel socially excluded. This makes them avoid going to the lessons or activities that *could* be spiritually enriching, because they don’t feel a part of things. So–on the one hand–I don’t think activities where dinner is served, entertainment is provided, and women sit and chat are necessarily *always* for reasons not in keeping with the mission of the relief society.

But on the other hand, it can get out of control. Over the last year I’ve really felt like we need more “meat”–that we’ve gotten to know each other better and need more spirituality and service in our quarterly activities and less chatting and crafting. We recently put on a performance of “Women at the Well” as a ward, and it was a wonderful experience.

But speaking of crafting, one of our biggest Enrichment activities has always been Super Saturday–last year we had a huge turnout. But after listening to the counsel from general RS leadership and talking about it as a presidency, we’ve decided not to do it again this year. One reason is the economy–way too much money is spend on “non essential” items like cute clocks and floral sprays. The “consumer-y” aspect of it has always bugged me (and it is SUCH A PAIN to have to deal with all the money–ooh, I could go on). And it doesn’t seem to offer much in the way of spiritual growth. We are, however, going to have a smaller craft night in conjunction with one of our small group activities.

Ack, sorry to go on so long! Obviously I’ve been thinking about this . . .
wendy
April 25th, 2009 @ 12:37 pm

I love this topic, Justine. Our new Enrichment Counselor is good at creating meaty quarterly meetings, and it seems that we are all spiritually fed. Our Stake has mandated we don’t do crafts for Super-Saturday, so we’re going to do a Humanitarian SS instead, including some kind of luncheon. Our Bishop has said we can only have one night a month of the smaller meetings (except for the lunch group and play group), because he doesn’t want sisters to be drawn out of their homes more than that. I like that in principle, but when two or three different classes are on the same night, I don’t like having to choose (that said, I haven’t made it to any yet, because family issues have prevailed).

Oh . . . I just reread your questions. Those are good questions! What is keeping me from the blessings of the Lord is not making time to pray and study scriptures regularly. I haven’t adapted my routines since ds lost his morning nap, when I used to do those things. How RS can help change those dynamics . . . I wonder if a scripture study goal as a group would help, or more frequent inspiring speakers to remind me that I want that. Reminders do help me.

I’m sending a link to this thread to my Enrichment counselor asap. Thank you for this!!
Strollerblader
April 25th, 2009 @ 1:53 pm

I don’t even know where to begin with this topic. I am passionate about HFPE. And my ward is barely hanging together right now. We are just so threadbare; there is little bonding, meaningful relationships, and unity. People’s lives are crashing down on them, and there isn’t a social network to help support them. Only about 3 years ago, our ward was the one to be in, the one that had it all together, the ward where everyone seemed to really work together and even hang out together. We have since gone through some downturns, and I think that one of the things that has really contributed to the fall of the ward is the lack of well planned, well-advertised, meaningful activities (both ward activities as well as HFPE meetings and activities). We are a bilingual ward, where only a handful of people are actually bilingual, so that is a big challenge, too.

For the last couple of years (including the several months that I was HFPE leader), our meetings have been pathetic. (In my case, there was so much red tape and micromanaging going on, it was nearly impossible to accomplish anything useful.) Since then, *IF* you even *heard* about the meeting (because you happened to be in RS meeting during the 5 seconds they mentioned the activity that was in only 2 days), then you could at least have the option of attending. Then on the night of the meeting, you walked into the gym, where nothing seemed organized, no thought was given for providing a welcoming atsmosphere, and the offerings on the food table were sorely lacking. After starting late, you’d eat what little food there was, chat for awhile, then for the last 10-30 minutes you’d stay sitting in that same chair in the big, empty gym listening to someone go on about something that you may or may not have chosen to learn about had you been given a choice. (But generally for me, only 37 years old, they were usually ‘been there, done that’ topics.) Then you go home feeling hungry physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually just like the other 17 people that attended. The HFPE people are discouraged and tired, and they don’t know how to solve the problems, and they just keep repeating this scenario until HFPE meetings are essentially committing a long, slow, painful suicide.

