All over the world, more than 8 million women belong to the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“By providing and receiving relief, both temporal and spiritual, we draw closer to Jesus Christ and become more like Him,” Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson said in her opening remarks to the Relief Society worldwide devotional, which became available for viewing Sunday.
Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles called it a great responsibility to speak to Latter-day Saint women.
“You have my love and admiration for who you are and your commitment to the Lord and his Church in this difficult world,” Elder Cook said. “Dear sisters, please do not underestimate the power and impact of your capable, loving and sensitive influence on those with whom you associate. You bless many as you strive to live Christlike lives.”
As part of celebrating the 184th anniversary this month of the organization of the Relief Society, women are invited to gather with their wards and stakes to view the devotional, which also features remarks and testimonies from President Johnson’s counselors, Sister J. Anette Dennis and Sister Kristin M. Yee.
A series of discussion videos was also released on Sunday from the Relief Society general advisory council. The discussion videos can be used at the same time as the broadcast or any time throughout the year.
All of the messages were prepared with the women of the church in mind, President Johnson said.
Elder Cook invites women to deepen conversion
Elder Cook said that at times, women may feel that no matter how hard they work or what they do, it is not enough. But their work, kindness and love bless others beyond measure “and it is enough.”
This is a turbulent time with the world in commotion — and many of the challenges are spiritual.
“There has always been opposition in all things,” Elder Cook said. “The difference today is that the great and spacious building skeptics seem to be louder, more contentious and less tolerant than at any time during my life.”
He shared the counsel and comfort from the Lord in Doctrine and Covenants 6:34: “Fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.”
The Lord also counseled in verse 36, “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”
In Alma 5, Alma emphasized four qualities in order to be blameless before God, which Elder Cook said are relevant to the issues that exist today:
- “Are we sufficiently humble?”
- “Are we stripped of pride?”
- “Are we stripped of envy?”
- “Do we mock or persecute a brother or sister?”
Much of the world is in a debate about temporal, day-to-day economic issues, but there is little discussion about returning to Christlike principles and preparing to meet God, Elder Cook said. “We need to focus our lives and increase emphasis on spiritual matters.”
Reviewing the events leading up to the dedication of the Nauvoo Temple is inspiring — particularly the faith of the women, Elder Cook said. These dedicated women made great sacrifices because they knew of the eternal significance of making covenants in the house of the Lord. Then, the faith and knowledge they received in the temple helped them face the unknown as they crossed the Plains.
“I think the women of the church today are every bit as strong and faithful,” Elder Cook said.
Conditions in the world today require deepening conversion to and strengthening faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and his Atonement, and the Lord has prepared his people for these times, Elder Cook said.
“I witness to you that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world. He lives and provides the love and guidance we need to return to him.”
President Johnson: ‘Do hard with Jesus Christ’
President Johnson said she feels a profound, “soul-stirring love” for the women of the church and wishes she could tell each one that they can trust Jesus Christ.
“I know that life is hard. You can do hard with Jesus or you can do hard alone. That is your choice. But when you do hard with Jesus Christ, the hard becomes holy. You become holy women,” she said.
A woman told President Johnson about a daughter who died from cancer and another daughter who was hospitalized after a car crash. The mother expressed her testimony of ministering angels and eternal families. Her mortal experience remained hard, but she chose to do hard with Jesus Christ.
President Johnson spoke of another woman raising four young children on her own while her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Trusting Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, this woman prepared to go to the house of the Lord to make covenants in the temple.
“Her mortal experience remains hard, but choosing to be bound to the Savior by covenant, the way forward feels easier. Not easy, but easier because she has greater access to His healing, strengthening power,” President Johnson said.
This woman, like Hannah in the Old Testament, became refined and holy through the fire of adversity, President Johnson explained. That is why she can testify that when women do hard things with Jesus Christ — instead of alone — the hard becomes holy.
“Sisters, we need more Jesus Christ; his light, his love, his hope, and his healing strengthening power,” she said. Then, the work of holy women is to share the Savior’s spiritual relief with others.
Sister Dennis on feeling heaven’s love
Sister Dennis said sometimes it may be hard to feel the love of Heavenly Father and the Savior, but it is always there. Even on cloudy or stormy days, the sun still exists.
“My sisters, I bear my witness to you that nothing can separate us from the love of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Their light and their love for us are constant, unchanging and immovable, just like the light and warmth of the sun,” she said.
When Sister Dennis moved to Mexico with her husband, she didn’t speak the language well and was far from her family. She was expecting their first baby and felt alone, lost and afraid. But some of her Relief Society sisters put their arms around her and helped her feel that she wasn’t alone.
“Because I could feel their love and acceptance for me, it parted the clouds of darkness that I had been feeling, and I began to again feel my Father in Heaven’s love and support for me,” Sister Dennis said. “Sisters, we can do that for each other.”
She pointed out that the temptation to compare and judge one another comes from the adversary, who wants to divide people. But women can help each other feel the Savior’s love as they strive to be united as daughters of God.
Those who are suffering challenges, difficulties and loss can trust that those losses will be made up to them as they remain faithful to God, she said, adding, “Remember also this promise, ‘All things work together for good to them that love God’ (Romans 8:28).”
Sister Yee and burdens becoming light
Some time ago, Sister Yee found herself in a trying circumstance. The situation began to consume her thoughts and bothered her deeply. Nothing seemed to change, and she felt stuck and longed for relief.
One night, praying to Heavenly Father, she asked for help — and remembered that through Jesus Christ, her burden could be lifted.
“A peace began to replace the heaviness. A peace that truly surpassed my understanding. A peace that this situation was in the hands of the Father and the Son, and was not mine to carry,” she said. “As I chose to trust my burden to them, I felt their love and relief and was guided to know how to get the support I needed.”
Although the difficult circumstance did not go away, it did not afflict her in the same way nor monopolize her thoughts. The Lord had made her burden become light.
“Sisters, let us choose to believe in Jesus Christ and ask for the help we need through the power of his Atonement,” Sister Yee said, adding, “his Atonement, his suffering sore were and are for you.”
Sister Yee pointed to President Dallin H. Oaks’ teachings from October 2015 general conference: “Because of his atoning experience in mortality, our Savior is able to comfort, heal and strengthen all men and women everywhere, but I believe he does so only for those who seek him and ask for his help.”
Sister Yee testified that as women choose to believe in Jesus Christ, learn of him, repent and let the reality of his Atonement reach into all parts of their lives, how they see him in their lives will change.
How to watch
The Relief Society worldwide devotional and discussion videos are available in multiple languages through Gospel Library, broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org and the Church’s Living the Gospel of Jesus Christ YouTube channel.
