Are You Going to Stay to Graze or Jump the Fence?

 

Released but Not Obsolete: Purposeful Service at any Age

By Norman C. Hill

says. “When someone says they’ve been put out to pasture, we say, ‘You get to decide whether you stay to graze or jump the fence.’ Most barriers are artificial anyway. Service, friendship, family, ministering—none of these have any boundaries.” -Julie Beck

People Rather than Percentages

“Visiting teaching becomes the Lord’s work when our focus is on people rather than percentages,” explains Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president. “In reality, visiting teaching is never finished. It is more a way of life than a task. Faithfully serving as a visiting teacher is evidence of our discipleship.”

Julie B. Beck, “Relief Society: A Sacred Work,” Liahona andEnsign, Nov. 2009, 114.

Sincerely Know and Love Each Sister

 “Throughout the years, Relief Society sisters and leaders have learned one step at a time and have improved in their ability to watch over others,” said Sister Beck. “There have been times when sisters have focused more on completing visits, teaching lessons, and leaving notices when they have stopped by their sisters’ homes. These practices have helped sisters learn patterns of watchcare. Just as people in the time of Moses concentrated on keeping long lists of rules, the sisters of Relief Society have at times imposed many written and unwritten rules upon themselves in their desire to understand how to strengthen one another.

“With so much need for relief and rescue in the lives of sisters and their families today, our Heavenly Father needs us to follow a higher path and demonstrate our discipleship by sincerely caring for His children. With this important purpose in mind, leaders are now taught to ask for reports about the spiritual and temporal well-being of sisters and their families and about service rendered. Now visiting teachers have the responsibility to ‘sincerely come to know and love each sister, help her strengthen her faith, and give service.’”

Julie B. Beck, “What I Hope My Granddaughters (and Grandsons) Will Understand about Relief Society,” Liahona andEnsign, Nov. 2011, 112.

We learned that the purpose of Relief Society as established by the Lord is to organize, teach, and inspire His daughters to prepare them for the blessings of eternal life.

To fulfill this purpose of Relief Society, the Lord has commissioned each sister and the organization as a whole to:

1. 1. 
   Increase in faith and personal righteousness.
2. 2. 
   Strengthen families and homes.
3. 3. 
   Provide relief by serving the Lord and His children.

We can do this work in the Lord’s way only when we seek, receive, and act on personal revelation. Without personal revelation, we cannot succeed.

• APRIL 2011
• THE PURPOSE OF RELIEF SOCIETY

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VISITING TEACHING MESSAGE

The Purpose of Relief Society

Julie B. Beck

Relief Society General President

Having the Spirit Through Family History Work

As you participate in temple and family history work, you are certain to have the Spirit to comfort you in your challenges and guide you in the important decisions you are making.

Julie B. Beck, "This is Your Work," Ensign, Feb 2012, 44. 

Youth and Family History

Your technical skills are a partial fulfillment of this prophecy, and I hope you are feeling a sense of urgency about this work. You were born in this age to do temple and family history work. Your family needs your help. Your ward or branch needs your help in this important responsibility.

Julie B. Beck, "This is Your Work," Ensign, Feb 2012, 42. 

Clear on Doctrine

"We must be very clear on key points of doctrine, which we find in "The Family: A Proclamation to the World."

"This generation will be called upon to defend the doctrine of the family as never before. If they don't know it, they can't defend it. They need to understand temples and priesthood."

Julie B. Beck, "Teaching the Doctrine of the Family," Ensign, Mar 2011, 17.

Cut Through All the Noise

Live and teach with so much clarity that what you teach will cut through all the noise youth are hearing and so that it will pierce their hearts and touch them.

Julie B. Beck, "Teaching the Doctrine of the Family," Ensign, Mar 2011, 17.

Mother of Thousands of Millions

"In Genesis 24:60, Rebekah is blessed to be "the mother of thousands of millions." Where do we find those kinds of blessings? They are received in the temple."

