I am getting ready to go to Sunday School and Relief Society with the kids, so this will have to be quick, but I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed the General Relief Society meeting last night.
Barbara Thompsen gave a wonderful talk about "minding the gap" and she spoke of gaps between (1) The way we see ourselves and the way God sees us, (2) young women and Relief Society, and (3) Believing that Christ is our Savior and knowing that he is and what that means.
Gap #1 is definitely something I have problems with. I feel like I know of my Heavenly Father's love for me, but for some reason I cannot feel that same way about myself. My self-worth took some major hits this week due to some issues with some friends. The good thing about hitting rock-bottom is that there is nowhere to go but up.
Gap #2 is what affected me the most. Although she spoke of how younger women sometimes take a break from church attendance after they have left the young women program because they do not feel like they fit in with the Relief Society women, I heard a different message for myself. I have been inclined to take a "break" or cause a "gap" in my church attendance while I let my thoughts and feelings (and bitterness) subside. But I felt through this talk that perhaps I shouldn't, no matter how hard it might be, because if I do, I might never go back, and I'm not sure that I am ready for that possibility.
The last talk was given by Elder Eyring. As he stood up to approach the stand, I was filled with a great love for him and for the other members of the first presidency. I know that they are called of God and that they sincerely do love all of the members of the church. I just wanted to pass that feeling along. If what I felt is not "sustaining" my church leaders, I don't know what is.
Following the meeting, I had a chance to visit with my mother and my sister (and my dad, when I was taking my mom home) about the articles in the Deseret News last weekend (about Affirmation and Evergreen conferences) and other gay issues that have been in the news this week (like the acquittal of a gay man who was beat up for kidnapping.) I don't talk to my parents much about this stuff, so it was kind of nice to do so.
Anyway, I'd better be off to church!
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4 years ago
7 comments:
I did not even know last night was the RS Meeting- I have not been able to be to chruch for several weeks due to a health issue. Thank you for leting me know what happened there at the conference.
I, too, like Elder Eyering. And, Elder Uchtdorf. I have good feelings about them.
I echo your sentiments about Elder Eyring. I have to admit though, that I got a little "wandering" during his talk. Started checking my facebook page and whatnot. My bad. We were on the same wavelength about the "gap" as well. This is new territory for me- viewing the church in a different light. I have had to rely on the Spirit more so I don't wander too far in one direction or the other. I'm doing what I always feared would lead me to condemnation, but I am actually closer to the Spirit than ever. Interesting.
Fraction, no problem.
Married, I was knitting during the rest of the conference to keep myself awake. Then, during Elder Eyring's talk I decided to give it my undivided attention. Instead, I dozed off. Should have kept knitting...
Sarah, I guess I do not understand your comment back to me.. "no problem"... I am sorry. Did I miss something? WAS there a problem? Or, by saying "no problem" were you just saying "you're welcome"? I guess I never understood the remark of "no problem" when someone thanked someone else... maybe it was the community in which I was brought up...
Yes, I meant "you're welcome". Sorry for the confusion. :)
(This is a total tangent to the actual topic of this post, but...)
I think that "no problem" as a response to "thank you" means something along the lines of:
"The thing that you are thanking me for was really not something that required any undue effort on my part or gave me any bother. It was such a small thing that I'm almost even embarrassed that you've acknowledged it with a 'thank you'."
(In our culture [American culture, to an extent, but especially Mormon culture] we've had the concept of humility so firmly embedded in our consciousness that it's difficult for us to respond to a "thank you" with a simple "you're welcome" because "you're welcome" acknowledges that we've done something that was worthy of thanks, and that's not humble, is it? So instead we respond with a self-deprecating "no problem" or "it was nothing". Whether or not this is an appropriate response is probably a discussion for another post.)
Topic hijack over. You can resume discussion of the conference now. :)
Whew. Glad there was NOT a problem. :) I appreciate the clarification, Sarah. And, Scott, I agree completely with your sentiments. Great observation.
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