Women’s Conference 2012
We stood in a dark room
shoulder to shoulder and heart to heart-- 15,000 women each with a light in her outstretched hand,
waving as we sang:
As sisters in Zion, we’ll all
work together
The blessings of God on our
labors we’ll seek.
We’ll build up his kingdom
with earnest endeavor
We’ll comfort the weary and
strengthen the weak.
The spirit was overwhelming
to the point of tears. I wanted to stay
there and sing that song again and see the thousands of lights waving in the
dark and feel the power of conviction in those beautiful women. It was
10:00 PM and we had been together since 9 O’clock that morning, being taught
the “The errand of angels…” There was
every size, age and color of us, but we all came for the same reason—to learn
how to be a better woman of Christ. We stood in line eating a quick sandwich or a
mint brownie, because we didn’t want to miss a word. We laughed and cried through stories of joy,
pain and hope. Some of us are the weary weak,
but we were learning to understand that the spirit will guide us and
then we will become stronger. We were
there with our private pains and disappointments, seeking strength and
answers to endure and serve in spite of our fears and weaknesses. We left with conviction that, “I can do
all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)
Life is not easy and when we
see some of the trials that others are going through it makes ours seem
small. That night we met a Relief
Society President from Christchurch New Zealand who came to tell us about the
service that was done by the local members of Relief Society last year when they
endured the devastating earthquakes that went on daily for weeks. There was a video of the female mayor of
Christchurch talking about the “Church of the Latter Day Saints.” This woman was amazed at the army of Relief
Society women who went through the town helping where they could see a
need day after day. I want to be that kind of woman, arm in arm on the front lines of service with other women who understand their power to love and help.
There is strength in
numbers. Sometimes it is good to be with
so many because you can feel the multiplication of each spirit in the air and as you breath it in it changes you and you realize that you are not alone in your sorrows, beliefs, desires and
convictions to be more Christlike. I came home wanting to be a better disciple.