We just got a new RS presidency last month, and I am truly hopeful that HFPE meetings and activities will perk up. First of all, I’m hoping that they will be well-planned and advertised *well in advance*, that they will offer meaningful things to do and learn, that they will offer at least a couple of choices of what you want to learn each night, that you will actually have the option of leaving your dining chair during the night, and that built in with that learning and ‘enriching’ that they will offer time to visit and bond with the sisters. We can’t visit in the chapel, we can’t talk as we rush from sacrament meeting, to nursery, to primary, and finally to our Sunday School class; we can’t talk after we get out (late always) of RS, because our husbands and children are champing at the bit. We rush from one meeting to another, and never get a chance to get to know each other or to build a rapport with each other. We do have a pilates group that meets twice a week, a fairly successful monthly sewing class, and as of last month, there is a monthly B of M study group (amazed that *that* got approved!) as our interest groups. In all, I would guess that those 3 groups involve a total of 17 women. But at least they offer a chance to accomplish something while you get to visit a bit, too. You can’t get to know people if you’re only sitting teogether in meetings and lessons.

I *do* have needs that aren’t even close to being met. One of them is a need to be around and become friends with other women who I have something in common with. Another is to not leave an “enrichment” activity feeling emptier than when I arrived. I want to either leave the meeting having gained some valuable new skills or knowledge, or feel like I was able to teach people something valuable, and I definitely want to feel like I connected with at least one other woman there. I don’t want another Sunday lesson. I want topics and hands-on activities that are not appropriate for Sunday that offer a chance to verbally share with each other during the class/activity.

As for Super Saturdays, we’ve only had 3 of them here over the past 13 years. But I *do* see that they can be a valuable event. They provide a way to women to make inexpensive Christmas gifts, plus, again, provide a non-structured time for everyone to accomplish things while they get to talk and share.
Justine
April 25th, 2009 @ 2:45 pm

Thank you so much for sharing everyone. This is a useful discussion to have, I hope.

I feel pretty passionately about Enrichment, too, largely because I’ve been in the RS Enrichment counselor job for pretty much my entire adult life – strange, eh? But I’m not complaining, I really, really love Relief Society.

I think Relief Society’s major roles are to:
Increase Faith
Strengthen Homes
Provide Relief

(That’s from Sister Beck’s remarks)

I really feel there is a lot of room for different activities within that framework, and it also encompasses women’s need to connect with each other. That’s going to look a lot different in every ward and evvery Relief Society out there. I just wonder sometimes if we are relying on the church (ie – someone else) to fill our social needs and our creative outlets when we could be creating our own experiences.

Growing up in Michigan, I remember my mother’s quilting groups and luncheons with the neighbors and PTA moms and such. I wonder if we look to the church to fill those needs now? I don’t know, I’m just wanting to understand fully the direction our church leaders are giving us and what they are responding to.

I feel the increase in Satan’s presence in our extended lives. I feel that things are getting harder. I really resonate with Sister Beck’s message because it speaks to my own experience. It sounds like that hasn’t been everyone’s experience, though, which is interesting to me. I hear my own spirit crying out for help and strength, and I need to be serving and growing and learning in the gospel.

Well, now I’m just rambling…
Tiffany
April 25th, 2009 @ 4:02 pm

I really understand your point, Justine. I think you make such a valid point about not feeding our sisters spiritually. It really is a tragedy. But I’d also like to offer a couple of experiences I had that I had as the enrichment counselor in the RS.

I focused mainly on spirituality, developing a testimony of Christ and of the gospel for the activities I planned. But I also did a few crafts (this was before the quarterly activities). What happened with the crafts? Well, we had several less active sisters attend, who then sat by and conversed with more active sisters. I watched women in our ward develop stronger relationships with one another. Advice was shared, spiritual thoughts were exchanged. Women I knew who were struggling with their testimonies were fed by other women in the ward as made cookies or worked on a craft. One sister I knew in particular, while active, desperately needed the comfort, strength and support of her sisters, but she only comfortable attending when did something more hands-on. She always found someone to talk to at these craft activities. I know it benefited her tremendously.

So I can’t completely diss the craft activities because of the things I saw during the activities. I just wanted you to know that indeed good, spiritual things CAN and DO happen when crafts are taught. And I think we need to learn the practical things as well. One convert friend of mine told me that because of enrichment activities about budgeting, cooking, etc. she developed skills she never had before.

