Thoughts from Sunday

So last Sunday I was sitting in Relief Society and I caught my self ignoring the lesson (only for a moment, right?) and focusing on a poster propped up against the chalk board. It was the Relief Society Declaration. I got to wondering why we seldom hear those words. In a way, it’s frustrating. I love the message of it. I love the values it emphasizes. It is womanhood in a nutshell. And yet, we forget about it except for when the birthday of the organizations rolls around every March.  I often wondered why in Young Women’s we stand every week to recite our values yet many or most women don’t even know what the RS Declaration says (including myself). 

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THE RELIEF SOCIETY OF
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

are beloved spirit daughters of God,
and our lives have meaning, purpose, and direction.
As a worldwide sisterhood, we are united in our devotion
to Jesus Christ, our Savior and Exemplar.
We are women of faith, virtue, vision, and charity who:

Increase our testimonies of Jesus Christ
through prayer and scripture study.

Seek spiritual strength by following the
promptings of the Holy Ghost.

Dedicate ourselves to strengthening
marriages, families, and homes.

Find nobility in motherhood
and joy in womanhood.

Delight in service and good works.

Love life and learning.

Stand for truth and righteousness.

Sustain the priesthood
as the authority of God on earth.

Rejoice in the blessings of the temple,
understand our divine destiny,
and strive for exaltation.

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If nothing else, it was nice to review it and do a little self-check. Thumbs up on some, new goals on others. But hey, isn’t that what it’s all about?