November RS Presidency Message

Each month the member of the Relief Society Presidency rotate months - when it is my month I conduct the meetings for that month, write the message for our newsletter and teach the first Sunday.

This is the message from the newsletter this month. It may not apply to you and/or be quite boring to read, but this is my blog. Where I record things from my life. So here it is.

Dear Sisters
If you remember I asked everyone to pray about how we could strengthen our families and that if we each did it, we would be strengthened as Sisters too. I wanted to share my experience about asking how to strengthen my family. I know that many of you feel the same pressures that I do when it comes to family. We would give our all to the end of day for them individually or as a whole family unit, but somehow there are usually more demands than we have time. We are the ones that seem to hold it together when others are coming apart. We are the ones called on again and again.
When I knelt in prayer and humbly asked what I could do to strengthen my family I was surprised by the prompting that I had to think about what I am already doing. Honestly my first instinct was to brush it off and say “I’m here for new information,” but instead I allowed myself some quiet time to ponder what I felt I was already doing. Why is it we expect things to be more difficult or complex than they usually are? I realized as I pondered so much of what I do is the day-to-day-required, do or die sorts of things that I am not putting enough effort into what I know works. Just doing it because I or we are supposed to do it. The usual: Family Home Evening, family prayers and family dinner came to mind first. Am I really “doing” those things whole heartedly? I also had the prompting to hold my loved ones a little more and to make sure that they knew I love them and that the Savior loves them.
So I didn’t experience anything magical or profound, just the promptings to do what I know is right with more heart and to hold my children while teaching them unconditional love too. From there I have sought guidance on how to do those things. The biggest and probably hardest one is making myself stop long enough to make that hug count, to exchange heart to heart conversation that gives those special people in my life confidence in my love and hopefully our Savior’s love as well. What I found was my children almost clinging to me as I held them tighter as they went to pull away after a few seconds. I found them coming to me with more questions and that I had the answers that they needed. Small, yes. Profound, deeply.
I wonder what your experiences were? I would love to hear them.
With much love for each of you,
Sister Dunn