That said, I do not think craft activities should dominate our enrichment meetings. I think the focus needs to be primarily on building testimonies and spirituality.
Strollerblader
April 25th, 2009 @ 4:07 pm

“I just wonder sometimes if we are relying on the church (ie – someone else) to fill our social needs and our creative outlets when we could be creating our own experiences.”

For me, the social needs I need filled by the church are the strength their friendship gives me as I see us striving together to grow closer to our Heavenly Father and our divine potential. It is not just a “let’s hang out and go to lunch” friendship that I need from church. And to me, that is the whole point of a church: to help each other get back to heaven. Otherwise, we can all be religious on our own without having to have a formal organization called a church.

No, we don’t need the church to fill our crafty needs, necessarily, as you are totally correct that each of us could make up our own craft nights at our home and invite other like-minded people to come, Mormon or not.

But we do need opportunities to get to know who those other people are at church, to know if we can trust them, to know who else might have solutions or support to the trials we are facing, to know who out there might need *our* support and testimony. And those opportunities aren’t there in just attending the meetings, where no chatting is allowed. But, getting to know those other sisters shouldn’t be the whole point of the activity; indeed, as Sis. Beck has said, it shouldn’t be the sole focus. We can get to know others as we work along side them and as we learn alongside them, as long as there are opportunities for interaction and chatting — so not conducive to classroom lectures.
Jennie
April 25th, 2009 @ 4:37 pm

I think one of the tragedies of our time is that so many women at church feel alone and isolated. I think it is tremendously important to develop sisterhood. For me, I do it through having fun. It is just the thing that appeals to me. I love how someone’s personality really comes through when you’re playing a game or having fun. Everyone is always so serious at church. It sounds so shallow, but there it is. I hate those “Women at the Well” kinds of things. I just feel like they’re so overwrought and trying to shove churchiness down my throat. I usually skip those. Can’t I feel the Holy Ghost without cheesy LDS music being involved?

I really, really like to learn skills at relief society. I’m a member of the enrichment commitee (which has been craft-free for a year and a half!) and we want to teach a sewing class and a bread-making class at next month’s quarterly meeting. We can’t find a single sister who knows how to make bread from scratch! Can you believe it??? We plan on teaching furniture refinishing, gardening, canning and that sort of thing throughout the year. I think it’s the best of both worlds because there’s still the possibility to socialize while you’re learning to be provident and developing new talents.

We do have a craft group and a card-making group as small-group activities. That seems to keep the craft-loving sisters happy.
Justine
April 25th, 2009 @ 4:56 pm

Tiffany, I like how you phrased your remarks. We do need to build each other up and support each other and create relationships. Sometimes Enrichment is a great place to do that.

Stollerblader, you say similar sentiments well, too. I love to sit and meet and visit with my dear Relief Society sisters. And there are lots of things we can be doing side by side to accomplish that end!

Jennie, you are the original fun-girl! And I like to learn skills at Enrichment, too. Wonderful Relief Society ladies are who taught me to quilt and can and sew.

I think that Enrichment leaders work really hard to create an atmosphere where the Spirit can speak to us, and it doesn’t always work, but sometimes it comes off perfectly. I don’t think we can expect that every program we put together is going to hit the nail for every sister, but you dear sisters keep trying and trying!

The Lord’s hand is in this work, and we’ll all figure out what the sister’s in our ward community need. We just have to keep trying, eh?
Tina
April 25th, 2009 @ 5:30 pm

Oh, my dear sisters. I feel we are on the verge of entering into another arena of possible contention. I hear and understand Sis. Beck’s concerns that we are losing some much needed spirituality. We need to heed that warning.

However, I just had an experience that has helped me see the great value of some of those “fluff” classes. In our ward we’ve had a yoga class for many months. I have been a regular participant in it. As we would exercise, we would discuss things in our lives that caused us stress, how the Gospel was helping us (our teacher’s husband is not LDS, someone’s marriage was about to break up, others had health problems, just to name a few).

Then the unthinkable happened to me. I was diagnosed with cancer. Because I had developed a deep rapport with the sisters in this “fluff” class, I had a support group that went far beyond what we had been able to develop in more formal church discussion classes. Our teacher stayed the night with me at the hospital when I had my mastectomy. We’ve prayed together, cried together, and rejoiced together when the tests came back saying the cancer was gone. They’ve brought organic meals to me and helped me learn more about organic gardening so I can be healthier.

