Speaking of the great legacy left by early Latter-day Saint women, President Henry B. Eyring asked modern LDS women Saturday evening to be charitable."Charity is born of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and is an effect of his Atonement working in the hearts of members," said President Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "There are many benevolent groups of women who do great good. There are many who have overpowering feelings of sympathy for the unfortunate, the sick and the needy. But [the Relief Society] is unique and has been from its start."President Eyring offered closing remarks at the LDS Church's General Relief Society Meeting, held in the Conference Center in downtown Salt Lake City and broadcast to LDS meetinghouses across the globe.Also addressing the worldwide congregation of women were Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president, and her counselors, Silvia H. Allred and Barbara Thompson.Each of the four leaders spoke on different aspects of the history and administration of Relief Society, the LDS Church's organization for women which was founded in 1842. They encouraged Mormon women to take advantage of the blessings that Relief Society affords them. They also announced changes to the name of Relief Society meetings; now "home, family and personal enrichment meetings" will be simply called "Relief Society meetings."The change came in response to concerns about the complexity of that title and the different interpretation about the purpose of those meetings, said Sister Beck.Relief Society presidents, working with their bishops, can now determine how to use the meetings to "address spiritual and temporal needs of individuals and families in the ward and to strengthen sisterhood and unity," she said.During his remarks, President Eyring addressed the topic, "The Enduring Legacy of Relief Society.""I will speak to you tonight of the great legacy those who went before you in the Relief Society have passed to you," said President Eyring. "The part of the foundation they laid for you which seems to me most important and persistent is that charity is at the heart of the society and was to come into the heart, to be part of the very nature, of every member."He said charity meant to early Latter-day Saint women far more than a feeling of benevolence. In the foundation they created, those sisters set "charity never faileth" at the center. "It served them at the beginning; it served them in the great period that followed; it serves them now in a new time; and it will serve the Relief Society in all the periods ahead."During her remarks, Sister Beck said that purpose of Relief Society is to prepare women for the blessings of eternal life by helping them increase their faith and personal righteousness, strengthen their families and homes, and serve the Lord and His children.LDS women, she continued, need to know what sets them apart from every other women's group or organization. "Everything we do in Relief Society matters because Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, visited Joseph Smith and, through him, the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth."Relief Society, Sister Beck explained, was part of that restoration.Sister Beck then spoke about how the faith-based work of Relief Society is to be administered."One of the most precious commodities we all have is time. Most women have many responsibilities and never have sufficient time to do everything their hearts and minds want to do. We show respect for the Lord and the sisters when we use Relief Society time in an inspired way."Sister Beck said weekly meetings on Sunday are held as part of the regular three-hour block. Additional Relief Society meetings can also be held to help sisters "learn and accomplish the charitable and practical responsibilities of the Relief Society."She then announced the discontinuance of the title "home, family and personal enrichment meetings.""In counsel with the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, it was determined that rather than give these additional Relief Society meetings a new title, all such meetings and activities will now be referred to simply as Relief Society meetings. Individual Relief Society meetings that are not held on Sunday will be called whatever they are: Relief Society service, classes, projects, conferences or workshops."The additional meetings can be valuable supplements to Sunday instruction. However, she added, sisters should not feel that attendance is mandatory.Sister Beck said most of the essential Relief Society work doesn't happen in meetings. "A sister has no other responsibility outside of her family that has the potential to do as much good as does visiting teaching."Concluding, Sister Beck asked the worldwide congregation to realize the importance of Relief Society. "We live in a happy and exciting time of growth in the history of the Church, and Relief Society is part of making that history."Sister Allred said Relief Society is vital to the welfare of every Latter-day Saint home and family. "Every husband and father should encourage activity in Relief Society. Every woman should come and learn the opportunities Relief Society offers. Every righteous woman has a significant role to play in God's plan and the building up of His kingdom. Relief Society needs you, and you need Relief Society."She said the deepest desire of the general Relief Society presidency is to help each woman in the church "prepare to receive the blessings of the temple, to honor the covenants she makes and to be engaged in the cause of Zion." To the women of the Church, she added, "Your attendance at Relief Society Sunday meetings will bless you, but your participation in the work of Relief Society will bless the whole church."During her address, Sister Thompson referred to "the tube," the subway system of underground trains in London, England. She described signs alerting passengers to "mind the gap," the space between the platform and the train. Likening the experience of riding the tube to experiences in life, Sister Thompson spoke of three gaps many people will have during their experience in life."Many of us have gaps in our own lives," Sister Thompson said. "Sometimes it is the difference between what we know and what we actually do or the gap between our goals and what we actually accomplish. These gaps can be reminders of ways in which we can improve or, if ignored, can be stumbling blocks in our lives."She said the first gap is "believing you are a daughter of God and knowing in your heart and soul that you are a precious, beloved daughter of God."The second gap is between completion of the Young Women program and becoming a fully participating member of Relief Society.Third, she said, is the gap between believing in Jesus Christ and being valiant in the testimony of Jesus Christ."As we mind these 'gaps' by paying careful attention and removing ourselves from danger, we will begin to realize the fullness of the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives."
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