Julie B. Beck, "Teaching the Doctrine of the Family," Ensign, Mar 2011, 16.

Blessings of Abraham

"A man cannot become a "father to many nations" without being sealed to his wife."

Jule B. Beck, "Teaching the Doctrine of the Family," Ensign, Mar 2011, 16.

Treasure Motherhood

 “A woman who treasures motherhood on earth will treasure motherhood in the world to come, and ‘where [her] treasure is, there will [her] heart be also’ (Matthew 6:21). By developing a mother heart, each girl and woman prepares for her divine, eternal mission of motherhood.. . . .”

Julie B. Beck, former Relief Society General President, “A Mother Heart,” Ensign, May 2004, 76, 77. 

Motherhood is Eternal

“Female roles did not begin on earth, and they do not end here. A women who treasures motherhood on earth will treasure motherhood in the world to come, and ‘where [her] treasure is, there will [her] heart be also’ (Matthew 6:21). By developing a mother heart, each girl and woman prepares for her divine, eternal mission of motherhood.”

Julie B. Beck, “A Mother Heart,” Liahona and Ensign, May 2004, 76. 

A Great Visiting Teacher

“We know we are successful in our ministering as visiting teachers when our sisters can say: (1) my visiting teacher helps me grow spiritually; (2) I know my visiting teacher cares deeply about me and my family; and (3) if I have problems, I know my visiting teacher will take action without waiting to be asked.”

Julie B. Beck, “What I Hope My Granddaughters (and Grandsons) Will Understand about Relief Society, Ensign, Nov. 2011, 113. 

Guilt

“When we are misaligned, we feel guilt. That is the Spirit telling us we need to repent and realign ourselves with God’s will. Repentance is a principle we use daily to remain spiritually strong.”

Julie B. Beck, “Relief Society History: A Look at the Lord’s Vision for His Daughters,” Ensign Sept 2011, 40-43.

Faith in the Atonement

“Faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ not only heals us, but it also enables us to do difficult things and live in an exemplary way.”

Julie B. Beck, “Relief Society History: A Look at the Lord’s Vision for His Daughters,” Ensign Sept 2011, 40-43.

Women's Influence

Because we as women have great influence on those around us, we must do all we can to keep ourselves spiritually strong.

Julie B. Beck, “Relief Society History: A Look at the Lord’s Vision for His Daughters,” Ensign Sept 2011, 40-43.

Personal Revelation

“Sister Eliza R. Snow, our second Relief Society general president, was a strong and faithful early leader. She understood that the Spirit “satisfies and fills up every vacuum.” Through different seasons in her life, she struggled with poor health and loneliness. However, she was strengthened as she was able to receive and act on personal revelation. To her, personal revelation and the constant companionship of the Spirit were like a fountain. She said, “And is it not our privilege to so live that we can have this constantly flowing into our souls?”

“Examples such as this throughout our history help us remember that the ability to receive and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill we can acquire in this life. With it we cannot fail; without it we cannot succeed.”

Julie B. Beck, “Relief Society History: A Look at the Lord’s Vision for His Daughters,” Ensign Sept 2011, 40-43.

Strengthening Families by Increasing Spirituality

“There has grown in me an overwhelming testimony of the value of daughters of God. . . . I have felt that there has never been a greater need for increased faith and personal righteousness. There has never been a greater need for strong families and homes.

“The ability to quality for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life. Qualifying for the Lord’s Spirit begins with a desire for that Spirit and implies a certain degree of worthiness. Keeping the commandments, repenting, and renewing covenants made at baptism lead to the blessing of always having the Lord’s Spirit with us. Making and keeping temple covenants also adds spiritual strength and power to a woman’s life. Many answers to different questions are found by reading the scriptures because the scriptures are an aid to revelation. . . . Daily prayer is also essential to having the Lord’s Spirit with us.”

Julie B. Beck, “And upon the Handmaids in Those Days Will I Pour Out My Spirit,” Liahona and Ensign, May 2010, 10, 11.