Because of our deep sisterhood – developed by this “fuff” yoga class – the marriage that was falling apart has been saved, the non-LDS husband is becoming more tolerant of the church and its members, the ones with health problems still have them (with mine added), but have been strengthened by the love, faith and prayers of those in our little yoga group.

Now. Tell me that this isn’t enriching. Deeply, spiritually enriching. Tell me this isn’t fulfilling the true purpose of such activities. I think enrichment meetings are what we make of them whether we’re making cards, doing yoga, hearing lectures, studying scriptures, baking, sewing or what have you. If we don’t come away enriched, then by all means stay home. But please don’t say that there is no merit in these other activities. My yoga class has helped save my life. It saved a marriage. It’s built friendships that will last for eternity. What could possibly be bad about that?

I think there are two things we need to keep in mind. One is that we do need to become more spiritually minded people. It is the principles of the Gospel that will help us in every aspect of our lives. The other is that the gospel is ALL of life. It’s in the card making, the hair cutting, the gardening, and car repairs and other things that teach us how to be more self-reliant. It’s in the yoga and other exercise classes that help teach us how to care for these bodies we have. It’s in the craft things that help to bring beauty into our homes and lives – especially when it involves things that bring Gospel pictures and messages into our homes. It’s in the discussions of the scriptures that we have either as we do these other things or just by themselves. It’s in the informal get-togethers where we have the opportunity to put into practice the things we learn on Sunday as we develop friendships and deep sisterhood with those in our wards or branches.

I repeat, Enrichment activities are what we make of them. There is no need to feel guilty if we don’t like some of them or to look down our noses at those of which we disapprove or don’t enjoy. If we who serve on Enrichment Boards (and I am one of them) prayerfully select activities for our sisters, we will be lead to those things that will help meet the needs of the sisters in our wards/branches. If we do that, we will not be lead astray whether the classes we are impressed to offer are formal gospel discussions or “fluff” classes, or some of both.
Claudia
April 25th, 2009 @ 7:48 pm

Well said Tina. Back in the day when we still had homemaking meeting and the goal was to help educate women in the homemaking arts it was better. Relief Society had a purpose that was more clearly defined and adhered to. Sometimes I go for social reasons. I do don’t go very often because I feel out of place. If you aren’t going to provide an environment where I can feel comfortable I’m not going to be fed spiritually or in any other way. Not everyone finds the spirit in the same way or through the same medium. There isn’t any reason spiritual things can’t be entertaining. It is to each person what she makes of it.

The best way to save souls is to get people involved. Make them feel that their contribution is appreciated and desirable. Then you can do whatever you want. It won’t matter much what the activity is, within the bounds of good taste.
Sue
April 25th, 2009 @ 8:30 pm

I tend to think heavily religious HFPE meetings would appeal to the same women who probably already attend everything anyway, out of duty. Those who are not that spiritual and/or bored to tears by the typical weepy RS presentations that tend to make the rounds for quarterly meetings (the ten virgins thing, women at the well, etc., etc.) will be even less likely to attend. If you are weak/struggling/ambivalent the last thing you want is to be voluntarily hit over the head with heavy spiritual anvils. But I guess since we’re really only talking about quarterly meetings, and there are still other enrichment activities available to those who want them, it shouldn’t really matter very much.

We’re losing so many of our young adults and we continue to just strip all of the fun and liveliness out of our meetings and activities. After meetings in JS’ time, they DANCED. Where is our sense of joy? Spirituality doesn’t have to be expressed exclusively through hymn singing and solemn testifying. I hope this new program works the way they want it to, but I have my doubts.

That said… In our ward we have some church sponsored enrichment type groups, and we also have non-church sponsored groups various women started up that are open to anyone who wants to come – there are multiple book clubs, service groups, girls night out opportunities – lots of opportunities for women to socialize and make the kinds of friendships that bond people together and help us feel connected. It’s easier to support each other and lift each other up when we really know each other. We tend to point to the church and say, “they should, they should” – but the reality is that WE CAN do these things on our own. You don’t need a calling to start a book club (or whatever your forte is).
mormonhermitmom
April 25th, 2009 @ 11:11 pm

All good comments.

I like a good spiritual uplift, I like a good service project, I like a practical skill, I like meeting people I don’t get to see on SUnday, because I’m in Nursery then. For me, very little of Enrichment is fluff. I have been bored, yes, but it was still restful after days of taking care of children.
Emily M.
April 25th, 2009 @ 11:18 pm

Well said, Tina.

I never do crafts except at Enrichment nights, where I love doing them. Why? Someone else is showing me how, step by step, I get to sit and talk with women I love, and I leave feeling capable of doing something that was intimidating to me before. (yeah, crafts intimidate me).

I hear the message that we are in the business of salvation, not entertainment. But part of salvation, a huge part, is that we are all in this together. We are building Zion. To build Zion, we need to fellowship; everyone is part. Fellowshiping is a legitimate and important need (every member needs a friend, a responsibility, and nourishing by the good word of God. But President Hinckley listed “friend” first), and low-key entertaining activities can create a sense of community in a way that might be harder if the activity is solely spiritual.

I want to learn homemaking skills at Enrichment Night. Sometimes, that includes crafts; our craft activities bring out many women who don’t usually attend. I want a chance to talk with the amazing women in my ward. When I do those things, I do feel the Spirit. I do feel enriched, like my time was well spent.

I get what she’s saying. But how will focusing only on spiritual activities reach the sisters who need to feel a sense of community before they can feel comfortable attending and participating in such events?
Queen Scarlett
April 25th, 2009 @ 11:36 pm

Very interesting topic. I’ve never been one that subscribed to having Church create my social circle, or my entertainment. Aren’t we supposed to be anxiously engaged in a good cause… aren’t we masters of our own lives?

First – why does everyone assume that anything spiritual is not fun, happy… like it’s some nasty medicine we have to plug-our noses to take down. Why? I don’t get that.

Second – when we say “fluff” are we talking about things that we each specifically don’t like? Or is it more of an “intellectual” deal?

Third – is there only on prescribed way of teaching spirituality? I should hope not. I’ve learned spirituality can be learned in all manners, forms and surprising encounters.

Just like each person is different, so is each ward, in every locale. I think it’s funny that it seems like everyone is so quick to complain. If you’ve felt this way for so long – then why haven’t you done something about it? There’s nothing that drives me more crazy than people who bicker and fester …but do nothing to change the situation they’re in. For that matter – request to be in the Enrichment committee if you don’t like the activities… you be the change you want.

As for having the RS organize specialty groups etc… why can’t an individual who is interested – start one on her own? That’s what we do in our neck of the woods. I’m in a book group and play group outside not sponsored, organized by the RS… they are both – wait for it… things a few friends and I got together to start. What a concept.

I look Church and the organizations not as a wagon I ride along in to drop me off where I should be going – but as a tool I pick up in my hand to change myself with the Lord’s guidance.

When Christ comes again – we will have no need of the Church organization – each family will be the organization… shouldn’t we stop expecting people to do things for us? Shouldn’t we look to do our part?
Kristin
April 26th, 2009 @ 9:37 am

I appreciate the many thoughtful comments already shared. We are such a diverse group of sisters, and our experiences and opinions show that. I also appreciate the non-contentious sharing of ideas.

I wasn’t there to hear Sister Beck, but I don’t believe that she meant that we should strip all happiness or fun out of our meetings. I do not believe that all of the activities must be an extension of Sunday meetings. I think there is a happy medium, as many have alluded to.

But I must agree with Sister Beck when she reminds us that we are not in the business of entertaintment. Do you ever feel like you need to compete with the TV when finding activities for your kids? Are we not an entertainment-driven society? Is that what the Lord would have us be?

I would imagine that her counsel would mean that we prayerfully consider how we can best help our sisters gain salvation when planning Enrichment meetings. That their salvation would be at the forefront of our minds as we plan activies for Relief Society, not a feeling of obligation to provide entertainment.

I was the Enrichment counselor when the program changed…quarterly meetings plus activities. I got the distinct impression that this format was designed to help meet the diverse needs of sisters. The quarterly meetings do need to build our sisters spiritually, though this can be done in a number of successful ways. The activies were designed to bind sisters of similar interests together (ie the inspiring yoga class example shared earlier).

Sometimes, a Women at the Well presentation is just what the Lord would have for sisters in an area. Sometimes a dinner with a speaker on a certain topic, whether fun or not. (Our most well-attended meeting ever was a presentation on Depression from a representative of LDS Family Services.) Sometimes it may be a crafting or humanitarian aid hands-on meeting, or a fun get-to-know you special event.

I think the bottom line, is that if we approach the planning of activities with a focus on the business of salvation rather than entertainment, the Lord will bless and inspire us in our efforts, and we will be better able to fulfill the needs of the sisters in our area, whatever they may be, acknowledging that there will be different answers for different wards at different times.

(And Justine, feel free to correct me if I have mis-interpreted Sister Beck’s comments. Thanks for your original post.)
Justine
April 26th, 2009 @ 10:19 am

I don’t think Sister Beck meant to strip all fun and joviality out of Enrichment either, but I can see how I’m totally coming across that way!

I appreciate your comments so much Tina. It’s good for me to hear, because I think I do need to hear it. My tendency would be to do pretty meaty and serious things most of the time because it’s not innate in me to be crafty. But it is in my nature to be silly and obnoxious, so I do really need those casual connections with women.

I think I’m just afraid of what I see happening around us. I’m afraid that my family and I will be slowly pushed away from the light of the Lord without even realizing it. I’m seeing it happen to people I know and love and it terrifies me. I have an inclination to overreact to lots and lots of things, and I don’t want to overreach here.

I love sitting and visiting with my ward sister, whom I deeply love. I love giggling and being silly with these women. I would hate to lose that connection to them, which is such a powerful one, in part, because of those silly and casual interactions.

I just want to make sure that those interactions, even if they are ‘fluff’, are still inviting of the Spirit. I know it can happen. It’s also pretty easy to slide into meaningless, though, don’t you think?

Life is rich and complex and would be terrible if it was always serious. But even fun and silly can be enriching if it’s done right. I guess I just want to make sure that the focus is on bringing sisters closer to the Lord, even in our casual and light interactions. I think both can exist.

I think the bottom line, is that if we approach the planning of activities with a focus on the business of salvation rather than entertainment, the Lord will bless and inspire us in our efforts, and we will be better able to fulfill the needs of the sisters in our area, whatever they may be, acknowledging that there will be different answers for different wards at different times.

excellent, excellent point, Kristin. Just so well stated.

Contrivance isn’t necessary. This plays well into what I want to discuss next week, so check back!
kristine
April 26th, 2009 @ 9:51 pm

i don’t have time to read everyone’s posts . . . I just want to say I get tired of the “dinner and program” nights. we just had our RS bday night and . . . you know if we’re going to celebrate the organization of something designed to serve and give relief, why not a service project? seriously scrap the dessert/food budget for the year and see how far we can get for soldier kits in Iraq or something like that. I would feel more fulfilled and uplifted if I felt I was doing good.

I don’t do the craft nights. Well, I go, but I don’t do anything. And usually when I walk into a room I look for “who looks like they need a friend to sit by” instead of “where are my friends to sit by” because a long time ago I listened to a talk about going to church and meetings isn’t about what you can get out of it but what you can give others.

as a result I’m often exhausted and my spiritual/emotional bucket is totally empty. and a dinners & programs don’t really help
Tiffany W.
April 27th, 2009 @ 6:44 am

Queen Scarlett, while I certainly understand your point about the church not necessarily prescribing or creating your social circle, I can see a need for it in various areas.

While I lived in Sweden, I was exposed to a very different type of situation than I had ever encountered in the U.S., having lived in Wyoming and Utah where members of the church were abundant and one could easily co-mingle members and non-members as friends. But in Sweden, our ward boundaries were extremely wide. Many members did not have cars and relied upon public transportation to attend church. So simply visiting other members who lived miles and miles away was extremely difficult. The youth were separated by large distances. Because of this, they didn’t have early morning seminary. They held seminary once a week, after mutual. Our area authorities were quite concerned about the number of youth that were not remaining active. It wasn’t until they put in an OUtreach institute center, close to the train station at the center town of the stake, that we started noticing a turn around in the youth. They desperately needed opportunities to interact socially with peers with similar standards. The social aspect pulled in the youth, where they began to have more spiritual experiences. As a result, many of those young men are on missions now. They’ll come home to more activities–where they can begin looking for mates and marry and raise families in the church.

In Sweden, where religion is taboo, God is considered a myth and morals are outdated. Members seldom had the opportunity to discuss spiritual matters with anyone outside of fellow members. Enrichment activities, ward parties, mutual, etc. provided the natural place for ward members to meet and socialize and build one another up.

So I guess what I’m saying is that creating a circle of friends, both within and without of the church isn’t always easy, especially for the shy or reserved. I do think that in those cases, social activities that get people together have tremendous benefit. And for those who feel isolated by their beliefs, church social activities can be a lifeline.
PH
April 27th, 2009 @ 8:43 am

As a bishop, I’m supportive of Sis. Beck’s comments. My ward council is tired of me quoting Sis. Beck: Focusing on relief will always build sociality, whereas focusing on sociality may not always bring relief.

I’ve challenged my ward members to find the word “fun” in the scriptures. What I’ve learned is that “fun” comes through service. People who don’t socialize together get to know each other through serving together. They laugh, they have a good time, they share life stories. They have “fun” while helping others. Actually, you can really call “fun” happiness or joy.

For those of you who feel your needs aren’t being provided the counsel of Pres. Hinkley’s father comes to mind (who was paraphrasing the Savior): Forget yourself and go to work (Matt: 10:39). I don’t mean to sound callous or uncaring. Often it takes a change of perspective to see that your needs ARE being met. You just don’t realize that what you think you need isn’t what you really need. Your need is to serve and reach out to others.

None of our covenants are about what we get from others, including Church. Our covenants are about what we give, how we behave. Don’t let popular culture deceive you into thinking Church is about getting, it’s always been about giving.

“Focusing on relief will always build sociality, whereas focusing on sociality may not always bring relief.”
Mommom
April 27th, 2009 @ 9:55 am

This is a really great conversation with so many interesting thoughts. I have to admit I am one of those people who loves Relief Society Activities. When it was the one meeting a month program I rarely missed a meeting, whether I was interested or not. I may not have even signed up to make anything – why make something if I already know how to make it or don’t wish to clutter my house any more than it is? But I do love seeing the sisters in my ward and have if I leave a meeting feeling down or frustrated… it’s typically because of me and my mood (not getting down on myself – I just know this) and it happens SO very rarely.

I dislike missing the quarterly meetings and have found two activity groups that I enjoy attending (btw… quilting isn’t for seniors But that doesn’t mean that everyone should attend or will attend all of those meetings.

I’m also a BIG believer in the church supporting the family and not the other way around. If an activity is planned with a purpose (even if the purpose is friendshipping) and planned well then hopefully all those who can attend will WANT to attend because they know they will enjoy time with members of their ward family (be it children, teenagers, husbands & wives, the whole family, sisters…). If they can’t attend or feel they need time with their family – that’s OK too. They shouldn’t feel guilty for not attending.

When I think of fluff, I think of mindless. So many activities that people have listed here and related to “fun” and therefore “fluff” I would never consider fluff and I don’t think Sis. Beck would either. Especially if you look on the HFPE website on lds.org and the suggestions to consider when planning meetings.

I think the leaders in our ward do an amazing job. They give us time as sister to talk at each quarterly activity. The last two activities have included games. And they have something spiritual as well. This next quarterly activity (and this one has been going around our stake) is we’re having a gynocologist come in to speak. We can also write down specific questions ahead of time (so he has time to do research if necessary and so they’re anonymous). OH and one of our other groups is a “How to” group. May and June is CPR certification. It helps that we have someone who can train each of us – but for $2 we can all get our CPR certification updated (and that’s just if we take the test – free otherwise)! I like that they think outside the box sometimes too.

Ok.. enough outta me….
Red
April 28th, 2009 @ 7:44 am

I’ve been thinking about this post and these comments since yesterday! I just wanted to throw in this thought: I have been in a Primary presidency for eight consecutive years in the last three wards we’ve lived in. My ONLY contact with RS, fluff or otherwise, has been through quarterly activities (and, rarely, a Visiting Teacher). And yet, I still have a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Which tells me two things: 1) What PH said about service is true and 2) I don’t really need RS to ensure my salvation.

I have also found that many (most?) women in their 30’s and 40’s are NOT in RS week to week. We’re all busy working in other auxiliary organizations. None of my good friends have time to go to RS. We’re too busy serving and raising children. So that makes me think that fluff is also okay, especially for the large chunk of us who spend the rest of our time “giving.”
Faith Not Fear
April 28th, 2009 @ 10:43 am

Fortify.
Maybe that’s what’s most important about Enrichment — that we fortify our friendships, and our friends; that we fortify our testimonies; that we fortify our talents, our skills, and our knowledge.
As we fortify ourselves and each other, we prepare for days when we may have to face hard times alone — think of the dear sisters in Mexico City who are isolated due to illness!
I’m sure they are fortifying each other as they can, and in many ways they probably learned through Relief Society — thru fasting, faith, prayer, service, love, compassion, and even comforting and mourning with those who mourn. Maybe even using food storage recipes!
Fortify!
Justine
April 28th, 2009 @ 10:57 am

Red, what you said made me feel really sad. It’s so true that we spend much of our lives serving outside of the RS, and I fear that some women (many I know) don’t really feel a part of Relief Society because of it.

I have a deep testimony of Relief Society and the great good it can do. I have seen women lifting other women, women serving together and growing together, and I’ve seen testimonies born and strengthened as we meet and serve together. Certainly it can’t be a panacea for everyone, but many many times, women in Relief Society can be a salve to each other in the struggles we all encounter.

I love my Relief Society sisters, and I love their testimonies and strength. I believe firmly that the Lord’s hand is in this work, and together as women we can heal so many wounds and buoy each other up in so many ways.
Red
April 29th, 2009 @ 9:43 am

Justine: I still consider myself a part of Relief Society even though I serve elsewhere. Am I not giving tangible relief as I serve the children (and the women who teach them) every Sunday? I have taught RS and even served as the Enrichment counselor (does that date me?) and I still believe the testimony I gained then that RS has a role to play in the overall gospel of Jesus Christ.

But it seems that it is okay with the Lord that most women in His church spend 15-20 years (or more) serving outside of Relief Society. So can’t we assume that RS attendance is, indeed, not necessary to salvation? So what part of RS is really, truly, the “business of salvation”? I’m not saying this to be combative! I am curious about teasing out the fundamental truth about the role of RS. It shouldn’t make you sad.

I fear my comments are going to karmic-ly lead to a Relief Society calling. Perhaps it’s time.
Justine
April 29th, 2009 @ 12:39 pm

You are giving such vital service outside the Sunday Relief Society Meeting! And sooo many women sacrifice sooo much time and energy serving children and youth and such.

I absolutely agree with you that this is the Lord’s program, and we’re all called to serve all over the place. It’s an interesting question about salvation. When I heard it said, I understood it to mean “we” as in “we, the members of the church”, not necessarily just as members of Relief Society. I don’t really believe that RS is some sort of pre-requisite for salvation, certainly, but I do see where the Relief Society can serve to bring people to the Savior.

As I understand things (which is very little…), the Relief Society can offer peace and love and fellowship and work, all things to bring us to our covenants. It cannot offer us salvation, but through our associations and work in the RS (or any other auxiliary, for that matter) we can consecrate our time and efforts to the Lord.

I don’t know if there is a fundamental necessity to the RS organization. I do know, however, that RS can bring us closer to God. We, as Christians serving in the Lord’s church, are in the business of salvation – salvation of ourselves and loved ones. Maybe that’s where this goes.

And yeah, you’re probably up next for RS Pres…;-)
Shanon
April 29th, 2009 @ 4:32 pm

I loved President Uchtdorf’s talk “Happiness, Your Heritage” given at the RS general broadcast in Oct. 2008. It seemed to me that he was telling the women of the church to develop their talents…to create something beautiful. It changed the way I view the work I do as a stay-at-home mom. I am here to create a nice home for our family so I hung a picture of Christ and vinyl letters that quoted my husband’s favorite scripture. Some would consider that fluff, some think that’s overdone, our family is inspired by it. My children see this scripture “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” several times a day. I think the “fluff” in my home will go a long way towards helping them with their eternal salvation.

I see Relief Society as a program that helps the sisters with all sorts of skills from bread making to studying the scriptures more effectively. I think you can be spiritually uplifted while sitting next to another sister doing a “light, crafty” project. I have learned alot from the experiences of others just by being in their presence and listening to them. I would not have heard their experiences if I was listening to a speaker talk about our salvation. I think there is room for both in our enrichment activities.